Making science a higher priority in primary schools

Thirty-five primary school teachers from throughout NZ have been awarded Primary Science Teacher Fellowships for the first two terms of 2010.

This is the second intake of primary school teachers participating in the Primary Science Teacher Fellowship Programme which has been piloted this year.

Under the scheme teachers take leave from their schools to work with scientists at host organisations and become immersed in the world of science.

 The scheme is run by the Royal Society of NZ and is funded by the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology. The teachers selected come from primary schools all around NZ.

Joanna Leaman, education advisor with the Royal Society of NZ, says the aim is to help the teachers selected have good science experiences and become science curriculum leaders when they return to their schools.

“They are not science experts, but they are keen to develop their science teaching skills so they can make a difference at their schools.”

She says that science education is currently not high on the priority list at primary schools, with an average of just one hour per week taught.

“We want to help address this deficiency and get teachers excited about teaching science. Our aim is to develop a community of confident science educators who will take a leadership role in science in their schools.”

The impetus for the scheme stems from a report (the National Education Monitoring Project) released in 2008 which highlighted a downwards trend in the attitudes of primary aged students towards science. This found that 37 per cent of the year eight students surveyed indicated a dislike of science, a sharp rise on the 15 per cent reported in 1999.

Host organisations for the teachers will include several universities, NIWA, GNS, Nga Manu Nature Reserve (Waikanae), Department of Conservation, Zealandia (Karori Sanctuary), Unitec, Environment Bay of Plenty, and Portobello Marine Laboratory (Dunedin). The Royal Society is always looking for organisations willing to host teachers as a part of their outreach programmes.

Teachers selected and their regions are listed below:

Andrea Manu, Henderson Intermediate, Auckland; Steven Tait, Mt Eden Normal School, Auckland; Sonja Akkerman, Tai Tapu School, Canterbury; Kerri Bullen, Rolleston School, Canterbury; Francis Ganderton, Cashmere Primary School, Canterbury; Christine Longbottom, Twizel Area School, Canterbury; Lorraine Malpass, Fernside School, Canterbury; Anne Miles, Waitaha Learning Centre, Canterbury; Gabrielle Nuthall, Halswell School, Canterbury; Maree O’Boyle, West Melton School, Canterbury; Felila Ward, Cobham Intermediate, Canterbury; Christine Greatbatch, Tolaga Bay Area School, Gisborne; Tunisia Keelan, Tolaga Bay Area School, Gisborne; Janet Beeden, Crownthorpe School, Hawkes Bay; Barbara Thomson, Tiaho Primary School, Hawkes Bay; Michael Wylde, Nelson Park School, Hawkes Bay; Doug Drysdale, Bunnythorpe School, Manawatu-Wanganui; Joy Kitt, Russell Street School, Manawatu-Wanganui; Christine Mitchell, Fairfield School (Levin), Manawatu-Wanganui; Katarina Werelind-Moore, Whangarei School, Northland; Megan Deans, Kaikorai School, Otago; Roddy Scoles, Tahuna Normal Intermediate, Otago; Janet King, Mangorei School, Taranaki; Patrick Swanson, St Pius X School (New Plymouth), Taranaki; Sarah Coup, Parklands School, Tasman; Helena McKeown, Rototuna Primary School, Waikato; Kim Oliver, Marian Catholic School (Hamilton), Waikato; Kerry Harrison, Eastern Hutt School, Wellington; Marian Holman, Porirua School, Wellington; Patrick Mackle, Sts Peter and Paul School (Lower Hutt), Wellington; Khandu Patel, Dyer Street School, Wellington; Barbara Ryan, Muritai School, Wellington; Michelle Tate, Belmont School (Lower Hutt), Wellington; Margaret Wallis, Karori West Normal School; Wellington; Jacqui Watts-Pointer, Tawa Intermediate, Wellington.