Neetaa Naidu, principal, Vantage Hall Girls’ Residential School, Doonga Village feels that Science is not something that is to be taught but to feel, experiment, deliberate and visualise upon by building curiosity among the children. By doing this they would automatically want to learn more about the numerous scientific phenomena.
Q. What is the importance of Science education in students?
Science is a way of life which connects the evolved mechanical human being with the real life. Having studied a systematic, step by step process driven subject they would be at ease to understand the logic and rationality behind events/happenings: how, why and when.
It motivates the students to distinguish clearly between reality and the traditional custom’s and biases. Nevertheless it forms the very foundation for technical and medical fields.
Q. How do you facilitate and increase a student’s passion towards Science?
First I would ensure that the child gets into a comfort zone where they can ask any questions: no question being wrong. Secondly, expose them to situations/experience which eventually leads them to answers on their own. But the conclusion is not reached until it has been deliberated and argued upon. I try to make introductory science lessons engaging and effective. A key element lies in designing the lesson in a way that it appeals to visual, kinaesthetic, auditory, and artistic and all such levels of students who can in their own way visualise examples of how Science works in everyday life. Also one can involve games and fun activities as show stopper.
Q. Do you feel that there is any major hurdle to Science education in India? If yes, how to tackle them?
There are many hurdles to Science education In India. Especially, in the sense that it does not take you beyond becoming a Doctor or Engineer. There is no continuous engaging partnership between the school systems, higher education, corporate sector and the Government to a certain extent. Not many crossover careers have been explored and catered to, as in the most developed countries. I trust that most of the hurdles can be overcome by involving principals and teachers in policy making in this sector.
Q. What methods could help improve teaching Science in schools and help create scientific temper?
Definitely use of technology in classrooms elevates the teaching and reception potential. Finding a way to involve games or referring to it in teaching would be highly innovative. For example, playing chess helps in logical sequencing of events of a chapter in physiology. It also logically improves the strategic skills of a student and keeps the spirit on. Riddles, puzzles, crosswords, comprehension are age-old yet relevant styles that always kindle the scientific temper.
Award and reward for small discoveries and reasoning that the children make in a classroom. Allow them to have healthy argument on whether they can be sure what they have learnt is correct and true. And for this they have to complete a cycle of reference, assimilate and the analyse data. If such a process is repeated over and over again we have already created scientific temper in them, much before they have actually realised it.
Q. What is your advice to Science teachers to make the subject more interesting?
Plan a lesson well in advance. Make learning for students experiential and application based. Allow testing of established facts and figures in classroom. Advise extra reading and use of encyclopaedia and dictionary in the classroom to understand and analyse information. Ignite the fun element in their scientific thinking by using electronic resources and games. Encourage their ideas of unrealistic experiments and chaos in class while discovery. End the class in style by referring to exceptions, mysteries, open ended questions and points to reflect.
Q. What is your advice to students who do not enjoy studying science?
It doesn’t matter if you do not enjoy the subject. Just love your-self and question the very basis of your existence. How did you come on this Earth? How mankind evolved? Why are you here? What is your purpose? etc. By doing this, you are already developing the interest to study Science.