An Oceanographer's Journey into the World of Education

For most of my career, I was a research oceanographer. For the past eleven years, I have been a professor, and for the past four years I have been working to improve teaching of the geosciences, especially oceanography at all levels from elementary school through graduate school. My work has centered primarily on improving middle- and high- school curriculum, and on improving teaching at the upper undergraduate and beginning graduate levels. I wish to share the lessons I have learned about improving K-12 education: 1) Teach interesting subjects which build on student interest--this may seem obvious, but few textbooks are built around themes such as global warming, hurricanes, tornados, whales, or earthquakes. 2) Don't limit your work to your particular specialty--think of the geosciences first in their broadest context--after all, global warming involves far more than meteorology or oceanography. 3) Work on a team with educators and students--we may be experts in science, but how much do we know about teaching K-12 students, their vocabulary, and their ability to understand each topic? 4) Work on projects that reach the most teachers and students--this is perhaps best done through NSF-funded, statewide systemic initiatives. 5) Be aware of national and state standards, including but not limited to math and science--the AAAS Project 2061 has published much useful material. 6) Teach special sections of science courses for preservice teachers--teach the way they will teach after they graduate. 7) Build assessment into your work--we think we have good ideas, but we need to prove we are really improving education. 8) Get to know your state education agency--they often seek expert help, and they have great influence on education. Have I made a difference? I think so--10,000 students and teachers visit our web site each month; I have been asked to help review questions on the certification test given all middle-school teachers in the state; and a graduate student who worked with me for three years is now teaching four sections of science methods each semester to preservice teachers. I am assured all her students will be learning about the geosciences.