Training and Education Executive; The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining
School Gate SET Mentor
Hello, I’m Diane. I am mum to two (sometimes wonderful) boys, Edward, age 8, and William, age 5 (“and a half, Mummy!”); wife to Tim; full-time employee; and Science Evangelist! I was asked to write this blog to try and inspire you to support science in your kids’ schools (no pressure then!) and I think the best way to do that is to tell you a bit more about me and how I got to become Dr Di!
My background is in
materials engineering, though I never actually practiced as an
engineer. I realised towards the end of my PhD that my real passion
was in communicating just how fascinating materials are to anyone
that will listen, but in particular to school kids and their
teachers. I consider myself very lucky to have found a job that
allows me to do this and get paid! I joined the Institute of
Materials, Minerals and Mining in 2001 and now lead all of our
education activities, working with children and young people from age
5 to 19, their teachers, and trainee teachers. I spend a large
amount of my time out and about in schools all over the UK and still
find standing in front of a group of kids and enthusing them about my
passion (i.e. materials) a real thrill.
I digress, but
hopefully this little detour in to my working life will help you
understand bit more about what makes me tick and why I now do what I
do in my children’s school. Ed was born in 2007 and Will in 2010
and it is a wonder they didn’t come out reciting my presentation to
schools, or singing Monty Python’s Galaxy Song! From the start,
Tim and I were keen to give them as many opportunities as possible to
experience hands-on stuff about the world that we live in. Sometimes
this involves taking them out to climb rocks and find bugs, other
times it involves me ‘dragging’ them to Manchester Airport to see
the Emirates 1400hrs departure to Dubai (an Airbus A380 if you are
interested)!
So, when Ed started
school I decided that it was my duty as his Mum, and someone working
in STEM education, to offer my services. On his first day, after
abandoning him in Foundation, I shakily walked round to the school
office, explained what I do for a living and asked how I could help.
The Head practically hugged me! Unfortunately she was only temporary
so I had to go through it all again when the new permanent Head
started a few months later.
That was in September of 2012. I became
a Governor in May 2013 and it took me a while to find my feet and
realise how and where I could best help. For the last couple of
years I have been the Governor for science, maths and higher
attaining pupils. I go in to school on a fairly regular basis to
observe lessons, look at learning walls and support the maths and
science co-ordinators in any way I can. Last year I made sure that
the whole school (except Year 5 who were out on a trip) went in to
the playground to look at the eclipse safely. I borrowed the moon
rock box from STFC and spent a day in school so that all the pupils
could see real moon rock and handle genuine meteorites. (I had
actually borrowed it to help Ed and his fellow Beavers get their
space badge, but that’s another story...). I also helped the maths
co-ordinator run two sessions for parents on understanding the
school’s calculation policy. I used to pop in on occasion to
suggest exciting activities to bring the science curriculum to life
and this is where a little acorn of an idea started to grow in to
what is now a sapling oak tree.
That was in September of 2012. I became
a Governor in May 2013 and it took me a while to find my feet and
realise how and where I could best help. For the last couple of
years I have been the Governor for science, maths and higher
attaining pupils. I go in to school on a fairly regular basis to
observe lessons, look at learning walls and support the maths and
science co-ordinators in any way I can. Last year I made sure that
the whole school (except Year 5 who were out on a trip) went in to
the playground to look at the eclipse safely. I borrowed the moon
rock box from STFC and spent a day in school so that all the pupils
could see real moon rock and handle genuine meteorites. (I had
actually borrowed it to help Ed and his fellow Beavers get their
space badge, but that’s another story...). I also helped the maths
co-ordinator run two sessions for parents on understanding the
school’s calculation policy. I used to pop in on occasion to
suggest exciting activities to bring the science curriculum to life
and this is where a little acorn of an idea started to grow in to
what is now a sapling oak tree.
I was in school for
a Governors meeting and was knobbled by the Year 3/4 teachers who
wanted some ideas on how they could explain electricity to their
children in a more engaging way and how this could be related to
their other topic of Chinese New Year! I blurted out a rather
garbled reply as ideas popped in to my head and out of my mouth and
then they gave me a look:
“Could you come in to school and work with a small group of the higher attaining Year 4s to do some of this stuff? Please?”
“Could you come in to school and work with a small group of the higher attaining Year 4s to do some of this stuff? Please?”
I was slightly
reluctant, but I’m always up for a challenge! I knew most of the
children, as they were older siblings of kids in Ed’s class or I
had met them from the other side of the tuck shop at school discos (I
also Chair our schools parents and friends fundraising committee and
before you ask, yes, I do sleep, but not enough!), so it couldn’t
be that bad, could it? My first crucial decision was to decide what
the children should call me. Diane was a bit too informal and
perhaps confusing, Mrs Aston is my mother-in-law and Dr Aston just
sounded a bit too formal so I settled on Dr Di! I felt this was a
bit more fun and it gave me an excuse to talk about what engineers do
and why I’m not a medical doctor. During the day I spent with my
little group of twelve we learnt about atoms and electrons, how
electricity flows and why some materials are conductors and other
insulators. We did lots of experiments using everyday equipment so
the children could explore for themselves and by lunchtime all of
them knew the key components of a circuit and how to draw a circuit
diagram. (Also by lunchtime they were all begging me to come and
teach all their science lessons and if I couldn’t do that, could I
pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaasse come and run a science club “just
for us, not for the people that mess about”.) By the end of
the day the children had all coloured in the head of a Chinese dragon
and created circuits using simple switches, conducting thread and
paint, and green and red LEDs so that it had flashing eyes, fiery
breath or glowing snot! We had a great day and it did get me to
thinking much more seriously about setting up and running a STEM
club.
The discussion with
the Head and Science Co-ordinator went something along the lines of:
Dr Di “Can we
set up a STEM club?”
Them “Yes!”
We decided it would
be by invitation, only, to higher attaining pupils (and few others
with a genuine love for science) so that we could keep the groups
relatively small and manageable. We launched our STEM club about a
year ago and, to test the water, we ran taster projects (an hour a
week for five weeks). All of the children had a fantastic time
designing and building super strong, stiff and light bridges from art
straws (Yrs 5&6); carrying out the RSC’s global experiment on
hydrogels (Yrs 3&4); and building crash helmets for eggs (Yrs
1&2). It was so successful that we have carried on this year and
to be honest I think we would have been mobbed otherwise! Our first
group of Year 5 & 6 attended in the Autumn Term and have just
been awarded their Crest Mega Star Awards. We are now working on
some more Mega Star awards with a group of Year 3 & 4 and then in
the summer term we will have Year 1 & 2 children, hopefully
working on Crest Star Awards.
This interest in
science has rubbed off on to other kids at school as well. All of
the children know me as Dr Di and I am their one stop shop if they
want to know anything relating to any part of science! One little
boy has declared that I am his science hero after I regaled him with
science facts on every topic he could think of on the way to the
Panto before Christmas.
Yes, this does sound
like a lot of work and, yes, it is quite a commitment, but thanks to
a supportive employer, and a very supportive husband this is all
possible. But I guess the big question is:
“Why bother?”
That’s easy! Science has now become something that the kids see as normal; it is something that they can all access at some level and something that they are more willing to engage with. I see this as a great achievement and it is so rewarding for me to see their little faces light up at the thought of doing an experiment or hearing a little voice shout “Dr Di!” excitedly in the supermarket, play park or changing rooms at the swimming baths.
“Why bother?”
That’s easy! Science has now become something that the kids see as normal; it is something that they can all access at some level and something that they are more willing to engage with. I see this as a great achievement and it is so rewarding for me to see their little faces light up at the thought of doing an experiment or hearing a little voice shout “Dr Di!” excitedly in the supermarket, play park or changing rooms at the swimming baths.
Primary school
teachers are rarely science specialists so as an interested parent
with a science or engineering background you are like gold dust!
Don’t be afraid to go and have a quiet word with the Head or your
child’s teacher. Lots of parents and grandparents go in to school
to listen to kids read – why not offer to go in and be an extra
pair of hands in a maths lesson? “Mum’s helping with maths”
is a great way to show girls that it’s not just for the boys! We
get a curriculum plan every half term showing us what the kids are
going to be working on in each subject. If yours do the same, and
they are doing something that you have experience of, volunteer to go
in and help. You might go in for an afternoon and find it’s not
for you but you might find you love it! If you perhaps don’t want
to go into the classroom then put yourself forward as a Governor.
Schools are becoming much more savvy about who they choose as
governors as there are particular skills they are looking for – as
a scientist or engineer you have most of these!
If you have a bit of
science knowledge and a bit of time I am sure that your school would
appreciate your help, you never know you might find your true
vocation!
Photos courtesy of Pixabay used under Creative Commons CC0
Photos courtesy of Pixabay used under Creative Commons CC0
