Hands-on experiment sets the class alight

Mark Gale, head of science at South Dartmoor community college in Devon, a chemistry specialist by training, shows how to grab the attention of a class, writes Adi Bloom
5th September 2008, 1:00am

Share

Hands-on experiment sets the class alight

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/hands-experiment-sets-class-alight

“Stereotypes become stereotypes because there’s a grain of truth in them.” he said. “Scientists are curious by nature, but I suppose sometimes that curiosity is about things and phenomena, and not necessarily about other people.

“In chemistry, we certainly play on stereotypes. We have a great sense of showmanship. The clouds of dry ice, the big bangs, bubbling things. We’re gripped by spectacle. But people often get a sense that science is about boffins, labouring away in the middle of the night. Actually, it’s far more of a collaborative effort. So we try to teach that to children.

“The new science GCSEs are much more about communication and about understanding how data can be interpreted in different ways.

“In some respects, science is becoming a bit more like a humanities subject, so people’s emotional intelligence is now coming to the fore. I suppose there’s no reason you can’t learn emotional intelligence in schools - it would help in all subjects. But it would have to be integrated into the curriculum properly, rather than bolted on.”

Want to keep reading for free?

Register with Tes and you can read two free articles every month plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters.

Keep reading for just £1 per month

You've reached your limit of free articles this month. Subscribe for £1 per month for three months and get:

  • Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content
  • Exclusive subscriber-only stories
  • Award-winning email newsletters
Recent
Most read
Most shared