Sussex Science ITE

June is 🏳️‍🌈 so we are celebrating LGBTQ+ people in STEM and Education from around the world.

Why is Pride Month important?
❌ Over 60 countries criminalise same-sex sexual acts
❌ 12 counties impose the death penalty for same-sex sexual activity
❌ 13 counties criminalise expression of transgender people
❌ Gay marriage is not legal in around 150 countries
❌ Around 1/8 LGBTQ+ people experience unequal treatment from healthcare staff
❌ Almost half of all transgender people have thought about taking their own life, and 1/8 LGBTQ+ people aged 18-24 had attempted to end their life

Sally Ride, Alan Turing, Brigitte Baptiste, Joseph Sonnabend and Nergis Mavalvala are celebrated here for their work in STEM, and their LGBTQ+ identity is a part of what makes them who they are. Positive, visible role models are important in education - as the lawyer and civil rights activist Marian Wright Edelman said: "You can't be what you can't see".

Who else would you add to this list of inspiring LGBTQ+ people?

As part of a school visit today I got shown around the school farm by one of our previous student teachers. What a super resource for this school!

It's our fourth and final ITAP of the year! This week we are looking at SEND, adaptive teaching and co-production - the importance of working with parents and carers for inclusive education. Student teachers are on campus today and Friday and at school during the week, putting theory into practice.

🦠 Model cells in an observation lesson last week with year 9. Our student teacher was putting theory into practice with this one. Which is your favourite model specialised cell?

⛱️ It's beach ecology day! 🦀🐚🌊
On the agenda today is some rock pooling, species identification, drawing, geology and enjoying our local environment. Part science education, part teacher wellness 😌

🏫 Second round of school visits are underway!
Our student teachers are visited by their Curriculum Tutors twice during their PGCE year. We love to see them teaching and putting all the theory into practice 👩‍🏫

Advanced questioning taxonomies for ITAP 3 today. Great discussions and reflections on the week, plus ideas for taking forward in practice.

This week is our third ITAP of the year, focussing on advanced questioning taxonomies. This links to ITTECF and Teachers' Standard 6 - Assessment.

This week student teachers were on campus on Monday for a lecture on advanced questioning with Secondary ITE Lead Karen Hall, and a subject specific session on questioning in Science with subject specialist lecturer Fi Branagh. During school this week they have been putting ideas into practice, teaching lessons focussing on different questioning techniques and observing expert colleagues. On Friday we will finish the week with a session with Science Course Lead Susie d'Espagnac, reflecting on what we have learnt through the lens of our set readings for the week and how we can take our learning forward in the Science classroom.

🚨The sun is out!! 🚨
Campus always looks glorious in the sunshine, here's hoping for more of that in the weeks to come ☀️