Daniela Cupples

Creation/Evolution Reflection

The video Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed by Ben Stein was very thought
provoking. It highlighted a common belief that religion and science are opposing forces that
cannot be reconciled. This philosophical debate does not affect how I will teach science to young
children. Educators need to teach in accordance with the content standards and not their personal
beliefs. Clear adherence to the standards ensures that all students receive a solid foundation that
helps them grow and learn. While our personal perspectives, beliefs, and experiences deeply
shape our understanding of the world, we always have to make sure that we teach based on the
standards and not our personal beliefs. While my Christian perspective serves as the foundation
for my life and interactions with others it cannot be the basis of the content I teach.
Freedom is the foundation of our nation; however, freedom does not mean that teachers
can teach what they want. The standards and the adopted curriculum clearly specify the content
that needs to be taught. A faithful implementation of the standards, the curriculum, and best
practices ensures a clearly sequenced, developmentally appropriate introduction of the concepts.
This sequenced approach supports the students understanding of the concepts, implementing
hands-on, inquiry-based, project-based, and discovery-based learning all support a deeper
understanding of the students learning.
My students come from diverse backgrounds; different religious and cultural
backgrounds may shape their perspectives, and it could, therefore, be confusing, offensive, and
inappropriate to introduce different perspectives on creation to the students. A focus on
introducing concepts according to the standards and the textbook is clearly needed to focus

Daniela Cupples
instruction. The big philosophical debate detracts from our focus on learning to connect concepts
to understand the world and therefore has no place in an elementary classroom.
How that world was created, creationism or evolutionism does not detract from my
faith in God as the creator of all things. I do not see a conflict between by beliefs and the science
content standards. Nor do I see the value in engaging in a debate about creationism versus
evolutionism. My focus is on teaching my students to ask questions and to seek and explore
answers. I want to reach my students in getting them excited about learning and exploring the
world. My faith is my quiet strength that guides my life, my interactions with others, and my
decisions in the classroom. Since I believe that God has a plan for me, I also feel the need to
implement the guidelines established by the content standards, and to make sure that the needs of
the students are met.
In conclusion, science is continuously expanding and changing our horizons of
understanding of life and its origins. The complex interactions of life on our planet need to be
further studied to deepen our understanding. Scientists continuously make new discoveries and
challenge existing theories; we need to teach our students the foundation of inquiry and the
scientific method. My faith is not a limitation to scientific exploration and discovery, but a
foundation for character and interaction.