ABSTRACT
This book includes a wide range of perspectives on elementary science teaching, representing the complex and, at times, divergent stances taken among colleagues in this field. The approach to writing this chapter was to investigate the sorts of issues and literature the authors would draw on to represent their positions, strategies, and recommendations. There are places where authors' views intersect and conflict. Some assume positional writing stances, whereas others engage in writing as personal introspections, with diverging concerns to standardize or contextualize science teaching and learning. This range of perspectives characterizes the ongoing nature of debates about elementary science teaching and learning. Thus, this introductory chapter is an opportunity to engage readers in dialogue about complex issues that challenge elementary science education.
