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Teachers 'fear evolution lessons'

 

 

The teaching of evolution is becoming increasingly difficult in UK schools because of the rise of creationism, a leading scientist is warning.

 

Head of science at London's Institute of Education Professor Michael Reiss says some teachers, fearful of entering the debate, avoid the subject totally.

 

This could leave pupils with gaps in their scientific knowledge, he says.

 

Prof Reiss says the rise of creationism is partly down to the large increase in Muslim pupils in UK schools.

 

 

The days have long gone when science teachers could ignore creationism when teaching about origins

Professor Reiss

 

He said: "The number of Muslim students has grown considerably in the last 10 to 20 years and a higher proportion of Muslim families do not accept evolutionary theory compared with Christian families.

 

"That's one reason why it's more of an issue in schools."

 

Prof Reiss estimates that one in 10 people in the UK now believes in literal interpretations of religious creation stories - whether they are based on the Bible or the Koran.

 

Many more teachers he met at scientific meetings were telling him they encountered more pupils with creationist views, he said.

 

"The days have long gone when science teachers could ignore creationism when teaching about origins."

 

Instead, teachers should tackle the issue head-on, whilst trying not to alienate students, he argues in a new book.

 

'Not equally valid'

 

"By not dismissing their beliefs, we can ensure that these students learn what evolutionary theory really says - and give everyone the understanding to respect the views of others," he added.

 

His book; Teaching about Scientific Origins: Taking Account of Creationism, gives science teachers advice on how to deal with the "dilemma".

 

 

Further discussion of creationism should occur in religious education as it is a belief system, not one based on science

Hilary Leevers

Campaign for Science and Engineering

 

He supports new government guidelines which say creationism should not be discussed in science classes unless it is raised by pupils.

 

But Prof Reiss argues that there is an educational value in comparing creationist ideas with scientific theories like Darwin's theory of evolution because they demonstrate how science, unlike religious beliefs, can be tested.

 

The scientist, who is also a Church of England priest, adds that any teaching should not give the impression that creationism and the theory of evolution are equally valid scientifically.

 

Dr Hilary Leevers, of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, said science teachers would be teaching evolution not creationism and so should not need a book to tell them how to "delicately handle controversy between a scientific theory and a belief".

 

"The author suggests that science teachers cannot ignore creationism when teaching origins, but the opposite is true," she said.

 

Teachers could discuss how creationism differed from scientific theory if a student brought up the subject, but any further discussion should occur in religious education lessons, she said.

 

A Department for Children, Schools and Families spokesman said it had recently published guidelines to teachers on the issue.

 

"Creationism and intelligent design are not scientific theories nor testable as scientific fact - and have no place in the science curriculum. "But we advise science teachers that when questions about creationism come up in lessons, it provides an opportunity to explain or explore what makes a scientific theory."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7028639.stm

 

:lol:

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:lol:

 

If anyone in my class kicked up a fuss about it they'd have got a board rubber off their head and a "Pipe down Ahmed!"

 

Can you imagine a student in the maths class arguing that one and one actually makes three?

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tees/3088444.stm

 

A new £20m school which will teach biblical creation, opens on Teesside on Monday.

 

The King's Academy in Middlesbrough, is a partnership between the Department for Education and the Wearside-based Vardy Foundation.

 

It is a sister facility to Gateshead's Emmanuel College, which already has a "creationism" curriculum.

 

The boss of Sunderland-based car dealership Reg Vardy has provided much of the cash for the school - and plans more throughout the UK.

 

Pupils there are taught biblical creationism - the belief that the Old Testament account of creation is true - along with evolutionary theory.

 

The new 1,150-pupil Middlesbrough school stands in a 30-acre site and replaces the former Coulby Newham and Brackenhoe schools.

 

King's Academy principal, Nigel McQuoid, said: "The academy's principal objectives are to increase educational opportunities and to provide the very best learning experience for the young people of Middlesbrough.

 

 

We are not brainwashing children, we are trying to put something back into the region

Sir Peter Vardy

"Our goal will be to deliver highly skilled, well qualified, confident, enterprising, creative and moral citizens who are ready for the adult world.

 

"However, most of all, we hope to see young people emerge with a set of personal and spiritual values which will sustain and inspire them through life."

 

The teaching of biblical creation in schools has been criticised by Richard Dawkins, professor of the public understanding of science at Oxford University.

 

He said: "To call evolution a faith position equated with creationism is educational debauchery.

 

"It is teaching something that is utter nonsense. Evolution is supported by mountains of scientific evidence."

 

Sir Peter Vardy said: "Already, this school is over-subscribed, so there is demand from parents and students for organisations like this.

 

"We are not brainwashing children, what we are trying to do is put something back into the region."

 

The national curriculum requires that Darwinian evolution is put across as the dominant scientific theory, but also requires that pupils are taught "how scientific controversies can result from different ways of interpreting empirical data".

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I kind of read the article in the OP as "Teachers 'fear debate in classroom'" with some confusion until I got to the bit about him releasing a book to combat the 'issue'.

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1 in 10 believing in literal creation (and utterly rejection Evolution and therefore science) in the UK is amazing and appalling though.

 

That much be reaching US levels.

 

Looks like we'll be entering a new dark age sooner or later.

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1 in 10 believing in literal creation (and utterly rejection Evolution and therefore science) in the UK is amazing and appalling though.

 

That much be reaching US levels.

 

Looks like we'll be entering a new dark age sooner or later.

 

A hell of a lot more than 10% of people are illogical, I'm not sure I'm that bothered which particular illogic they choose.

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Anybody who believes the world was created in 6 days 6000 years ago is a fuck-witted moron who should be informed of their fuck-wittedness in no uncertain terms.

 

"But you must my respect beliefs" - well I believe you're a fuck-witted moron - easy.

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Anybody who believes the world was created in 6 days 6000 years ago is a fuck-witted moron who should be informed of their fuck-wittedness in no uncertain terms.

 

"But you must my respect beliefs" - well I believe you're a fuck-witted moron - easy.

 

Good stuff, I always find this is exactly the kind of attitude that gets people to listen to reason. :lol:

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Anybody who believes the world was created in 6 days 6000 years ago is a fuck-witted moron who should be informed of their fuck-wittedness in no uncertain terms.

 

"But you must my respect beliefs" - well I believe you're a fuck-witted moron - easy.

 

Good stuff, I always find this is exactly the kind of attitude that gets people to listen to reason. :lol:

 

It's a start - I would have no problem on expanding on the why.

 

The teaching guidelines actually mention a response based on what science is and how it works and why creationism isn't science - all thats wrong is it stops there and doesn't say "now lets apply science and reason to your God".

 

Cue "But you can't apply science to God" - Why not? - we do to Zeus and the rest - dead civilisation = dead god.

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Aye, I meant that all the valid points you're making may be somewhat wasted if the first words out of your mouth are "Listen cunt-features..."

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Aye, I meant that all the valid points you're making may be somewhat wasted if the first words out of your mouth are "Listen cunt-features..."

 

tbf - I wouldn't say that to a kid - its not their fault they are brainwashed - I'd have no problem with the parents though.

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Anybody who believes the world was created in 6 days 6000 years ago is a fuck-witted moron who should be informed of their fuck-wittedness in no uncertain terms.

 

"But you must my respect beliefs" - well I believe you're a fuck-witted moron - easy.

 

Good stuff, I always find this is exactly the kind of attitude that gets people to listen to reason. :lol:

 

Faith has nothing at all, even remotely, to do with reason.

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Creationism has no place in a science class. End of. There is no science in it at all, its a religious belief and hence its place lies within an R.E class along with all the other religious creation tales.

 

I'd rather remove the topic from the curriculum then teach kids something thats a huge steaming pile of diseased rhino piss.

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To be honest, who cares? You can strike both off the curriculum. They offer nothing substantial really.

 

Well apart from most of the medical advances in the past 60 years, for a start. :lol:

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To be honest, who cares? You can strike both off the curriculum. They offer nothing substantial really.

 

You can't teach Biology without evolution - unless you reduce it to naming things - even then classification without relationships from common descent is senseless.

 

Belief in a young earth also complete negates geology, astronomy, physics and chemistry.

Edited by NJS
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Unbelievable of Tim Krul proportions!

 

where's The Inspiration to bear the brunt of our disbelief and consternation?

Not sure. Oh you mean me? What am I supposed to say - tell you you're going to hell for not believing in something I don't believe in either? Six-day creation, that is.

 

It is lovely to know that you think a lot of me. :lol:

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Unbelievable of Tim Krul proportions!

 

where's The Inspiration to bear the brunt of our disbelief and consternation?

Not sure. Oh you mean me? What am I supposed to say - tell you you're going to hell for not believing in something I don't believe in either? Six-day creation, that is.

 

It is lovely to know that you think a lot of me. :lol:

 

 

But surely you believe every word of the bible, being a "christian"? *shudders*

 

Love how people get so worked up about people having faith :mellow:

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Anybody who believes the world was created in 6 days 6000 years ago is a fuck-witted moron who should be informed of their fuck-wittedness in no uncertain terms.

 

"But you must my respect beliefs" - well I believe you're a fuck-witted moron - easy.

 

Good stuff, I always find this is exactly the kind of attitude that gets people to listen to reason. :lol:

 

Faith has nothing at all, even remotely, to do with reason.

I completely disagree, and even when I say that, I can still differentiate between what is based on "reason" and what I believe.

 

NJS I also find it funny that someone can be labelled "fuck-witted moron" just for having a belief that is irrational if you acept a large amount of scientific discovery as truth. I'm hoping it's not a serious opinion, because I think it takes things slightly too far considering all they've done is have an alternative belief... hardly the worst thing in the world.

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Unbelievable of Tim Krul proportions!

 

where's The Inspiration to bear the brunt of our disbelief and consternation?

Not sure. Oh you mean me? What am I supposed to say - tell you you're going to hell for not believing in something I don't believe in either? Six-day creation, that is.

 

It is lovely to know that you think a lot of me. :mellow:

 

 

But surely you believe every word of the bible, being a "christian"? *shudders*

 

Love how people get so worked up about people having faith :P

I agree - some of the comments in this thread are just comical really.

 

Then again, a situation when there's a completely unharmful issue that might just involve someone with an irrational belief is always an excuse to start a new thread and get all worked up here. :lol:

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The science zealots argue in a way that often has little to do with the reason they're espousing*. Then again, TI, you completely misinterpreted what I was saying, and then got on your high horse about something I never said when I tried to discuss it with you. Maybe you could learn a lesson here too?

 

*Not sure if that's the word I'm looking for there.

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The science zealots argue in a way that often has little to do with the reason they're espousing*. Then again, TI, you completely misinterpreted what I was saying, and then got on your high horse about something I never said when I tried to discuss it with you. Maybe you could learn a lesson here too?

 

*Not sure if that's the word I'm looking for there.

When was this? The thread about mocking people's beliefs?

 

I apologise if I completely misinterpreted it, but you did seem quite sarcastic and patronising when you explained it the second time round - don't want to go into it but I've had an insulting response to a patronising (but joking) comment I've made quite recently and I've seen it on other occasions here so I'm not alone.

 

As I've said I've apologised for the reaction, but the guy I mentioned was angry at a recent performance from the team and I believe I was stressed and tired at the time when I replied to your post, what with all the responses I always had to make etc.

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