Alabama’s New Education Standards Praised for Being Pro-Science

Alabama school standards for teaching science are evolving.

Education leaders have pushed past once controversial topics and focused on more hands-on activities for students.

The old standards included a sticker on biology books warning that evolution was “a controversial theory.” That’s gone, and there’s even course material about global warming and climate change — another, usually, politically charged part of science. There’s been little pushback in a state where both topics raise the ire of politicians and some parents. The three-year lead up to new standards went relatively smoothly partly because the new standards have the backing of the Alabama Science Teachers Association and partly because any objections had to be based on the standards themselves, not principle.

“You know, I always feel like standards could be even better, and they could incorporate more concepts and more ideas,” Minda Berbeco, program director for the National Center for Science Education told NPR News. “But this is a great starting point.” The biggest change is “doing science” — involving students in conducting experiments and hands-on exploration of scientific topics. That’s gone a long way in winning over science teachers and is expected to help students understand the subject better than relying on textbooks alone.


http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/southern-schools-take-fresh-look-at-science-classes/

You're kidding.