Wonder in the City

I just came across something exciting that I feel encapsulates the teaching of wonder to which this blog is dedicated. It is an article about scientist Steven Farber in the NY Times. Dr. Farber is a scientist that runs BioEyes, a program to get kids excited and interested in science in inner city Baltimore. Beyond the fact that this is exactly the approach that needs to be taken for exceptional teaching I found it interesting that when asked why he doesn't involve more scientists he unabashedly points out that most scientists couldn't teach at any level, never mind the advanced level necessary to teach younger students! As an alternate route teacher myself I found this very amusing and quite agree - many people out there who think that teaching is just a matter of transferring subject matter knowledge and that the ultimate measure of a teacher is the extent to which they have mastered that subject matter knowledge (are you listening, NCLB people with your naive ideas about what constitutes being 'highly qualified?) has another thing coming if the actually think they can take that attitude into a real classroom with real students! Dr. Farber makes it a point to only allow teachers to teach in his program, preferably elementary. Long live Farber and BioEyes!