Chapter 10: The Nature and Development of Scientific Reasoning: My Career In Science Education

In 1969 I was a graduate student at the University of Oregon studying marine biology. The Vietnam War was still raging, and I was about to lose my student deferment and be drafted into the Army—a most unappealing prospect. Fortunately, deferments were still being granted to school teachers. So after receiving a master’s degree at the end of the fall semester, I applied for and was hired to teach eighth grade mathematics and science at Ralston Intermediate School in Belmont, California. My teacher preparation involved all of one week sitting in the back of a classroom observing an experienced teacher. The teacher was retiring at the end of the week, and I was to take over his classes the following week.