Teach them well...

Our visit to CERN proper started in a crowded lecture room.  As well as the 51 UK teachers, there were around 40 Israeli students and their teachers.  Israel has just become a full member state of CERN, and these students were the first visitors since that event.  Over the three days, it was fascinating to watch these young people sit through some fairly tricky lectures on cosmology, the Higgs Boson and medical applications of particle physics amongst others.  And not only did they sit through the lectures, they listened and asked intelligent questions at the end.

Each year CERN hosts tens of thousands of visitors.  Amongst these are teachers from all the member states of CERN, as well as other friendly states.  The teacher programmes typically last a week (our UK programme is a little shorter than most), and is hosted where possible by a researcher from the visiting teacher’s home country. 

The education and visits programme is a massive endeavour for CERN, and so it is reasonable to ask ‘Why?’.  What is the benefit to CERN of inviting teachers and others to wander round the facilities, taking photos, getting in the way and filling the restaurant?

Indeed, one could also ask why the National Science Learning Centre, and STFC (who provide financial support for our study visits) take teachers to CERN.

The answer, said in a slightly misty eyed way way, is that it is for the kids.  We, in the words of a song, believe that children are our future.  

The future?

More prosaically, without kids taking STEM subjects, there won’t be big science and technology undertakings in the future.  Somewhere like CERN is the work of a LOT of people – people who studied sciences, engineering, architecture, and other STEM subjects.  And at some point, those people were in all likelihood taught science by enthusiastic teachers who made them think that science was a subject worth studying.

So CERN (and NSLC) want to work with the teachers because they are the multipliers.  If a single student, such as one of our Israeli companions, comes to CERN then that is one person who will (in all probability) be enthused about science.  However, if one teacher comes, then that teacher will go back into school or college with a renewed interest and, dare I say it, excitement about science.  One teacher may teach 200 to 300 students each year.  As the teacher says ‘when I was in CERN….’ and shares the excitement of standing just in front of a 15m wide particle detector 100m below the French countryside, then their interest can be contagious and spread to some of their students.  So one person’s visit will hopefully inspires classrooms full of students.

Up close and personal with a beam pipe

And it’s not just seeing the scale of the undertaking.  The guides who show the teachers round are often researchers, who volunteer to show people round CERN.  Meeting the researchers, chatting to them and asking about how they ended up working in CERN, provides real examples to teachers of possible career paths that their own students might take.  Career paths which the (non-specialist) science teacher might not have realised were possible.

Konrad, explaining why there is more than one particle accelerator at CERN

So to CERN, the cost and disruption, of hosting teacher programmes is worth it.  In fact, it is part of their core mission to the future.

A look back and a glance ahead.

So, what has 2013 brought, and what does 2014 hold?

On a mundane level, as has been the case for the past two years, in 2013 I've spent a lot of time on trains commuting to and from York and travelling around the country for various (often exam board) meetings.  I've improved my crochet skills, watched a lot of Pointless on my tablet, and earned enough loyalty points to swop for 24 bottles of wine!

As an educator who has left the classroom, I have regularly been asked if I would ‘go back’.  My stock answer is that I started out teaching adults in an FE college, and have now come full circle again.  I am still teaching, just not in any single school.  This year has, once again emphasised how much I enjoy working with teachers, both those who come onto our residential courses at NSLC and also those who are in schools that I’m involved in.

One of the areas that I’ve really delved into more this year has been education research and education policy.  The connectedness of twitter meant that I was able to be part of @tombennett71 (and not forgetting his fabulous deputy-in-arms @Hgaldinoshea) ResearchEd2013 conference, and also to get involved (in a very small way) with @HeadsRoundtable.  Both have given hope about education.  The ResearchEd conference showed how enthusiastic some teachers are about improving their teaching.  HTRT introduced me to some great head teachers who are working towards improving the life-chances of students in their schools in quite different circumstances, as well as who are speaking out about their beliefs.  Getting to know @RosMcM has been a particular pleasure.

On the policy front, it feels like I’ve been completing consultation forms constantly both for myself, and as part of various organisations I'm involved with. Not forgetting the latest two from Ofqual on A-levels and GCSEs, which close on 17^th and 31^st January.

I’ve also enjoyed reading blogs this year (though it’s hard to keep up with them all).  I particularly enjoy @johntomsett’s and @tombennett71 for the quality of their writing.  One of my ambitions is to write books – probably text books – and reading these two blogs in particular challenge my writing significantly.  Writing my own blog, and also writing blogs for work (such as on embedding the impact of CPD and this on science investigations), has (slowly) helped me to work on my writing.  Writing mainly about science subject specific topics mean that I don’t necessarily get as many views as some of the more general blogs (not that I’m counting, of course), but hopefully some of the ideas find their way into science lessons and that is always good to know.  I was also able to publish a paper, about the ASE summer conference session that I coordinated, in the SSR journal.

This year has also taught me, both personally and in the wider educational world, that times of change are hard.  It has proved important for me to look at what it is I’m good at, what is important, and keep doing those things.  This is also the ethos that I recommend to teachers on the courses.  As educators we are buffeted on all sides and if we are to do the best for those we teach we need to focus on the things that are important.  With the increase in accountability and measurement that teachers and students are subject to this is becoming increasingly difficult, particularly for classroom teachers.

Next year

Well, I’m trying not to look at my diary too much.  It’s already pretty full up until August, and I’ve said ‘yes’ to a number of freelance projects which need to be squeezed in before then somewhere.  I may be able to write more about those as, and when, details are firmed up.

I’m looking forward to seeing how the Stimulating Physics Network project develops as the tender renews in April.  Hopefully the IOP will be able to develop this further, but we’ll have to see what the outcome of the tendering process before I know how I’ll be affected by any changes.

With NSLC I’m taking a group of 50 science teachers on a study visit to CERN, a slightly daunting, but very exciting prospect.  I shall be counting heads madly to make sure I don’t leave anyone behind!  Also at work, a number of my colleagues are moving on to pastures new in the next few months and will be sorely missed.  

I’m also looking forward to meeting more twitter folk at various tweet-ups, conferences and courses (if you’re in York at NSLC, do say hello).  One of the really good things about twitter is the opportunity to meet lovely people who would otherwise have passed me by.

In a song, John Lennon says 'Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans'.  So this year I'm trying to avoid making the other plans, and will just get on with experiencing life as it happens.