Martin King
Martin Young discusses his club's recent activity 'Alternative Technology' as well as his hopes to keep the club running for the future.
Who runs the club?
Currently myself, Joe Honeyands and Catherine Foster
Club membership
Year 7, 8 and 9. It has fluctuated with some joining and others fading. Currently around 18 pupils
Please describe the activity carried out and its aims.
The theme this term has been ‘Alternative Technology’. We have explored ways that electricity can be generated and the fuels that may be used. We have spent time looking at alternatives to fossil fuels (including one pupil’s suggestion that our houses could be supplied with electricity with a basement full of lemons!). We have looked at the efficiency of wind turbines and spent a few sessions playing with hydrogen fuel cell cars following a visit from an ex pupil, Gavin Harper, who is becoming a well known figure in the world of Alternative Technology.
Do you feel that the activity had a positive impact on the pupils? If so, please describe how.
I would hope so. If nothing else, it was good fun.
I feel each of the pupils will have gained different things. Some of them are relatively shy in normal lessons and may not normally get the chance to work in this way. There is a better pupil:staff ratio so they can express ideas and explore their own thoughts more easily.
What feedback have you had from the students?
“We get to do loads of things that you don’t normally do in science. (Jessica Hull year 9)”
“I really enjoyed learning about energy. This was because it showed us how a fuel cell actually worked. This is going to be useful in the future” (Jack Martin year 8)
“It was quite fiddly and hard to understand but it was also fun” (Catherine Norris year 9)
Do you feel that the activity had a positive impact on the staff? If so, please describe how.
It is a different way of working with pupils. I myself, with 30 years of teaching experience, have had to think about my approach to working with some quite excited pupils at the end of my normal working day.
Do you have any useful tips for other teachers/club leaders on how to plan a good club activity?
Difficult to say, I expect all the clubs develop their own ‘personality’ which will tend to dictate the direction of the club. I think you have to be prepared to step out of normal teacher mode and be more of a guide. Taking time once a term to go back to the roots (What is our science club about, what do we want to look at next?) is worthwhile.
Any future plans for the club
The club has changed over the year. One good thing is that there is a stable bunch of around a dozen from the start. One not so good thing is that there is a stable bunch of around a dozen from the start. i.e it has become a club and I feel there is a danger of developing an ‘exclusivity’ of “This is our club” which I want to move away from. We have attracted some new pupils from year 7 and I want to build on this otherwise I feel we may fall into a way of working that just suits the current members.
In terms of future projects we are still thinking about the spring and summer terms. I want to encourage their ideas but need to steer them away from Brainiac style “Let’s blow stuff up.”
