Comments on: Saving the Children from Science http://www.pdscompasspoint.com/saving-the-children-from-science/ The blog of the Head of School at Poughkeepsie Day School Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:18:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Laura Graceffa http://www.pdscompasspoint.com/saving-the-children-from-science//comment-page-1#comment-139 Laura Graceffa Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:29:06 +0000 http://thecompasspoint.wordpress.com/?p=1205#comment-139 Darwin thought that his friendship with his professor John Henslow was the most important and influential of his life. Henslow, a botanist, was a very popular professor at Cambridge. Quoting from the web site http://darwin.gruts.com/: Henslow's popularity as a teacher was due largely to his progressive teaching techniques, which relied heavily on field- and garden-work, and on encouraging his students to make observations of their own, rather than simply having them spoon-fed.... We'll never know if Darwin would have developed the concept of natural selection as a major force of evolution without Henslow's influence. But, Darwin's acknowledgment of his professor's influence certainly serves as a reminder that how we teach is as important as what we teach. Darwin thought that his friendship with his professor John Henslow was the most important and influential of his life. Henslow, a botanist, was a very popular professor at Cambridge. Quoting from the web site http://darwin.gruts.com/:

Henslow’s popularity as a teacher was due largely to his progressive teaching techniques, which relied heavily on field- and garden-work, and on encouraging his students to make observations of their own, rather than simply having them spoon-fed….

We’ll never know if Darwin would have developed the concept of natural selection as a major force of evolution without Henslow’s influence. But, Darwin’s acknowledgment of his professor’s influence certainly serves as a reminder that how we teach is as important as what we teach.

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