Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Listed below are some commonly asked questions about the Science Electronic Library Series with responses.
 

1. How can I teach these lessons when I have between 50 and 100 students in one multigrade classroom?

Good question! The best way to utilize the lesson plans on this electronic library is through creativity! As educators you are often called upon to do the impossible. The lessons in this library can be altered and modified in many ways depending on how creative you would like to be. It is often useful to divide the students into groups and allow a few groups to complete the lessons as the other groups are preparing another part of the project. It is also useful to complete the project or experiment in front of the classroom while the other students are watching and/or taking notes. As always, think of classroom management issues which may arise from a lesson or project before you implement it in the classroom.
 
2. The lessons require specific materials and/or books that my school does not have.
That is an issue that also calls for a little bit of creativity on the part of the educator. It is important that one does not disregard a lesson simply because of a lack of materials. The key word here is improvise! It is not always easy, but sometimes some of the best learning takes place when the teacher is willing to take a chance at presenting a lesson creatively and improvising where they are lacking some resources. Also, it is important to be resourceful and check around locally to see if the materials are or can be made available. It is necessary for educators to use what they can from these lessons and improvise or recreate the rest.
 
3. My country has a set curriculum that does not allow any time for these kinds of lessons.
The ultimate goal of a country's education system is to facilitate real learning. It is important to implement these types of lesson plans into your teaching whenever possible because they not only facilitate learning but they excite the students and get them interested in the lessons. Using your class time wisely and creatively will offer some openings for teaching methodologies which differ from the norm and get the students involved in their learning. Students come to school to learn and it is important that educators use the proper means to facilitate this proccess.
 
4. My students are not used to these types of non-traditional lessons.
You will be suprised how quickly the students will adapt to these methodologies. Students are flexible and look for different ways to learn. Also, you may notice that some of your students who usually seem uninterested will improve when you try a different methodology. Since students learn in different ways, it is important to vary your methodologies in order to ensure that all students have the opportunity to learn.
5. The content of the lessons is too difficult for my students grade level.
The main answer to this issue is that the educator can adapt the content in the lesson to match the level that the students are working on. The main idea is to utilize the methodologies from the lesson plans since they are nontraditional and diverse. The teacher can take the methodologies and adapt them to their specific curriculum, subject matter, and topics.
6. The other teachers in the school may not approve of these teaching styles.
It is important to remember the students and what interests them the most. The other teachers may not feel that the plans are appropriate, yet if you can show them that they work, they can be convinced. If the other teachers still feel these styles should not be used, then you may ask them to work with you in order to modify them to make them more appropriate for your school.
7. How can I get the parents and families of the children involved in their education?
Another good question. Often times parents can be one of your greatest resources! Invite them to your classroom, even if it is only for ten minutes. Let them see how enthusiatic you are about teaching and educating their children. Let the parents see some of the students work and get a better understanding of what it is their child does while at school. Also, get to know some or all of the parents if possible. Many of the parents will have knowledge about the subjects you are teaching and you may invite them to be guest speakers in your classroom. They may offer your students insight into some subject areas that you may not be able to provide, so be sure to utlize them.
 
8. What if I do not understand all of the concepts in the lesson?
It is true that teachers are expected to know everything! Yet, often teachers are more strong in some subjects than in others. When you come accross a topic that you are not very familiar with it is important to try to gain as much information as possible about this topic for yourself. Use the other teachers as a resource also, and be sure that when you present the lesson to the students your information is accurate. Remember that even teachers are always learning, and often new lessons bring an opportunity for teachers to improve their knowledge base.
 
9. How can I get more lessons like these?
Many of the lessons were gathered from the internet. If you have access to an internet connection, you may search any of the teaching sites and find lesson plans. Also, you may want to look at your lesson plans and curriulum to revise any lessons that seem boring or not challenging in order to make them more interesting for the students and to make sure that the students are learning. After you practice some of these new styles and methodologies you will see that they are easily applicable to all types of lessons and topics.
 
10. How can I get my students to be interested in the subjects that they think are boring or useless?
It is important to remember that students enjoy to be challenged, intrigued, and praised. The lessons you present could spark the student's interest in a variety of topics, and they may even develop career interests from your lessons if they are innovative and creative. You may want to begin the lessons with something that the students are already familiar with, and let them see how the lesson will be related to their interests. For instance, a teacher could use sports, movies, local singers, or artists to spark the attention of the students and show them how the lesson can be related to the students interests. Most importantly, if you have an interest in the subject, your students will certainly take an interest from your enthusiasm.