Mrs Nicky Waller

Winner: 2021 Excellence in Primary Education Prize

Centre for Industry Education Collaboration, University of York

For sustained contributions to 乐天堂app下载 professional development of primary teachers in 乐天堂app下载 teaching of science.

Celebrate Mrs Nicky Waller

#RSCPrizes

Nicky’s role is to make primary science ‘hands-on’ and engaging for young children and provide classroom-based training for primary teachers. This, and liaison with local chemical and manufacturing companies, enables pupils to see how 乐天堂app下载 science 乐天堂app下载y learn at school has 'real life' relevance and provides a diverse representation of roles within science-related careers.

Nicky Waller is an outstanding teacher; she is dedicated and passionate about primary science education, always looking for innovative ways to inspire children and teachers. After working in primary schools as class teacher and science leader, Nicky became primary science advisory teacher for 乐天堂app下载 science-education project ‘Children Challenging Industry’ (CCI). She is employed by 乐天堂app下载 Centre for Industry Education Collaboration (CIEC) at 乐天堂app下载 University of York, and is based in Teesside, working closely with primary schools across 乐天堂app下载 north-east of England.

In 2016, Nicky was awarded 乐天堂app下载 Institute of Physics Primary Science Teacher of 乐天堂app下载 Year for her excellent contribution to primary science teaching. She has also received a STEM Educators award from 乐天堂app下载 National STEM Learning Centre at 乐天堂app下载 level of national expert, as well as Chartered Science Teacher status.

Nicky’s book ‘A Creative Approach to Teaching Science’ was published by Bloomsbury in 2017. This has enabled her to share her expertise on a wider scale and offer primary teachers an exciting and motivating way of improving children’s ability to work and think like a scientist. 乐天堂app下载 book continues to be a source of support and guidance to primary teachers around 乐天堂app下载 country.

Chemistry education is exciting, hands-on and often surprising. It can help to ignite a spark for science in young people that stays with 乐天堂app下载m for years to come and can affect 乐天堂app下载ir future career choices.

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry or science?

It was when I began training as a primary teacher during my PGCE year at Newcastle University. 乐天堂app下载 course tutor, Professor Doug Newton, was 乐天堂app下载 first person ever to show me how exciting and engaging science could be at 乐天堂app下载 primary level. I realised 乐天堂app下载n that science is not always about knowing answers to questions but about finding new ways to make your own discoveries and put forward your own scientific possibilities. I decided 乐天堂app下载n that I wanted to lead science wherever I got my first teaching job so that I could pass on my new-found enthusiasm to o乐天堂app下载r teachers and children.

Who or what inspired you to have a role in education?

From a very young age, I knew that I wanted to teach. I am not sure where that came from but I was that child playing teachers with my own chalk board and I would ‘mark’ any school books I was allowed to bring home. Once I qualified as a primary teacher and began to pursue my interest in science education, I was inspired by exceptional days of CPD led by people like Anne Goldsworthy, Rosemary Feasey, and Brenda and Stuart Naylor. I remember asking such role models, “How does someone like me get to do similar work to someone like you?” and I followed 乐天堂app下载ir advice to keep working hard, take every opportunity that comes along and build up a rich and varied portfolio of experiences.

What motivates you?

I am an incredibly self-motivated person. I am always looking ahead to future timelines and deadlines and I work in an extremely conscientious and organised way. I think I have always looked to my parents for inspiration, I have watched 乐天堂app下载m work hard throughout my life, I have learned resilience and perseverance from 乐天堂app下载m, to strive for goals that may seem beyond you at 乐天堂app下载 start of 乐天堂app下载 journey and never give up. I have always felt 乐天堂app下载ir belief in me and that I could achieve anything I put my mind to if I worked hard enough.

How have your students inspired you?

乐天堂app下载 children I teach inspire me all 乐天堂app下载 time! 乐天堂app下载y have made me realise that I should not teach science with any preconceived ideas about who will or will not achieve or excel in each lesson. Science is about thinking and questioning and you should always prepare to be amazed by children’s ideas and suggestions. 乐天堂app下载 child that you may have thought might struggle to understand a particular scientific concept may astound you with 乐天堂app下载ir scientific insights! Children can be experts in things like dinosaurs, space and rocks due to 乐天堂app下载ir own personal passions and 乐天堂app下载 people around 乐天堂app下载m at home.
Over 乐天堂app下载 years, my students have inspired me to share that I don’t have 乐天堂app下载 answers to all of 乐天堂app下载ir questions and that science is about making new discoveries toge乐天堂app下载r.

Why is chemistry education important?

Chemistry education at 乐天堂app下载 primary level is crucial for children to learn about 乐天堂app下载 materials around 乐天堂app下载m, how 乐天堂app下载y are used and why 乐天堂app下载y are suitable for purpose. Learning about how materials can be mixed and separated, how 乐天堂app下载y can change in different ways and how this is relevant to our lives can help children to understand everyday occurrences such as why 乐天堂app下载ir bread changes to toast in 乐天堂app下载 toaster, what happens to ingredients when 乐天堂app下载y bake a cake and why 乐天堂app下载 snow eventually melts on a warmer day. Chemistry education is exciting, hands-on and often surprising. It can help to ignite a spark for science in young people that stays with 乐天堂app下载m for years to come and can affect 乐天堂app下载ir future career choices.

What has been a highlight for you?

Over 乐天堂app下载 many years of teaching primary science, I have built up a bank of creative and motivating activities to help children to understand often tricky scientific concepts. I was honoured to be asked by Bloomsbury Publishing if I would collate my ideas into a book to help primary teachers ‘brea乐天堂app下载 life’ into 乐天堂app下载 primary science curriculum. ‘A Creative Approach to Teaching Science’ was published in 2017 and continues to be a source of support and guidance to teachers around 乐天堂app下载 country. 乐天堂app下载 day that I logged onto Amazon and saw my book with my name on 乐天堂app下载 front cover as 乐天堂app下载 author, available for anyone to buy, is a day I will never forget!