Читать книгу Homeschooling For Dummies - Jennifer Kaufeld - Страница 89

Science is the bugaboo of homeschooling. And it’s no wonder. Long ago, in the land of education, the word science meant … science. I know, it’s hard to believe. Now, however — especially in the homeschooling arena — science can mean one of several different things. Does a particular publisher sell evidence-based science, or neutral science, or intelligent design (often referred to as ID) science, or creationism science? How do you know? And why do you care?

What is evidence-based science? It’s the new term for — you guessed it — science. If you buy a science book from Pearson Education or McGraw Hill, two of the big educational publishers, you are buying a book that teaches evidence-based science. (They’re generally good texts, but I omit them from the recommendations due to their cost and the difficulties in procuring all the parts that make up a course.) All the recommendations in the preceding list are evidence-based science courses. They cover everything you would want in science. They are, in a word, secular curriculum — they have no religious undertone or leaning to them. (Okay, that was actually two words if you’re counting.) You can rest assured that if you want secular curriculum, and you buy an evidence-based science curriculum, you aren’t going to have to sidestep or omit anything, nor is any fact of science omitted for you.

Neutral science, on the other hand, isn’t neutral at all — at least, not how scientists understand the term. Neutral science is a term recently invented by the homeschool curriculum vendors. Any science book with “neutral” science in it omits important scientific facts and concepts necessary to the true understanding of science: evolution, climate change, and a classification system newer than the 19th century, to name only a few. If not outrightly omitted, a neutral science book might mention that “many people believe” that evolution or the Big Bang are theories, which veils their importance as basic science understandings. This then creates a foundation for other concepts that rely on these two theories to be downplayed or skewed as well. Think of neutral science as the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain, moving the controls so things fall where he wants them to.

Intelligent design and creationism are like neutral science, but with the curtains pulled to the side. These authors make no bones about standing at the controls. Their reason for producing a science curriculum is to convince children that the underpinnings of science aren’t really there. These books flat-out teach that evolution isn’t real and the Big Bang didn’t happen.

Books claiming that they teach neutral science, intelligent design, or creationism are not secular books. If you opt for these you are purchasing a religious textbook, not one grounded in science. It all boils down to this: What do you want your kids to learn, and where do you want them to learn it?