From A. THOMPSON
Having recently completed a PGCE in secondary science, I come with some
bad tidings for those wishing to inspire tomorrow’s scientists by this route
(Careers, 4 September).
As many educationalists will tell you, the sheer pace of new initiatives
in education is leaving not only teachers disorganised but equally the bodies
which train them. The whole process is akin to doing surgery on someone
in a rocking chair.
Much of the ‘on the job’ training is offered by schools in very tight
financial situations – precisely those with the least resources (including
staff time) to help trainees.
Neil Harris mentions the budding joint teacher-training programmes being
run by schools and higher education establishments. Many such courses are
in an embryonic stage and as such have little experience of the effect of
their programmes on teacher quality. That is not to say that they are not
working to improve matters. It is just that whatever they do will not eradicate
a fundamental flaw in the evolving system – the lack of public investment
in the infrastructure of our schools.
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At the start of my PGCE the prospect of becoming one of a dying breed
of polymaths appealed to me. The stark reality is that this dream will take
many more years to realise than I anticipated, not least because so much
pedagogical theory must now be gleaned ‘on the hoof’ from teachers, whose
ability to look objectively at education has to be questioned.
So, if you are thinking of a career in science teaching it may be advisable
to consider the longer term training options (such as a BEd) which will
give you more time to reflect on your teaching approaches and get a better
perspective of general science teaching.
As for me – I’ll be teaching in France until the storm has blown over.
A. Thompson Paris
