ABSTRACT
Teaching science is a very demanding occupation, requiring you to be competent in many different areas of the subject and to have a multitude of teaching skills. How can a new science teacher possibly find the time to devote to other issues in the school outside teaching in the laboratory? On entering the profession you might initially react by posing the question, ‘What's in it for me? I have enough to cope with understanding the National Curriculum’. There are many reasons why science teachers should be involved in all aspects of school life, for example:
Isolation in the science department can give rise to a very one-sided view of a pupil's school experience.
You can benefit enormously by talking to other teachers about the teaching methods used in their subject areas.
You can investigate areas of overlap between subjects and consider ways that you may collaborate.
Introducing aspects of other subject areas into science can enrich the presentation and promote interest.
The school is required to ensure that pupils have access to certain themes and skills which go across curriculum boundaries.
Science GCSE syllabuses encourage science teachers to work with teachers in other disciplines. The extract below is taken from a syllabus for the separate sciences:1
The approach used in constructing these syllabuses, particularly the use of common themes and clear assessment criteria, lends itself to the establishment of links with other areas of study.
