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New emphasis has been placed on science, technology and mathematics in the classroom. We know the United States must be competitive with other nations to remain a world leader; new programs will surely include projects that promote competitiveness in science and technology.
Jobs are becoming ever increasingly technical; the teaching profession will be asked to train our citizens to develop their abilities in science, technology and mathematics to the fullest possible extent.
As a teacher you decide which subjects are the most important for your students to learn. You, as a committed teacher, try programs that teach your students to enjoy learning and to be inquisitive. You want students to be able to research a topic, to analyze, and to solve problems on their own. Science and scientific reasoning teach students to ask questions and solve problems--How? Why? If x, then y. But science can be a difficult subject; and some students are reticent about technology. Schools need equipment for experiments and you need materials to work with. How do you start working toward your goal now?
Something that kids find fascinating and that you can use as a resource for science and other subjects is Amateur Radio. Thousands of teachers across the US bring Amateur (or Ham) Radio to class to ignite student interest in science, social studies, math, communications and computers. Students get hands-on experience with math by learning about electricity. Ham radio spices up geography lessons when students speak with other hams. Even your least motivated students will clamor to take part because they can succeed at learning! Your teaching programs and your students will benefit from using ham radio...a hobby of learning.
You have Amateur Radio neighbors that you may not know about. Hams enjoy demonstrating their radios to anyone, but especially to youth. They help students talk to people around the world and locate those places on the globe. They show students how they hook up radios to computers, microphones and Morse code keys to communicate. They know the values the hobby brought to their learning, careers and avocations. They visit schools again and again because they want to share these values with youth. Many teachers, having seen Amateur Radio stir students' interests in science and other subjects, become licensed themselves--you may wish to, also. The beginner level license is easy to obtain. What about equipment? Many schools purchase radios. Equipment varies from a hand-held radio to several radios; from wire antennas to short towers on school buildings.
Chances are, your next lesson could be enhanced using Amateur Radio. Whether you're teaching decimals, state capitals, or how a light switch turns on a light, Amateur Radio can be an excellent teaching medium for your classes. What do you do next? We can help you locate your nearby Amateur Radio club. They can arrange demonstrations, and many sponsor free Amateur Radio licensing classes. Write or call us--we can work together to help you use Amateur Radio productively in your classroom!
ARRL Field & Educational Services
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111
Phone (860) 594-0301
E-mail: ead@arrl.org
