Create a positive learning environment
When I joined, the positivity of the learning environment was one of the things that immediately struck me. Teachers generally aren’t accustomed to classes where all of the students are entirely engaged in the subject matter. Our students, however, wouldn’t be there unless they were interested in STEM subjects. How did the school foster this environment? It’s simple: the learn-by-doing philosophy is inculcated into pupils early on, and it goes far beyond the odd lab-based practical.
In one instance, we invited a professor from neighboring Anglia Ruskin University to bring a spectroscope to the classroom. The students were asked to analyze the properties CSI-style and present their findings before an impromptu “court”: it was hands-on, it piqued their interest, and it showed how the scientific method was applicable to all sorts of settings. It’s no surprise that students respond to this far more than day after day of “turn to page 56.”
Show the history of science
Outside of practical tasks, it’s important that schools get a sense of the rich history of science. It’s always a good idea to take students to visit some of the great historical scientific achievements first hand. As we’re based in Cambridge – where individuals like Stephen Hawking have reshaped how we think about the world – we’ve been able to take our students to see Sir Isaac Newton’s Principia at the Cambridge University library. But wherever a school is based, there will be chances to go and see some fascinating scientific discoveries at work, or signs of previous technological accomplishments.
Seeing what great scientists have achieved is inspiring for students, and crucially, it helps cultivate a sense that the sciences are accessible. Many students are put off because STEM subjects are seen as complex and overwhelming, and it doesn’t help that they’re taught in complex, overwhelming ways. Unfocused, paint-by-numbers learning is actively discouraging the scholars of tomorrow: it does just enough to convince a student that they can’t understand the topic, and nowhere near enough to spark real interest. Progress in STEM university enrollment is always heartening, but the continued existence of skill shortages emphasizes how much more needs to be done at school level.
Nicholas Waite is Principal at Bellerbys College Cambridge. Bellerbys College Cambridge is an international school accepting students from all over the world including UK students. It is currently inviting applications for the Donna Bull Scholarship, to support a talented student that can demonstrate a commitment to their studies. The scholarship is in memory of Donna, Bellerbys College Cambridge A’Level Programme Manager, who tragically died in an accident on November 17th 2013.
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