Science teachers

[mollykins]

Is it just the schools i've been at, or are most science teachers rubbish with technology?

Neither of my chemistry teachers can use a smartboard properly.

The science teachers I had in the lower part of high school didn't have smartboards in their classes as they knew they wouldn't be able to work them.

At middle school, a substitute teacher whose favourite subject and degree was in some kind of science wrote on a smartboard with a whiteboard pen, which ruined the board, they then tried to clean it with a wet towel!

Another science teacher at middle school managed to freeze all of our computers. There's a way of the teacher logging on and being able to show what they have on their screen on all the other computers in the room. But when they did, they froze the screens and all the computers bleeped and then there was a huge cafuffle trying to fix them.

What about you factor?

[Count-A-Strong]

We once had a lesson in which the brand new technology of the video recorder was to be used ( before you were even a twinkle in yr dads eye Molly). Me and a friend took the fuse out of the plug whilst the teacher was put of the room. When it wouldn't work he toolk the cover off and started to fiddle around rather than checking the simple thing first. He was a science teacher.

[mike11111]

I think overlooking the simple things is part of the human psyche. 30 years ago whilst I was out my mother called out the TV repair man as the set wasn't working. He promptly appeared, plugged the set in, switched it on and said, "That'll be £25.00, please".

[scotman]

You had it easy, Count. I can remember the excitement when they took the slates away and we had paper for the first time.

[factor-fiction]

I do use an interactive white board, molly, but I now longer over-use it. It's a great tool provided it's used properly. Pupils also like to use it. In my experience science teachers have been pretty good. I do enjoy using a marker pen on a conventional non-interactive whiteboard as well.
Some teachers are too reliant on them and are lost as to what to do when the remote control can't be found to switch it on.

[mollykins]

I thought you'd have a look at this thread factor, how are you?

Another thing is teachers putting the 'pen' down and losing it.

I'm doing biology and chemistry, i'm really glad I did extra science at gcse level . . .

[jomifl]

We all make mistakes, technology teachers included.

[theprof]

jomifl, this is not mistakes - it's incompetence. The PGCE is intended to address issues such as this and it's not doing so. My university insists upon a level of competence from graduates entering the teaching profession that includes training in the issues cited by mollykins.

I am aware that certain less stringent establishments of further higher education seem to dismiss such issues as trivialities. The fact that the PGCE can be taken in establishments varying from further education colleges, former teacher training colleges and universities says it all to my mind. The standards vary widely.

Mollykins' teachers are certainly not graduates of my university, a premier member of the Russell Group.

[theprof]

Incidentally, I do have first hand knowledge of how mollykins feels as I hold degrees in chemistry and biological sciences as well as being a university science dean and senate member amongst other things.

[Hopkirk]

If they don't use blackboards, with chalk and rubbers, what do teachers throw at the kidsthese days?

[theprof]

They don't Hopkirk. They would run the risk of being up before The General Teaching Council for England or the corresponding bodies in Wales and Scotland.

Having said that, the coalition government intends to abolish the The General Teaching Council for England shortly so God only knows what's going to happen in the future.

[Hopkirk]

Our teachers were well trained to hurl a blackboard rubber, but not quite hit anyone.

[BertiWooster]

theprof

Just think if you'd paid attention in your lessons at school , you could have become a banker ; instead of messing about with test tubes

[theprof]

You're right BertiWooster. I failed my eleven plus and ended up in a rough secondary modern school. My CSE results in the final year were the best in the year, so I was packed off to the local grammar school to do my "O" levels before going on to do "A" levels.
There's a lot of bankers out there who earn less money than me, so I must have listened to some lessons in school. Come to think of it, the prime minister earns less than me. I wonder if he likes messing about with test tubes.

[anneasquith]

prof, you earn more than the PM,no wonder you are using a false name, its a criminal offence now.

[BertiWooster]

//There's a lot of bankers out there who earn less money than me//

Yes prof - but are you happy with all that dosh :-)

Anyway , nice to see that you took my comment in the spirit that it was intended - i.e tongue in cheek

[theprof]

anneasquith, tell me about it. As well as my uni work in the UK and abroad, I also advise the MoD as well as DSTL and QinetiQ and on certain scientific matters at their research facilities. Never mind, I met David Cameron a few weeks ago - let's hope I made a good impression!

BertiWooster, no I'm not really happy with all that cash. After the tax man and MrsProf get hold of it, there's not much left!

[boxtops]

It's not the same if you throw an overhead projector, Hopkirk.

[anneasquith]

still prof, you must be worth a bob or two?

[DaisyNonna]

Hopkirk, Only thing left to throw is sarcasm

[BertiWooster]

// no I'm not really happy with all that cash. After the tax man and MrsProf get hold of it, there's not much left! //

What - you need more than 50k a month ?


// I met David Cameron a few weeks ago - let's hope I made a good impression! //

Are you thinking - Sir prof ?