Science Teacher Fellow opens door of opportunity students

Anita Singh, a team leader and science curriculum leader at Royal Oak Intermediate School in Auckland was amongst the first lot of teachers to win the Primary Science Teacher Fellowship funded by the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology and administered by the Royal Society of NZ based in Wellington.

This meant Mrs Singh was based at a host organisation, while a replacement teacher funded by Ministry of Research, Science and Technology took over her class.

Senior lecturers at Unitec, Mel Galbraith and Dr Dan Blanchon gladly took Mrs Singh under their guidance to explore biodiversity and biosecurity issues, with emphasis on plant ecophysiology, designing and setting up of experimental treatments to test for allelopathy in Tree Privet (Ligustrum lucidum).

Tree privet was chosen as the plant to investigate, as this plant was introduced to NZ as an ornamental plant, however it has now become an invasive weed causing detrimental effect on local native trees as well as contributing towards asthma.

Mrs Singh’s time at Unitec involved readings on related professional literature, discussions with Dr Blanchon on the designing of experiment, sitting in lectures and laboratory discussions to enhance her understanding of the concepts while Mel Galbraith provided mentoring on Biosecurity and Biodiversity aspects of the issue.

Groups of students from Mrs Singh’s class were privileged to have the opportunity to spend a day with her at Unitec and get involved in setting up the experimental treatments. This was a rare experience for the students and they thoroughly enjoyed their unique experience at Unitec.

A number of them even had the opportunity to meet the scientist Mrs Singh is working with, Dr Blanchon.

Investigations done by Mrs Singh have shown some very distinctive results as to what in the plant is inhibiting the growth of the native species, and thus causing the tree Privet itself in becoming the dominant plant. Details of the findings will be revealed in a publication at a later date.

Primary Science Teacher Fellowship is open to any teacher in the primary sector willing to learn more about science, develop their skills and understanding in order to promote and improve the science experience of primary students and engage in new understandings about effective science teaching in the 21st Century.

This experience will assist in creating Science Leaders in schools who can manage change around the core focus of effective Science teaching.

During the fellowship, the fellow has the opportunity to engage in a program of learning around Science and work alongside a scientist to get an appreciation of the Nature of Science.

More information about the Primary Science Teacher Fellowships can be found
on http://tinyurl.com/lxwrch or via E-mail on: PSTF@royalsociety.org.nz

Applications for Terms Three and Four, 2010, close on 18th September.

Application forms are under guidelines and conditions on the website on the Primary Science Teacher Fellowship page.