Many of us in the last couple weeks have just found out what NGSS and what their standards are. So what are they and why do we focus on teaching our students at the secondary level? NGSS
stands for the
Next Generation Science Standards and they were created so that teachers knew not-only what content that there students need to know by the time they graduate, but also core critical thinking ideas that all students will need out in the real world.
A really nice thing about NGSS is how they have broken things down into 3D framework so that us as educators can focus on teaching our students core critical thinking ideas. The sections of the 3D framework are
Science and Engineering Practices (SEP), Cross-cutting Concepts (CCC), and
Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI). I love the ideas that we are to teach science more as life concepts and not just about content that a student needs to have memorized to ace a test. Plus having these as building blocks and goals that build upon themselves over a student's time in school is such a great way to cement the ideas into students lives/minds without them knowing that they are really learning. Also, some ideas that I take away from each of these sections is that we are educating our students on core science ideas through
DCI. We are also showing them that in life things don't just stay in one small bubble of the world. Things actually over-lap and build upon each other just like rocks do on in my favorite thing to study the Earth through
CCC. As for the last Performance Expectations
SEP they help us as teacher keep up with technologies as they are coming out and teaching our students that there are many new and evolving ideas and technologies that can help better understand the world around us. Each of these ideas and pieces help us build/inform future Researchers, Academics, Leaders, and Citizens of a Global World.
If I were to be asked which of the core concepts that I believe has a lot of value and that I hold the highest in the framework of the paper are that Understanding develops over time and Promoting Equity. Why are these two ideas so important for us as teachers to grasp? Well, promoting equity no matter what is a top priority for me because as a teacher I am here to help not only the Gen-Ed students who already grasp the core ideas of science and have been told that they are brilliant all of their lives. But I am also here for those who Nuerodivergent and those of the BIPOC groups who have never had anyone standing behind them. I want these students to know that they can actually be Scientist and Researchers. As, to be one you just need dedication to the discipline which then proves why *Understanding develops over-time* is highly important and worthy of being focused on. As we all can be Researchers, Scientist, Doctors and so so much more, if we are all give the Equity and accessibility to reach for the stars and beyond.
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