Hillsdale College Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence Hosts Seminar on the Sciences
HILLSDALE, Mich. — Hillsdale College’s Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence held a seminar on “The Art of Teaching: The Sciences” in Grand Rapids from Feb. 29 to March 1. The seminar included presentations and breakout sessions on teaching the sciences in a classical-education framework.
“A well-rounded education includes excellent instruction in mathematics and the sciences,” said Kathleen O’Toole, assistant provost for K-12 Education at Hillsdale College. “The liberal arts are not about favoring one subject over another. They are about understanding how these different branches of knowledge fit together. The students in the best schools receive a rich and education — one that presents the sciences in the context of human knowledge as a whole.”
Speakers included Matthew Young, dean of the natural sciences and professor of chemistry at Hillsdale College; Daniel Coupland, dean of the Diana Davis Graduate School of Classical Education and professor of education at Hillsdale College; David Diener, assistant professor of Education at Hillsdale College; Michael Berndt, assistant director of curriculum for Hillsdale’s K-12 Education Office, and Tari Thiery, high school science teacher at Hózhó Academy; among others.
“The people in this room that teach high school chemistry know that it’s a significant challenge, and students will often come into a chemistry course with a certain amount of intimidation…The material is quite abstract, some fear about the mathematics associated with it. Talking about beauty can help ease some of those fears,” said Young.
Later in the seminar, Coupland discussed “Tried and True Pedagogy,” a lecture encompassing ideas presented in Coupland’s 2022 book, “Tried and True: A Primer on Sound Pedagogy.”
“New teachers who expect perfection at the start, or from the start, of their teaching careers will be sorely disappointed. Although some educators come to the profession with incredible natural abilities, the best teachers, like the best chefs, athletes, and artists, take years of learning, focus, and practice to hone their craft,” Coupland said. “New teachers should recognize their shortcomings, look for alternative methods by observing their experienced colleagues, try other approaches, and never give up.
The Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence builds upon the mission of Hillsdale College’s K-12 Education Office and offers professional development seminars to a nationwide audience of public and private school teachers. Hoogland Center programs are free of charge and participants receive a certificate upon completion.