26 February 2011
Day 6: 26 Feb - the serious stuff begins
Yes, today was day 1 of the main reason we are here - to show science teachers how they can use experiments with simple kit to demonstrate the stuff they teach off the board. For most this is the first time they will have learnt this way.
Following a gracious address from the minister for education (I think he was) (Note from Pippa: not the minister, but the man who has special responsibility for Science Education at the Ministry for Basic and Secondary Education), we split the students into 4 groups of 6 who during the course of the day moved around 4 separate "stations" giving them the chance to try out science in different areas. Today my station was "pressure" (bernouilli effect, pressure = force/area etc.). The students were very engaged but often understandably awkward around hardware. At the end of the day 8 students demonstrated to everyone else one simple experiment - great fun but a big learning experience.
Yusupha (our sponsored student) joined us today too which was great.
On the way back from the simple restaurant tonight one of the local youths was trying to persuade the ladies to walk on the beach with them tomorrow. He was surprised to be told this would be impossible as we are leaving for work at 7.15 tomorrow morning. Fab...
Following a gracious address from the minister for education (I think he was) (Note from Pippa: not the minister, but the man who has special responsibility for Science Education at the Ministry for Basic and Secondary Education), we split the students into 4 groups of 6 who during the course of the day moved around 4 separate "stations" giving them the chance to try out science in different areas. Today my station was "pressure" (bernouilli effect, pressure = force/area etc.). The students were very engaged but often understandably awkward around hardware. At the end of the day 8 students demonstrated to everyone else one simple experiment - great fun but a big learning experience.
Yusupha (our sponsored student) joined us today too which was great.
On the way back from the simple restaurant tonight one of the local youths was trying to persuade the ladies to walk on the beach with them tomorrow. He was surprised to be told this would be impossible as we are leaving for work at 7.15 tomorrow morning. Fab...
