Michael J. Padilla - National Science Teachers Association

National Science Teachers Association

In 2005-2006 he was president of the National Science Teachers Association, from which he had received the NSTA Distinguished Service Award in 2003. Padilla is well known to the international science education community and engaged in a cooperative research project with Japanese scholars on Japanese education. The theme of his presidency was "Developing a World View for Science Education." When President George W. Bush suggested teaching Intelligent design in classrooms, then NSTA president Padilla replied: "It is simply not fair to present pseudoscience to students in the science classroom," and that "Nonscientific viewpoints have little value in increasing students' knowledge of the natural world." He is currently the chairman of the NSTA's International Advisory Board. He helped develop the National Science Education Standards and has written extensively about science education, writing many articles, books and book chapters, among them the Science Explorer series . Michael has inspired the team in developing a program that meets the needs of middle school students, promotes science inquiry.

Read more about this topic:  Michael J. Padilla

Famous quotes containing the words national, science, teachers and/or association:

    America is a nation with no truly national city, no Paris, no Rome, no London, no city which is at once the social center, the political capital, and the financial hub.
    C. Wright Mills (1916–1962)

    It is unheard-of, uncivilized barbarism that any woman should still be forced to bear such monstrous torture. It should be remedied. It should be stopped. It is simply absurd that, with our modern science, painless childbirth does not exist as a matter of course.... I tremble with indignation when I think of ... the unspeakable egotism and blindness of men of science who permit such atrocities when they can be remedied.
    Isadora Duncan (1878–1927)

    Sure, you can love your child when he or she has just brought home a report card with straight “A’s.” It’s a lot harder, though, to show the same love when teachers call you from school to tell you that your child hasn’t handed in any homework since the beginning of the term.
    —The Lions Clubs International and the Quest Nation. The Surprising Years, II, ch.3 (1985)

    In this great association we know no North, no South, no East, no West. This has been our pride for all these years. We have no political party. We never have inquired what anybody’s religion is. All we ever have asked is simply, “Do you believe in perfect equality for women?” This is the one article in our creed.
    Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906)