Teacher wins for putting wow factor in school science

Teacher wins for putting wow factor in school science

A Wellington woman who once vowed she would never become a teacher has won
the 2014 Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize, worth $150,000.

Terry Burrell, who is the Learning Area Leader for Science at Onslow College, has been awarded the prize for what colleagues and the judges describe as an infectious love of learning which excites and stimulates both students and other teachers to perform at their best.

Terry’s success makes Onslow the first secondary school in New Zealand to have been associated with two Prime Minister’s Science Prizes—the inaugural Prime Minister’s Future Scientist Prize, worth $50,000, was presented to Stanley Roach in 2009, for research he carried out while a Year 13 student at Onslow College.

Terry says she never saw herself as a teacher but “fell into” the profession after being inspired by colleagues during a stint working part time at the Correspondence School.

She taught at Havelock North High School in Hawke’s Bay and Sacred Heart College in Lower Hutt before joining Onslow in 2009. During Terry’s time at Onslow, the number of students studying science at NCEA level two has increased 31 percent while the numbers staying in science through to level three are up 32 percent. Onslow’s NCEA achievement statistics consistently exceed those of comparable schools nationally.

“While that’s important,” says Terry, “it’s not our only focus. Ultimately, the best outcome we can wish for our students it that they remain curious, see themselves as capable and stay in science longer.”

Her recipe for achieving that is to tap into students’ innate curiosity about the world and then work with them to shape study programmes that deliver the ‘must cover’ learning outcomes in ways that are relevant and interesting to the students.

One example is exploring cell processes such as respiration with senior biology students through sports sprints and endurance training. Another is an Earth Science unit for which Terry developed a self-guided do-it-yourself field trip that allows Year 11 students to learn about the geological processes that formed the areas across which they drive, bike or walk to school.

Terry believes in a collaborative style. “I see myself as working with my students—we are on a journey of discovery together with a focus on developing the ability to observe and think critically about evidence. Then they can make meaning from the data mountain.”

Terry has undertaken a number of initiatives to extend and enrich students’ learning including a socio-scientific unit based around the newly released Thin Ice video (www.thiniceclimate.org) that took students to meet some of the scientists working at the front line of climate change and developing an annual biology workshop with Victoria University of Wellington for students intending to sit the biology scholarship exam.

Peter Leggat, the Principal of Onslow College, says Terry is an outstanding leader. “She has had a huge influence on the quality of science teaching and learning available at Onslow. She leads by example and constantly encourages her team to review their practice and follow what they are interested in and what they are best at.”

Outside the classroom, Terry has been seconded to a number of expert panels and national science groups, including being a member of the National Animal Ethics Advisory Group and working as teacher advisor with the Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, one of New Zealand’s Centres of Research Excellence, to develop school resources based on the Centre’s science.

She was also a lead writer for the senior science teaching and learning guidelines to support the implementation of a revised science curriculum and worked on the project to realign the NCEA achievement standards with the New Zealand curriculum.

Terry says she is honoured to win the prize and have her approach to science education endorsed. “I’m a great believer in being able to say something is good enough, you don’t have to be a perfectionist. I don’t know all the answers and never will. The day I stop learning is the day I stop teaching.”

Being awarded the Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize sees Terry receive $50,000 and Onslow College $100,000. Peter Leggat says the money will be used to build capacity in the science learning area including purchasing equipment and releasing Terry from some teaching responsibilities so she can work alongside other teachers.

The 2014 Prime Minister’s Science Prizes were presented to winners on Tuesday 2 December at the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington.

To find out more about the Prime Minister’s Science Prizes visit:
www.pmscienceprizes.org.nz

© Scoop Media