CULTURAL MYTHS AS CONSTRAINTS TO THE ENACTED SCIENCE CURRICULUM

The common sense aspects of traditional practices promise to be a cons ervative force with respect to the efforts of policymakers to improve the quality of science learning in schools. This study of the teaching of grade 11 chemistry indicates how an experienced teacher made sense of his teaching roles in terms of four cultural myths related to the transmission of knowledge, being efficient, maintaining the rigor of t he curriculum, and preparing students to be successful on examinations . These cultural myths were supported in this study by the teacher and students and provided a strong rationale for maintaining the types of classroom practices that reformers are wanting to change. If teachers can be brought to a level of consciousness about myths such as these there is a chance that their viability can be addressed directly and a lternative myths can be generated to propel reform in the direction ad vocated in the myriad reports that presently exhort changes in policy and classroom practice. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.