Can we bring the cutting edge of contemporary science
into the modern classroom?
You’ve each got a type of sorting algorithm.
What I want you to do is actually
do a stop-motion
video,
okay,
of
how that sorting algorithm would sort
some numbers.
I’m Peter Corkill,
the Principal of John Monash Science School.
I’m also the founding principal.
The school began here in 2010.
It's Victoria’s first
specialist school in Science, Mathematics
and Associated Technologies.
So why does changing the enzyme -
why do you think that changes
the interaction with the antibiotic?
Do you know what it actually does?
I’m pretty sure that it’s because
the enzyme in the antibiotic
breaks down the bacteria,
the properties in the bacteria,
so then altering it,
prevents it from doing that.
So it’s basically changing the shape of your antibiotic.
Yeah.
So the first thing is
to make it genuinely engaging and interesting,
giving them some access,
but challenge at the point of need, and support
when it’s appropriate.
So that
that it’s very important for us that the teachers
know the students;
know them as people, but know them,
most importantly, as learners.
If we say that the car must travel
at a minimum of 80 centimetres?
Would you just do it simultaneously?
you'd make them both 80.
Would you make them both 80?
Oh no, you can't.
What’s going to happen if you make them both 80?
You'd have to make the times linear.
Yeah, you’ll have to find the time.
If you did make them both 80,
which one's going to hit the ramp first?
The one with greater acceleration.
Yeah, the steeper one.
So you know that,
with that - you played Hotwheels track down the
hallway at home -
you know that’s going to happen.
The other thing
we're very hot on here is to explain to
everyone in a class of 52,
two teachers and 50 students,
that, apart from you, there’s 51 other people here
that you can learn from.
All of the ideas and the resources,
it’s not just the teachers
Your classmates know a lot of things as well, and
if their understanding has clicked in before yours,
well, make use of it.
So, our body actually has checks in place to make sure
that the cells that are produced are the correct ones.
Very good, great, Krystal.
What’s the difference between germ-line cells and gametes?
Why don’t you explain, and I’ll listen?
Germ-line cells they create for
different daughter cells.
I have a personal philosophy that
science should be very hands-on.
You can design
activities, particularly in mathematics,
which
will allow students to discover some of those
big laws for themselves.
I think they get a real buzz out of that.
I’m also fairly convinced,
over what I’ve seen in for a long time now,
is that those ideas will stick longer,
because they’ve actually
made the links themselves.
They’ve actually come to that belief.
So what else could you check,
if you think this one’s taking longer?
What else could you check?
Friction.
Yeah, we’re saying the friction.
When we did it, the friction was practically negligible.
Are you sure of the angle?
If the angle is going to contribute to the acceleration,
I'd re-measure the angle.
We generate feedback data
on every student once a month
and we number crunching houses
and in subject areas that we know.
the kids that are ahead
and we need to keep pushing them further.
We need to create more opportunities for them.
All of the teachers fill out
written report on whether the students are
ahead of the game, with the game,
a few minor concerns,
or maybe a major concern.
The kids that are ahead of the game,
big question, are we doing enough for them?
Are we challenging them at the point of need?
That’s why
it’s a really great idea to teach in teams,
because many of our teachers have expertise in science
that maybe the other teacher doesn’t.
Are we going to get them to work on one side or the other,
or are they going to do a combined board
that includes both ideas?
Seeing as how we've posted discussions on both sides,
what do you think?
I know it's not exactly what’s [overlap]
No, no, no, no.
I think they are actually - I think that’s fine.
I think that will be good.
Yeah.
So let’s maybe divide the board in half then,
and go half of it with,
“How can you acquire antibiotic resistance?”
and half of it,
“How does it then work?”
And we're still learning.
We’re still learning from each other
and from the students.
We’re about to enter into the
second major strategic planning period of the school,
and team teaching will still be a major platform
for continued development,
so that we get the very best out of it.