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During my undergraduate degree I rarely looked forwards to my lectures but since starting a PGCE

in September, I look forward to them everyday. My tutors and welcoming and fellow students are

friendly and supportive.

At the start of the PGCE, I was aware of the reasons I wanted to teach but what about the subjects

we will find ourselvesteaching? I have been wondering, in the words ofAlan Chalmers,"what is this

thing calledscience?"

This isn't a simple question. I know because I spent a semester considering it in my undergraduate

degree, and couldn't really arrive at a precise answer. This is not surprising considering generations

of philosophers and scientists have debated the same without reaching a definitive conclusion.

Even theScience Councilhasn't found it straightforward. They spent a year deciding on a definition

and here is what they came up with: "Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and

understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on

evidence."

This assumes scientific knowledge is defined by the process gone through to gain it. It also raises

questions about whether subjects such as history can be considered science? By this logic, yes it

can.

Maybe when considering this issues in terms of education it would be more useful to first consider

what is a scientist, rather than what is science.

On our first session with my subject tutor we were asked to draw what we thought a child's

perception of a scientist was. Thirty drawings of men in lab coats with glasses and mad hair were

produced. And looking round the room, there was only one, maybe two people who might have fitted

this description. Just by walking into the classroom, I, and my fellow students, will be challenging this

stereotype.

Another common stereotype is that a scientist is the person with all the right answers. This is

dangerous to keep going. This gives the impression that the validity of information should be judged

partly on who is giving it. And while as teachers this may make our lives easier on a day-to-day

basis, is this what we want our students going out into the world thinking? For me, definitely not. The

best summation of this was byClaude Levi Strausswho said: "A scientist is not a person who gives

the right answers, he's the one who asks the right questions."

It is the process by which the knowledge is reached which is important. As the great man says, it's

all down to those questions. Which is convenient, because that's just what children are good at,

asking questions.

So what does this say about my own beliefs about science? I think it is a creative discipline, where

understanding process is vitally important. It is relevant to everything we do, and everything we see.

I think the Science Council missed out one very important point

science is also a social process.The work a scientist carries out is undeniably affected by the beliefs and values he/she holds. And

this means that it is also affected by the beliefs and values of the society that scientist lives in.

In considering what I think science is, I can start to become aware of how I will present it to my

students. And this is why it is so important for teachers to think critically about their subject.

http://www.theguardian.com/education/teachinghttp://www.theguardian.com/education/teachinghttp://www.flinders.edu.au/ehl/philosophy/the-department/visiting-scholars/alan-chalmers.cfmhttp://www.flinders.edu.au/ehl/philosophy/the-department/visiting-scholars/alan-chalmers.cfmhttp://www.flinders.edu.au/ehl/philosophy/the-department/visiting-scholars/alan-chalmers.cfmhttp://www.theguardian.com/education/sciencehttp://www.theguardian.com/education/sciencehttp://www.sciencecouncil.org/http://www.sciencecouncil.org/http://www.sciencecouncil.org/http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/nov/03/claude-levi-strauss-obituary?INTCMP=SRCHhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/nov/03/claude-levi-strauss-obituary?INTCMP=SRCHhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/nov/03/claude-levi-strauss-obituary?INTCMP=SRCHhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/nov/03/claude-levi-strauss-obituary?INTCMP=SRCHhttp://www.sciencecouncil.org/http://www.theguardian.com/education/sciencehttp://www.flinders.edu.au/ehl/philosophy/the-department/visiting-scholars/alan-chalmers.cfmhttp://www.theguardian.com/education/teaching

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I want students to understand science as a process. I want them to be able to see why it is relevant

to them and I want them to ask me why I am doing that experiment that way. And, of course, how

they think it can be made better.

For too long the sciences have been seen as the retreat of the mad professor. It is the subject that

leaves us most free to form our own opinions and be the most creative. I want to emphasise this in

my lessons, as this kind of narrative could increase the chance of inspiring the next generation.

But enough of the theory. I am after all training to be a teacher, not Socrates.