New Biology teacher in a Christian work place.

@Jixxy,

When I was taught biology I don't think evolution was ever mentioned. We learned about organs of the body, various classifications of life, and how different cells functioned. We were taught about the way things are now, not how they came about.

I don't know why evolution, or for that matter creationism, even needs to come into it.

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@izzythepush,

Just the way we were taught biology, we also learned about Linnes ideas about classify flowers and many other things. Different animals how they live and what they live from.

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@saab,

I think it says more about the differences between the two continents than anything else.

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@sozobe,

Phoenix wrote:

Quote:

I might say that there are two schools of thought regarding the universe: evolution vs. creationism. There is no "proof" on either stances, and each person has to make up his own mind on which side he stands.

Or is that too radical?

I think this is exactly how it should be done. Giving information about evolution is not hard to do - you do not have to say that you believe it is true - just as you don't have to say you believe creationism is true. Of course if the student asks your opinion, I would certainly give it. But you present the two as possible theories. You let the students come up with their own conclusions. And he is being paid...not volunteering.

That to me makes a big difference. If you can't present it as they ask then it would be best to find another job. Accepting the job saying you will do as they ask and then slipping in your own beliefs is a bit questionable to me.

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@mismi,

mismi wrote:

And he is being paid...not volunteering.

That to me makes a big difference. If you can't present it as they ask then it would be best to find another job. Accepting the job saying you will do as they ask and then slipping in your own beliefs is a bit questionable to me.

I don't think so...

Jixxy wrote:

I am volunteering my services at a local Christian based rehabilitation clinic/homeless shelter.

(From first post... emphasis mine.)

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@sozobe,

ahhhh

See, I saw this from his post:

Quote:

However my employer does not wish me to teach that.

Just my opinion Soz...he will have to live by his own conscience.

Jixxy - I have looked and looked for some kind of help for you in this situation. Something that was not just my opinion. The best thing I have seen is what Phoenix wrote.

Good luck! I hope it is easier than we are making it out to be! Smile

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@mismi,

even volunteering though - you need to follow the guidelines that supports the volunteer organization. I think you are doing a wonderful thing volunteering, but you should be volunteering at an organization that you feel comfortable supporting.

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I am sorry but this bugs me. Evolution is a key part of biology. It is not controversial at all to anyone without a religious problem with it. Evolution is relied upon by anyone working in biology and is established science.

Teaching biology while avoiding evolution is like teaching math while avoiding factors, or grammar while avoiding prepositions. Taking this away from these minds in the name of religion does these kids a disservice. If you are going to be calling what you teach "science" then you should teach science as widely accepted by scientists.

It is educationally irresponsible to avoid the topic of evolution.

The question I asked still stands. As a teacher who are you responsible to; the administration or the students? I believe your first duty is to the students.

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@maxdancona,

Quote:

or grammar while avoiding prepositions.

The teaching of grammar for the last few centuries has been at least as bad as this current situation that has been described in this thread, Max.

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@Jixxy,

Biology without evolution is easy. God said stuff and stuff existed. Poof. Job done. Everybody go home.

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@maxdancona,

maxdancona wrote:

I am sorry but this bugs me. Evolution is a key part of biology.

Teaching biology while avoiding evolution is like teaching math while avoiding factors, or grammar while avoiding prepositions.

More like teaching maths while avoiding numbers, or grammar while avoiding words.

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@izzythepush,

Quote:

I don't know why evolution, or for that matter creationism, even needs to come into it

When you were taught bioogy there were only 4 known planets.

With the growth of community interdependency the science of ecology has become a very important part of biology (community biology). With teh growth of the science of genetics,evolution is critical to intertwine the effetcs of communities, the mleasbility of the genic complements and the effects through time. To either dismiss it or deny it is robbing the kids of important parts of their education. Its better that biology be totally ignored than whole sections that point to evolution are omitted.

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@farmerman,

Doesn't it depend on the level studied? I don't see why at O level (Now GCSE) there has to be anything other than how things work, how genes are passed on, and how things are classified.

Incidently I was taught evolution in History, when I was 12, we studied pre-History first, and evolution was part of that. No controvery either, we don't pay a lot of attention to our religious nutters over here, nor do we try to pick fights with them.

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@farmerman,

farmerman wrote:

To either dismiss it or deny it is robbing the kids of important parts of their education. Its better that biology be totally ignored than whole sections that point to evolution are omitted.

Isn't the poster teaching a load of reformed junkies, not kids?

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@izzythepush,

so its ok? Theyre probably al under 30 anyway and going for GEDs.
The only things that are givens in the US society is that any school system, not of the public school system, are kinda free to teach anything they wish so ong as they meet performance standards in standardized tests. This includes GED's

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@farmerman,

It says more about the polarisation of attitudes in America than anything else. This teaching of evolution isn't an issue over here except for a few religious nutjobs. Most mainstream Christian denominations accept evolution as fact, it's just the whackjobs who don't. Having said that, unless those whackjobs are going to take a science at A level or higher ,(16-18) I don't see why evolution has to come into it.

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@izzythepush,

Quote:

religious nutters

nice Izzy. Wink

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@izzythepush,

Honestly I have never met a European - not even a priest or pastor - who discussed the creation contra evolution. The one belongs to the Bible and the other in real life.
In school we we taught about creation in religious instructions and
about evolution in biology.
Again in history - the history of our country 3rd or 4th grade(?) we we taught about the nordic gods, their story about creation Ginnungagab and the two first people Ask and Embla.
We never mixed up those three things - we knew were they belonged.

What I think is interesting is that the story about creation is very similar to the evolution. First water, then earth, then animals and the last ones people.
How could humans thousands of years ago come up with a story - creation - rather close to the evolution?
Why are the two first human beings according to the story in the bible Adam and Eve ? The names starting with A and E. The same as in the mythology of the Nordic goods?

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@saab,

One of the first criticisms of Darwinism was that it was the inverse of Christian teaching. We're not higher beings that fell from grace, but animals that evolved into humans.

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@izzythepush,

Its more about the "politizization" of worldviews. There are so many views on so many subjects that , sadly, one almost has to accept the beliefs of the day to be a good card carrying DEM or GOP.

I fail to see the need to poiticize ,say, the issue of"are hmans responsible for climate change". Im what is called adenier based upon what I feel is good science, yet I lean politically left.
We have, in the US, a belife system that, tied to politics, polls numbers ike 71% of AMericans have doubts about evolution, are convinced that evoution is diviney directed, or that Creationism as entered in the Bible is vaid science. (Some combination of those = 71% of the peope)

I say WOW, there have to be some batches of smart kids in that 71% who aspire to going to an Ivy League school to study some science.

1 Reply

New Biology teacher in a Christian work place.

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