• Question: Would you ever become a science teacher?

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      Asked by ALOrona to John, Laura, Luke, Rob, Ruth on 10 Jun 2016.
      • Photo: Laura Finney

        Laura Finney answered on 10 Jun 2016:

        ? ? ? Hmmmmmmm I can’t decide on this one. I am a private tutor for A level chemistry and I’ve done it for years so I do teach in a sense. I got asked this yesterday by my boyfriend and it’s not something I’ve ruled out.

        I would want to know that I would be good at it which I’m not sure of. I’m also not sure I know enough?! Is that weird? I’m doing a PhD and think maybe I don’t know enough about chemistry to teach. I guess I’m scared of what I might get asked?!

        I think it takes a lot of patience but I think teachers are amazing people! I like going to schools and talking about science and teaching things but I also love being at the front of the discoveries.

        Maybe this event will help me decide a little after hearing all of your questions! ?

      • Photo: Robert Williams

        Robert Williams answered on 10 Jun 2016:

        Thought about it if I lost my current job

      • Photo: Ruth Patchett

        Ruth Patchett answered on 11 Jun 2016:

        In a way I kind of have been already as I have helped to teach some younger students in the lab. I did enjoy it but not sure if I am good enough to do it full time. I would hate for someone not to reach their full potential because I couldn’t teach well and hope whatever I end up doing I hope I get to explain about science to people (sometimes it’s hard to stop me doing so in life generally). So in short I would consider it in the future for sure but it would be a big challenge.

      • Photo: John Fossey

        John Fossey answered on 11 Jun 2016:

        As a university lecturer I already teach chemistry. I guess you might mean teaching in a school.
        I like my current role where we contribute to the last formal step in education, and I am interested in the idea of contributing to the earlier steps.

        I think secondary school teachers have a lot of administration and challenges to deal with. That means there is less time to devote to the core scholarly activities.

      • Photo: Luke Williams

        Luke Williams answered on 12 Jun 2016:

        I don’t think so. I did think about it at one stage. I have recently started giving tutorials about my work to Year 9/10 students, and I am enjoying that, but I don’t think I would be able to do teaching full time.

        For me, it is the regimented curriculum and the sheer number of different classes that a teacher will do, week in, week out. Have a huge amount of respect for teachers for all the work that they do.

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