Molecules

Hello,

We struggled a bit making molecules. Not from the kid's perspective. I kept hearing over and over that they understood, but most of the models that I looked at were not correct.

A few issues here:

They like having fun. Building models is fun. More fun if you can keep moving on to bigger and better ones.

Being the first to finish is also fun. Making sure others know that you are first, a sure feather in your cap.

Asking for help or admitting confusion: not cool.

These things added up to a frustrated teacher. I explained to them that I wasn't frustrated by their lack of understanding, without that I don't have a job. I was frustrated with the pretending. Over and over I kept hearing the same excuses. Oh, that was just a careless mistake.

And the guessing! Oh my word! Here's a sample conversation:

Me: How many more electrons does an oxygen atom want to be able to fill up it's outer shell?

Student: (emphatically) One.

Me: One?

Student: yes.

Me: Can you explain why it wants one?

Student: Oh, oh, oh, no. I meant two.

Me: Can you explain why it wants two.

Student: What?

Me: Can you explain why oxygen wants two more electrons?

Student: Three. It wants three.

Me: You know that you can tell me that you don't know, right?

Student: It's three.

Me: How do we know that it needs three?

Student: Because of it's electrons.

Me: What about it's electrons?

Student: Oh no. I messed up. It's one.

Me: Can you please stop guessing?

Student: I'm not guessing.


This type conversation was repeated several times. Even after stopping everyone and talking about there being no shame in saying "I don't know."

We also talked about the problem of guessing while at the same time acting like you understand. If the guess is right, I might move on to the next student, while in fact, you remain clueless. Unfortunately, that seems to be the safer route for many of them.

We'll get back at it tomorrow.  We did this activity today, because students were "bored" with atom building. "They got it."

No, they didn't. We'll take a step back so we can move forward again.

Tomorrow.

Have a good night.

Mr. Shea