Junior School
Junior School
MR JON ABBOTT HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL
ABOVE: JAMES WONG( YEAR 1) WITH HEAD OF BIOLOGY, MATT MANNING
Engendering a new generation of scientists
One of the qualities of humans that sets us apart from nearly all other members of the animal world is our curious nature and our desire to solve problems. We have always sought to understand our world better in order to improve how we live in it. Often this desire to‘ know more’ has fallen under the umbrella of science.
The scientific process begins with questions that are born out of our observations or our needs. These questions lead us to seek understanding via investigation. In most situations we will form a theory from our questions, which we then will seek to test. Through a process of testing, experimentation or observations we may refine or modify our initial theory, and then repeat the process until we feel confident that we have an answer or a solution to our initial question, and our curiosity or need is satisfied.
Over many years spent in primary education I have seen the innate curiosity that young children bring to school as they begin their journey. Prep children are full of questions, ideas, theories and a sense of wonder about the world in which they live. If you ask five-year-old children how something works, they will be happy to elaborate their personal theories to you. Equally, if you ask them a question about the world, they will be very happy to come up with an answer. They are not afraid to speculate or theorise about the world in which they live. Indeed, they have been on a
12 Great Scot Number 149 – December 2016
five-year journey of making sense of the world for themselves already.
As a school we need to continue to nurture and develop these qualities in our boys, so they grow into young men who have maintained a sense of curiosity and exploration. Science and the teaching of it is a great vehicle to achieve this, and it is becoming more and more a focus for us in the Junior School each year.
I am reminded of a quote that I heard many years ago, attributed to British scientist, Dr Roger Lewin:‘ Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.’ When I think about how we develop a strong sense of creativity and curiosity in children, I always come back to this quote. It seems to me that the world of science offers just that; lots of problems to be solved.
Teaching boys the processes of scientific discovery and investigation is best done by presenting them with a problem to solve. We teach them techniques and basic understandings, and then provide them with a problem that will not only pique their interest but will challenge them to think, to wonder, to hypothesise and to speculate. They have to come to terms with what the essence of the problem is and then set about thinking of ways that they can resolve it.
Along the way the boys will, at times, realise that they may have to modify their theories or even completely rethink them. Each mistake they make is an opportunity to learn a bit more and to try a different approach. Once they have formulated a conclusion, they have to re-test it to ensure that it is true for all conditions, and again this may involve some rethinking of their initial ideas.
The other aspect of science that I really get excited about is the engagement that I see on our boys’ faces as they go about their investigations, particularly when they make a discovery or come to the realisation of a new fact. Boys love to explore, and science provides them with a great opportunity to do so.
In the Junior School, through our classroom Science units, the annual Science Fair and our involvement in the State Science Talent Search, Mr Grant Phillips’ Science units at Year 4 and 5, and his ever popular Family Science Evenings, the Year 6 Robotics unit and the Year 3 Environmental Studies that focus on our Healesville property, our boys have many wonderful opportunities to develop their scientific skills and capacities, as well as a love for the study of science in general.
We eagerly look forward to 2017 and the opportunity to make use of the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre for Science, and also our own, soon to be developed, Junior School Science and Technology Space that is to be constructed over the summer break. It is my great hope that these and other opportunities will engender a new generation of scientists and problem-solvers. The future prosperity and health of our world may depend on it.