Reflections on controversies around teaching science

I just prepared some reflections on my experience in teaching. As a bit of background, I went to the Unification Theological Seminary and then went as a missionary to Russia, where I spent nine years. It was a really good experience. When I came back to Britain, I was challenged to find a job. I thought I would easily find a job related to the administrative work I was doing in my role in Russia, but because none of that experience was on paper, I found it very difficult to find a job. At that time, I had a degree in physics, and there was definitely a teacher shortage in Britain, so it seemed like the best opportunity to become a teacher. However, I felt that it was my second choice; it wasn't what I really thought I could do, and I wasn't really convinced about it. That thought in my mind was not very helpful, and I had quite a hard time for the first few years. My story is one of not being very successful at the beginning. I remember during my training year, there were times when I completely broke down and had to run away to a corner because in a school, it's very hard to break down in front of the students. You have to sort of run away and break down somewhere else. I had various mentors, and one of these situations was when I expressed that I was really not a people person. I remember this mentor looking at me and thinking, 'Why are you trying to be a teacher then?' I got really mixed up during that period, and it was not easy. I almost failed that training year. I was told I was going to fail and wouldn't get past it.

When I was doing my probationary year, I had to pass that to become a qualified teacher. I only had the choice of leaving that school and trying to find another school that would train me. I thought that was it; I was finished and not going to make it. However, I was encouraged by various people, including William, and the teachers at the school were really helpful and supportive, particularly the head of the science department. He suggested I try independent schools and provided various support. I applied to many independent schools, and by some miracle, I got a job in one. It was definitely supported by lots of people and other forces outside myself. I've been teaching in the same school for the last sixteen years now. The first ten years were very difficult, but I finally got used to it after about ten years. That's my background. I teach science, almost entirely physics, although I've taught a little bit of biology and chemistry. All science teachers are expected to teach all three, but physics has always been a shortage subject, so science teachers who can teach physics generally end up teaching only physics.

What I find really encouraging and motivating is that the science itself is exciting and interesting. It's a subject I enjoy exploring, and I like to convey that to my students. After that first challenging period, the thing that really made a difference to me in school was that I started a club for inventing things. I enjoyed that; it was exciting and gave me a sense of my own identity within the school. It allowed me to interact with lots of different people and gain respect, which meant that outside the classroom, I had opportunities to do many different things. The club is called the Heath Robinson Club. He was an artist, quite well known in Britain, who drew pictures of machines and contraptions. That was our inspiration, and it was significant for me because he happened to be local to where I live. This club has made a lot of difference to my ability to be a teacher and have the confidence to do what I do.

The big thing I find with science is that you're introducing young people to a sense of reality, a sense of what is out there. There are lots of debates about what we mean by reality, but the fact is that we learn about the world around us, and in that way, we learn about ourselves. There are many lessons learned not just about the physical world but also about ourselves. When I'm teaching science, I'm very aware of the parallels between what I teach and more internal things about being a person and what my beliefs are, as well as what other people's beliefs are. I know that the way I think has an influence on what I teach and how I teach it. There is a sense of excitement about being able to create things in the world. We've had opportunities to go to CERN in Switzerland, the Nuclear Research Centre, and it's exciting to teach about space. There are many things that students get excited about, leading towards whatever can happen in the future in terms of technology and exploration. There's also the more down-to-earth aspect of learning, such as working out how things work and how to fix things. I find it quite easy to find examples of physical principles in simple things around us, like the microwave oven or the chair, and how they work.

Another aspect of teaching physics is teaching people to think logically, how to reason, and how to recognise that there is reason. A lot of things can be very confusing, but in physics, there is a greater sense of clarity and definition of life, logic, and reason. It conveys a sense that the world is reasonable and that there is a way of working out what's going on around us. This is personally encouraging, as it shows that we can work out things in our lives and solve problems. Dealing with numbers, data, and measuring things are practical skills that can be applied across a huge range of aspects of life. Over the years of teaching, I've come to understand teenagers better. During that time, my children were also growing up, so they were both teenagers, and I still have one who is a teenager. Understanding students is vital in teaching. Apart from the subject, which I'm excited about, understanding teenagers was probably the most difficult thing because I started teaching when I was already in my forties, and being a teenager was a long time ago. I'm teaching in a girls' school, and I grew up in a family of boys and went to a boys' school, so it took a while to get used to the way these girls think.

As a religious person and a Unificationist, I found it fascinating from the very beginning when I studied the Divine Principle, particularly the relationship between science and religion. This relationship is explicitly referred to in the first part of the Divine Principle, and for me, it's always been engaging and interesting to explore the connection between faith and reason, science and religion. These questions come up in teaching science, and it's curious how these things prompt questions. The law of conservation of energy has always been a point where students ask questions about religion. The language we use to describe the law—energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed—immediately makes students think about God creating, if they are religious or know that that's what religions teach. This seems to contradict religious thought and prompts them to ask me if I believe in God. I usually say yes, but I sometimes hesitate or avoid answering directly. There are many opportunities where religious belief becomes important and explicitly relevant in the classroom. I realise that my thinking and understanding of life come through anything I do or say. Whatever teachers think, say, or are will get through to the students. It's no good planning to teach something and expecting them to think a certain way just because I'm telling them to. The way I am will influence those around me, just as a parent influences their children. It's more important what I am and what I do, as well as the relationships I have with others around me.

There are times when I start using religious language or deal with religious questions. The biggest thing with physics is that it conveys a sense that nature has principles—principles of creation. There are principles behind everything, and that's very profound. It's a profound thing to recognise that there is a predictable reality. It gets more complicated when dealing with quantum physics and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, which introduces uncertainties. Even in definition, we can say we don't understand the world, yet we define the way we can't understand it. Still, there is a sense that there are principles. I find myself reflecting on religious thinking when I teach about light and the reflection of light. I have to explain the word 'normal,' which refers to the line at 90 degrees to a mirror. I have to be careful because I could get myself in trouble discussing what's normal and abnormal. I always remember Father referring to this concept of 90 degrees in his sermons. It's a profound and difficult thing to be sensitive to people and the differences between individuals. For example, when I mention black surfaces absorbing radiation and white surfaces reflecting it, issues of race come up, even though it has nothing to do with it. Just mentioning the word 'black' becomes significant, and different individuals react in different ways. An embarrassing moment occurred when I was teaching about motors and electromagnetism, where the left-hand rule involves the force, current, and field being at 90 degrees to each other.

In my class, there was a girl with a deformed left hand, missing fingers. She was quite embarrassed about it, especially at the age of fifteen, which is a challenging time for young people dealing with physical disabilities. I was aware of her situation, but during a lesson, I introduced a left-hand rule, asking everyone to hold up their left hand. I quickly realised my mistake and mentioned that they could use their right hand instead. This incident made me reflect on the importance of knowing my students and being sensitive to their individual needs. Teaching around 300 different students each year makes it difficult to remember all their names and characteristics, but I believe there is a level of understanding that students have regarding a teacher's limitations in knowing every detail about their lives.

I have been deeply moved by some of the circumstances of my students. For instance, one student had leukemia, a terminal illness, yet she attended class. There were times when I taught about radioactivity and its potential effects, which could be sensitive topics for her and others aware of her condition. In such situations, my behaviour becomes crucial. Knowing that certain topics may be difficult for specific students prompts me to think more deeply about what I say and how I treat them. This particular student had a sister who was also affected by the disease, making it even more sensitive for her. Teaching often involves navigating real-life situations that influence students' lives.

In teaching, it is essential to convey ideas related to the Divine Principle, even if it is not always explicit. I have had opportunities to share concepts through various activities. For example, I once gave a full school assembly to a thousand students, discussing the process of creation. While it may not align perfectly with the Divine Principle, it was about creativity and inventiveness. I emphasised that while we invent things, we also build upon what others have created and what nature provides. This assembly allowed me to express the importance of interaction with the world around us and the creative process.

During the assembly, I highlighted how we gather ideas from books, nature, and the creations of others to create something new. I used quotes from various sources to illustrate this point, emphasising the give-and-take involved in the creative process. This aligns with the Unificationist perspective of interaction between people and ideas. I aimed to convey the principles of origin, division, and union in the context of creation, which was an exciting opportunity for me.

In the realm of personal, social, and health education (PSHE), I prepared lessons for a sixth form class. This was an opportunity to discuss some of my past missionary work, focusing on social projects rather than theological teachings. I aimed to prompt discussions about life's big questions, using quotes from religious scriptures to engage the students. I encouraged them to think about the purpose of life and what is important to them when they are not being directed by others. This approach aimed to foster a deeper understanding of their lives beyond mere academic pursuits.

I presented the idea of life, love, and legacy, framing it as three blessings. I created a visual representation to illustrate how individuals aspire to ideals and dreams, which are influenced by their reality, family, and community. This framework aimed to spark discussions among students about their values and aspirations. However, I found that directly trying to teach the principles often resulted in blank looks or disinterest. Instead, I believe that the principles should emerge naturally through how we interact with others and understand the world around us.

I have experienced challenges in teaching sensitive topics, such as bereavement and grief, especially when students have personal connections to the subject matter. I felt uncomfortable discussing these issues, as I believed it was not my place to do so. I noticed that female teachers often have an easier time addressing personal issues with students, as they may be perceived as more relatable. My background in workshops, where I was respected, did not prepare me for managing a classroom of teenagers who may not respond to authority in the same way.

Over time, I learned to relax and be myself in the classroom, allowing for imperfections. I received support from helpful teachers who encouraged me not to worry about being perfect. This shift in mindset allowed me to focus on one thing at a time and gradually improve my teaching approach. I have also observed the pressures faced by independent schools, including the need to meet government expectations and the scrutiny that comes with it. Recently, a student declared herself as part of the LGBTQ+ community and started a club, which has led to various complications within the school environment.

I know those kinds of influences are present in schools. It was interesting because one of the other teachers came up to me just recently, about a month ago, and out of the blue asked me how I felt about a topic we had an assembly on. She felt very uncomfortable with it, as she holds more traditional values and views. She was reacting strongly to it and, for some reason, expected me to sympathise with her, which I did. I acknowledged that there are quite a few teachers who feel uncomfortable about this, but it's very difficult to express those feelings. There's a difference between what you're expected to say and what you actually feel, which is a challenging reality at the moment.

Regarding PSHE lessons on aspects of religion, relationships, and sex education, I would be given various materials as guidelines. The resources that the school has are significant, and as I mentioned, Stonewall is the automatic source of all knowledge on sex at the moment, which can be quite distorting and unbalanced. If there are other sources of information, that would be much better. We had discussions about this during teacher training days at the beginning of each term, but I don't think it has much influence on the teachers. We have to know the school's policy and answer questions correctly, but I'm not in a position to enforce it, especially in a girls' school.

The very definition of having a girls' school and a boys' school is now something controversial. It certainly hasn't happened in our school. I know many girls who are very much like boys; they might be described as tomboys, which was probably more acceptable in the past. Some girls want to wear trousers, and that's fine. However, I know there are some homosexual teachers who get involved with the LGBTQ Club, and it creates a separation between them and the other teachers. Some schools only need one teacher to create a significant impact. For instance, a sister told me about a family event where they were going to dance with girls and boys, incorporating traditional dance elements. The parents were shocked not only by what was happening but also by the open explanation of it.

In some cases, children were supportive of the idea, even if there were no LGBTQ students in the school. This was happening in a Montessori school, which is quite respectable. I'm surprised that you don't have to go through training because other teachers do. In France, there's a whole cultural tradition of freedom where nobody likes to be told what to do, so even if policies or instructions exist, they aren't enforced. In the biology department, the teaching is quite clear. You teach about the way things are, including asexual and bisexual creatures, but there's a clear principle of male and female in the majority. The natural world reflects a certain pattern, and teaching about human reproduction in biology is straightforward.

In social sciences, however, stereotypes and prejudices are prevalent. Schools are places where these ideas are exchanged, and we must discuss identity and sexual identity. It's important to understand that some individuals may be attacked for defending a gay couple, and we see this in schools. If a boy is seen with a group of girls, some may assume he is homosexual if he isn't dating one of them. Schools have a mission to protect students, and teachers try to address stereotypes, but it's challenging. Social sciences have recognised that we can't continue to say women are like this and men are like that; it's not accurate. We suggest ideas of gender that separate sexual biology from social constructs.

It's normal for men to have certain characteristics in official roles, and we must acknowledge that societal reactions are often based on appearances. This applies not only to gender but also to race and other factors. In France, we have moral education services that aim to share values and encourage understanding without violence or prejudice. Students should be able to express their points of view, especially regarding LGBTQ issues, which emerged as a movement in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Historically, there have always been homosexual individuals, but we need to focus on rights and the ability to exist in public spaces without fear.

As a teacher, I believe we should respect each other, recognising that social constructions are not false but depend on individual reactions shaped by cultural and familial influences. I enjoy my job, and I think about how we can build a school that promotes unification, perhaps inspired by the indicating movement. This raises challenging questions about policy creation and how we can encourage future teachers. The availability of information has changed the landscape of education, as students can easily access knowledge online. This affects what needs to be learned, as students may feel they don't need to learn because the information is readily available.

However, this accessibility can be beneficial, allowing teachers to quickly look up information and incorporate it into lessons. The concept of a flipped classroom is gaining traction, where students study independently and come to class with questions. The key is that teachers create motivation through relationships. While technology like iPads can enhance learning, it also presents challenges in maintaining focus amidst distractions. Our school attempted to introduce iPads, but the initiative stalled after initial trials. Nonetheless, the potential for technology in education is significant, and we must navigate these changes thoughtfully.