As science teachers, or teachers in general, we tend to have the mindset of doing things in our classroom the way we were taught, the way our department runs things, or what our colleague down the hall does. But if you really think about the reason behind what you’re doing, what you normally do might change. That’s exactly what happened with formal lab reports in my classroom. In this episode, I’m sharing why I ditched formal lab reports and how that decision impacted me and my students.
When I started to examine why I was assigning formal lab reports, I realized I was doing them for all the wrong reasons. So, when I finally made the decision to ditch them altogether, it greatly benefited my students and me. The pressure was off, and labs started to become enjoyable again, along with many other positive benefits. And since students weren’t getting critical thinking and scientific writing skills from the formal lab reports, I incorporated supplemental activities that provided students opportunities to practice those skills.
I’m aware that some science teachers feel very strongly about doing formal lab reports, and this might be a controversial episode, but for me, they didn’t serve a purpose in my classroom anymore. By ditching formal lab reports, it transformed the culture on lab days while still finding ways for students to practice skills that will help and support them later in their educational career. So whether you continue to do formal lab reports in your science classes or not, I hope this episode encourages you to make appropriate changes that are best for you and your students!
Resources Mentioned:
Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode105
33. 5 Mistakes to Avoid at the Beginning of the School Year
32. Student-Centered Pedagogy: One Way to Start
31. Student Centered Pedagogy: How to do It
30. Student-Centered Pedagogy: Why Make the Shift
29. Student-Centered Pedagogy: What it is
28. Using Summer Productively
27. How the Secondary Science Simplified Course Helped This New Teacher with Guest Rachel Carter
26. Leaving Work at Work
25. The Importance of Proactivity
24. A Look Inside the Secondary Science Simplified Course with 14-Year Teacher, Nikki Pryor
23. Ending the Year Strong by Setting Summer Rocks and Boundaries
22. Ending the Year Strong by Resetting Your Classroom
21. Ending the Year Strong by Auditing Your Lessons
20. Ending the Year Strong by Reflecting on Your Procedures
19. Collaboration, Classroom Management, Career Changes and MORE with Guest Jamie Whitlock
18. What to Do After End of Year Testing with Students
17. Celebrating Earth Day in Your Secondary Science Classes
16. 5 Strategies for Pain-Free Sub Plans
15. Teaching Seniors, AP Biology, and MORE with Diana Price
14. Combating Senioritis Part 3: Saving the Best for Last
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