A Teacher Prepares: From Brain to Science Literacy - Paperback

by Peter R. Bergethon (Author)

"It is incredible. In 10 minutes, you have shown us the path to success in science education. We have been searching for this insight for decades. This book explains it all."
Mark B. Moss, Waterhouse Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy (emeritus), Boston University School of Medicine

The deep insight of the SymmetryScience method is that the brain itself is an organized, structured system that grows and changes as it learns. Developmental neurobiological and psychological learning is always interacting in a structured way. Subject matter is also organized into a structured system of knowledge. Changing brains learn systems of knowledge on different paths that are individualized. Knowing which path to follow and in what order is teaching, or pedagogy.

Three constructs are defined in this book. All use the principles of systems and models.

1. The Cybernetic Sequence defines the neurobiology of the brain as it builds an internal model of the world from stimulus to the application of knowledge.
2. The Progression of Inquiry is the practice of modern science as observations of our world progress through descriptive, explanatory, and experimental models. Modern science discovers truth by skepticism of, and experiment on, those models. The Progression of Inquiry is the foundation to learning and practicing science, mathematics and critical thinking.
3. The Cycle of Pedagogy integrates how the neurobiologically changing brain can be taught to build internal models of knowledge. This interaction of a changing brain with knowledge in a learner-centric fashion is the center of the successful teaching and the SymmetryScience method.

A Teacher Prepares shows how these key tools for teaching children science, technology, and critical thinking can be a practical part of daily living. This book is a guide for parents, teachers, and anyone who wants to be clear and effective at teaching scientific and critical thinking skills to any student at every age and level.his