Children often think that classroom science is not ‘real’ science. They also carry a poor image of ‘real’ science and scientists. Ask a group of children to draw or describe a scientist and — apart from portraying the scientist as a middle-aged male, with glasses and wild hair — they nearly always associate him with eccentricity and absent-mindedness, madness even. Worse, the context will often be experiments that have gone catastrophically wrong, explosions, destruction and sometimes weapons. No wonder many children are put off science and so few want to take up science-related careers.But put a real scientist in among the children, a scientist who works with them, talks to them, helps them design their own investigations, and bingo, classroom science becomes real science and scientists are normal people after all.By adapting an idea dreamed up by Bruce Alberts and others in San Francisco, teachers and scientists in Norfolk, UK launched the Teacher Scientist Network (TSN) in 1994. The TSN links teachers from all phases with scientists from the Norwich Research Park in long-term working partnerships (see http://www.tsn.org.uk).Why are teacher–scientist partnerships needed? As well as the problem of the way children perceive science, in England and Wales we also have a problem with delivering our National Curriculum. The National Curriculum says that all children in state schools must learn science from the age of 5 until they are 16. Furthermore, this science must be taught in equal measures of biology, chemistry and physics, with practical investigations across all areas. Many high school teachers find this difficult because they now have to deliver a broad three-discipline science curriculum, having been trained in only one discipline. Primary school teachers, often with no formal science training, are also required to deliver a full science curriculum. But link a teacher with an appropriate scientist and they can combine their skills to deliver good quality science education that is relevant, sound and up to date.What do TSN scientists do in their schools? Each partnership is unique. There are only two rules: the scientist's input must address the school's existing science curriculum (giving the children a lecture about your own research project is not normally useful); and the teacher must use the scientist's skills appropriately, not simply as a helper in the normal lessons.Here is one example of how a cell biologist from the Norwich Research Park, Paul, worked with his partner teacher, Jean, in her rural primary school. Jean, who has no formal science training, finds it hard to teach the children to investigate scientifically. She and Paul together planned and executed an ‘investigations’ project for the class. First they divided the class into smallish groups. Each group had to think up a question they would like to investigate. They came up with ideas like: ‘What things stop magnets working?’; ‘What sort of shoe grips the ground the best?’; ‘What is the best sort of rubber band?’. Each group then discussed their investigation with Paul, who helped them refine their plan so that it became a ‘fair test’.On his next visit, each group carried out its investigation, modifying it if necessary with his help (this often involved helping them control variables). Jean, meanwhile, was in overall management and control of the class. The following week each group demonstrated its investigation to other children in the school, their teachers and Paul. They also made posters to describe things such as ‘What we did’, ‘The things we kept the same’, ‘the things we changed’, ‘What we found out’, ‘How we would do it next time’. Paul commented on each group's presentation and gave each child a certificate.You will notice that this activity had nothing to do with Paul's knowledge of cell biology, but everything to do with his expertise as a scientist. Paul's abilities in science combined with Jean's teaching and classroom skills were what made this activity so successful.What's in it for the scientists? Surprisingly, quite a lot. First, most scientists find working with teachers and kids great fun. They also find satisfaction in seeing outcomes quickly; in school, you can see the results of your efforts almost immediately in the way children react. The experience also improves the scientist's communication skills; a discussion with a ten year old, avoiding arcane language, makes you think precisely.But probably it's the science community as a whole that benefits most. If our children grow up with a less distorted view of science, our future citizens will perhaps be in a better position to make rational judgements and decisions in a democratic society.
Read full abstract
Jan 1, 2006
C Day 
Open Access