If I am understanding your argument right, the idea is that biology should prioritize the study of whole creatures over anatomizing them into parts (and then analyzing those parts into the sub-bits) because students find that a more interesting place to begin. To some extent, that strikes me as a curious generalization. I've yet to meet a boy in late elementary or early middle school who didn't want to investigate something dead, and particularly, if a stick were handy, to probe its insides and see what they looked like. As far as wanting to go a step further and understand the biochemical basis for the anatomized parts, I can see your point, dealing with that level of abstraction is difficult and often little relished, the same way algebra, grammar, music theory, and formal logic can be quite formidable to students. I'm not really a biology teacher, so I can't say authoritatively whether those rudiments are the necessary grammar for further understanding, though.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. I detested high school biology and thought I'd never touch the subject matter again, due largely to the fallacious approach you write about here. Many, many years later, however, I've found myself quite intrigued to return to the study of biology because of the beautiful continuity and harmony I've discovered between biology and other areas of study I love: theology/philosophy, literature, art, holistic health/nutrition, sustainable farming, and more.
If I am understanding your argument right, the idea is that biology should prioritize the study of whole creatures over anatomizing them into parts (and then analyzing those parts into the sub-bits) because students find that a more interesting place to begin. To some extent, that strikes me as a curious generalization. I've yet to meet a boy in late elementary or early middle school who didn't want to investigate something dead, and particularly, if a stick were handy, to probe its insides and see what they looked like. As far as wanting to go a step further and understand the biochemical basis for the anatomized parts, I can see your point, dealing with that level of abstraction is difficult and often little relished, the same way algebra, grammar, music theory, and formal logic can be quite formidable to students. I'm not really a biology teacher, so I can't say authoritatively whether those rudiments are the necessary grammar for further understanding, though.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. I detested high school biology and thought I'd never touch the subject matter again, due largely to the fallacious approach you write about here. Many, many years later, however, I've found myself quite intrigued to return to the study of biology because of the beautiful continuity and harmony I've discovered between biology and other areas of study I love: theology/philosophy, literature, art, holistic health/nutrition, sustainable farming, and more.