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Why Students Don't Choose Science and What Science Teachers can do


As an aspiring science teacher, I’ve often wondered just why students don’t love science as much as I do. I mean, I love science, so much that I want to teach it! So what I did was I sent out a survey asking about their high school science classes and what they thought about it. The former students surveyed were students who had not pursued a degree in the natural/physical sciences like biology, chemistry, physics, or geology; or a profession in those same sciences. The survey was designed that way to truly get a feel for why students were turning their back to science, and what we as science teachers can do to increase interest in science.
The survey received nineteen (19) responses. The vast majority were between the ages of 19 and 22 with 52.6% of responses. The next highest group was the age group 23-29 year olds with 21.1% of responses. The ethnicity of responses was heavily (84.2%) white non-Latino. Most respondents had only completed high school (15.8%), at least some college (47.4%), or has completed a Bachelor’s degree (21.1%). The survey also asked for the location of their high school. Locations included New York State, Ohio, Minnesota, Indiana, New Jersey, Thailand, and Belgium.
When asked about their favorite science class in high school, the class that appeared the most often was Chemistry, then Anatomy and Physiology, with a tie between Physics and Biology rounding out the top choices. Ironically, Chemistry is also the least favorite course, receiving the most mentions in that category. Physics and Biology tied for second in this category.
Now to the truly important questions: what each person would change about high school science overall. When asked what they would change about high school science, five answers occurred most often. First being that it’s boring. Second, students want more hands-on work. Thirdly, they want to see how what they’re learning can be applied to the real world. Fourth, they want better teachers. And finally, and the most shocking one, they want more science courses.
One of the most common complaints I hear about students who have forgone science is that it was just too boring. The best way to combat this is to just show how much you care about what you’re teaching. We all know you didn’t become a teacher for the money, show off your passion! Not everyone will enjoy it, but if it gets just one more child interested in science, what’s there to lose? Have fun with what you teach, the kids will enjoy it!
A lot of science teachers tend to make PowerPoints and just read straight from the slides. This is not only ineffective and boring, but it’s not real science! Real science is making discoveries, finding something you don’t know about and running experiments to learn more about it. It’s not sit and listen to the teacher read off of slides! Think up and implement as many hands-on activities as possible, it not only remedies boredom, but it will get students excited! Far more students remember elephant toothpaste than your fourth lecture this week on a vanilla PowerPoint slide.
Unfortunately, this next one has nothing to do with us teachers, but rather the state of our country. We can’t offer as many courses as we like, because our schools just don’t have the funding to do so. We’d love for every child to have the opportunity to learn Anatomy and Physiology, Geology, or Astronomy, but realistically, with how little funding our school gets, it’s unlikely. However, that shouldn’t stop you from pitching these ideas to your School Board. Put yourself out there, no one’s ever been fired for asking for another science class for students to take as an alternative to Chemistry, Physics, or Earth Science.
Another common complaint from students in not just science, but every subject is, “when will I use this in the real world?” Make sure your lectures and labs have real world applications. Show them real world careers (besides a scientist) that uses what you’re teaching in their everyday life. Like how a police officer needs to know what’s in their pepper spray, or how a pilot needs to know physics and weather patterns. The list goes on. Make that real world connection, and you’ll capture their interest.
The final thing covered is better teachers. This was the most common answer. Unfortunately, in our profession, there are teachers who just don’t care. I’m just here to get my students to pass an exam so I can receive a paycheck. That’s not what teaching is about. It’s about helping children explore the world through different lenses. Don’t make that lens dull and boring. Show them you want to be there! Show them how excited you are that they are there, in your class, and how excited you are to share your passion with them. You don’t have to be boring to cover everything that’s on the state exam. Pay attention to how each student learns, doing that extra demonstration, showing that extra video, or going through the content a second time could mean a world of difference to kinetic, visual, and audial learners respectively.
Go the extra mile. Be the force for good that you so desperately look for in today’s harsh cruel world. Show your students how much you care! If you’ve lost your passion for teaching, find it again, it hasn’t left you. You wouldn’t have become a teacher if you didn’t have a passion for science. Try to pass that passion onto the next generation, we’ll need them to take care of us.

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