Feb 7, 2021 | Leadership, Professional development, Science, Secondary
I was delighted to be invited to write this blog for WomenEd after renewing my friendship with its founder and my former teacher, Vivienne Porritt! It first appeared on their website on 31 January 2021: https://www.womened.org/blog/how-can-school-leaders-help-fix-the-leaky-stem-pipeline. In it, I offer suggestions to school leaders, drawing on my own experience as a teacher, leader and trainer-adviser. The proportion of girls choosing A level physics and pursuing STEM careers has remained stubbornly low for decades. But recent...
Oct 25, 2020 | Professional development, Science, Secondary, Updates
As all parents know, we put on a brave face in order to instil a cheery confidence in our offspring. As my eldest and her friends prepare for GCSEs this year I’m acutely aware of the difficulties of studying for exams that didn’t happen in 2020 and still might not in 2021. Revising for mocks whose purpose is unknown – a useful practice run or evidence towards a centre-assessed grade? – is pretty unsettling. Add to that the fog surrounding some of the work which was supposed to have been covered during home-learning...
Sep 28, 2020 | Science, Secondary, Updates
World Space Week is 4 -10 October 2020 and this year’s theme is “Satellites Improve Life”. I’ve created some resources for science teachers with info, ideas and links to plan lessons suitable for KS3 students (age 11-14) – available to download here. Everything is on a powerpoint presentation: teacher support and also student-facing slides with information on satellites (plus teacher notes) which you can edit and adapt for your classes. I hope you find the resources helpful. If you’d like some further...
Sep 9, 2020 | Leadership, Professional development, Science, Secondary, Updates
A big shout-out for all heads of science in schools who will be grappling with leading a practical, content-heavy subject within the current restrictions. Wherever you are in the world, don’t be disheartened! Here are my tips for staying on top of things this term:1. Look after yourself2. Look after your team3. Keep an eye on the guidance and use resources (e.g. CLEAPSS in the UK) to support4. Adjust your teaching plans to focus on what needs expert live explanation5. Gauge gaps in student understanding and support/stretch...
