AN: ED73B-01    [Abstracts]
TI: Who is Teaching Your Children?
AU: * Mann, H
EM: hmann@dal.ca
AF: Dalhousie University, 1360 Barrington St., Halifax, NS B3J 1Z1, Canada
AB: It is necessary to have qualified geology teachers in educational settings in order to promote more interest and encourage young people to go into the earth science and science fields. Geology teachers have access to outside resources such as other professional geologists who can be invited into the classroom to give students first hand information on what geologists and earth scientists do on a daily basis. By drawing on the knowledge of the various earth scientists (volcanologist, sedimentologist, geochemist, etc.) students can get a more in depth understanding of a specific field of science. The reality is that not all education systems hire qualified teachers. In the Nova Scotia Education system, for example, seniority often tends to over ride qualifications. Someone with a degree in geology and no seniority may be overlooked while the position is given to someone with more seniority and a few courses in geology. This can result in lack of in depth knowledge, lack of earth science contacts, low student interest, etc. which translates into a decreased possibility of attracting students into the earth science field. Unfortunately, unqualified people can be hired because seniority takes precedence over qualifications due to contractual agreements made between the Teachers Union (NSTU) and the School Board (HRSB). It is important for school boards in these situations to assure that both qualifications and seniority are taken into consideration when hiring teaching staff. The earth science field is growing due to increased focus on the environment; therefore, it is important to educate students on the importance of this field as a leading contributor to taking care of our planet for they are the caretakers of the future. Qualified earth science teachers are able to spark student interest not only because they have in depth knowledge of the field but because they also have a passion for their work.
DE: 0800 EDUCATION
DE: 0805 Elementary and secondary education
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2009 Joint Assembly