St. John's Military School Teaches Cadets Critical Thinking Skills Using a Creative, Immersive Approach to Science in the Classroom

News provided by

Dec 19, 2016, 05:00 ET

SALINA, Kan., Dec. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Three innovative science teachers at St. John's Military School are teaching cadets the critical thinking skills they will need in college and the workplace by taking a creative approach to instruction in the classroom. Chemistry teacher Pam Kraus, Biology teacher Sue Jordan, and Earth and Space teacher Anna Befort make up the core science department at St. John's Military School. The three teachers strategize on how to make their science curriculums more engaging and relevant to the young men in their classrooms. The fundamental approach they share to immersive, applicable instruction, has enabled cadets to learn not only important lessons about science, but important lessons about teamwork, critical thinking, and perseverance.

More than 90 percent of cadets who graduate from St. John's Military School go on to enroll in four-year colleges; however, not all will pursue a career in the sciences. Regardless of the path their cadets take, the science teachers at St. John's Military School believe the critical thinking, problem solving, and teamwork skills their classes reinforce will benefit their cadets no matter their career interests.

"We are fortunate to have three science teachers who are very creative and innovative thinkers," said Ginger Wooten, academic dean at St. John's Military School. "They have really dedicated themselves to staying current with what is going on in the world of science. They work as a team extremely well and are experienced teachers who think specifically about how to make an impact on young boys, who we know really need a hands-on approach to help them succeed in the classroom."

The goal of each of the science teachers at St. John's is to make science applicable, and fun, so that regardless of what career paths their cadets intend to pursue, they can benefit from the critical thinking skills learned in the classroom.

"Students are best able to understand biology concepts when they see how it applies to their everyday life," said Jordan. "One of the first themes we study is biology in the twenty first century and how it's changing. To help the cadets understand how biology applies to their everyday life, we explore the meadow near our campus. The cadets get to experience some of the fundamentals of how a biologist studies the ecosystem."