Episode 83 – Aaron Mueller – Middle School, NGSS, and Teaching Experiences
In this episode, Mark talks with Aaron Mueller about his experiences with modeling instruction. They talk about getting students to think like scientists, questioning one another, and using both inductive and deductive reasoning. They talk about the connection between NGSS and modeling instruction and about some of Aaron’s tips for new teachers and book recommendations.
Guest
Aaron Mueller
Aaron Mueller is a 7th grade Science Teacher in Naperville, Illinois. He has been teaching for 26 years and began Modeling in 2012-13. Through his career, he has taught middle and high school science. Aaron has experience with modeling workshops in Biology, Mechanics, and Middle School.
Highlights
[5:19] Aaron: “So students that are, ELL to having a 504 IEP, gifted even, their sets of languages are so different. However, modeling can bring them together really easily through observation, inferencing, gathering evidence, explaining the evidence, drawing.”
[17:10] Aaron: “I feel like a way to describe NGSS is like that framework or backbone and modeling to me is that key to turn it on and let it go.”
Resources
Download Transcript
Links
[Book] Science Blind by Andrew Shtulman
[Book] Science in the City by Bryan A. Brown
[Book] Ambitious Science Teaching by Jessica Jane Thompson, Mark Windschitl, and Melissa Braaten
[Book] Questions, Claims, and Evidence: The Important Place of Argument in Children’s Science Writing