• Question: Would you ever work at a school teaching science instead of a scientist

    • Keywords:
      • Click on a keyword to find out more on the RSC site:
      Asked by LTSMASH241 to Angus, Catherine, Jenni, Melissa, Waqar on 12 Jun 2016.
      • Photo: Angus Cook

        Angus Cook answered on 12 Jun 2016:

        Yes! It’s one of the careers I’ve considered after I graduate. I even used to work in a school before I started my PhD (not as a full teacher, but as a teaching assistant).
        I really enjoy getting people to understand new ideas and concepts. I practice on my family a lot when I try to explain my research to them.

        One thing that puts me off is that I don’t know if I’d be able to handle a noisy or a distracted classroom. I also REALLY like working in a lab, solving problems and answering questions that no one else knows the answer to (and then TELLING everyone else the answer, that’s important too).

        So yeah, still figuring out where I want to end up after I graduate, and teaching is definitely an option.

      • Photo: Jenni Rodd

        Jenni Rodd answered on 13 Jun 2016:

        Great question. When I was at school I wanted to be a maths teacher when I grew up. Mainly because I really loved my maths teacher Miss Warner. I now do a lot of teaching at the university that I work at, and this is one of my favourite parts of my job. So yes, if I had to stop being a scientist then school teacher would definitely be top of my list of other jobs.

      • Photo: Waqar Ahmed

        Waqar Ahmed answered on 13 Jun 2016:

        I wanted to be a science teacher, but I still need to learn a lot of things about different areas of science. Teachers know so many things, and i’m still learning. Perhaps after I finish my PhD I will teach science 🙂

      • Photo: Melissa Ladyman

        Melissa Ladyman answered on 13 Jun 2016:

        I work at a University, so it’s sort of like school but I get to find out new things as well as teaching.

        I think it would be harder to be a teacher at a school because there are so many different pupils who are all interested in different things and want to learn different things. It would be really hard to make it interesting for everyone at the same time!

        But, I do love teaching science so I volunteer to go into schools and help out with science projects just for fun.

      • Photo: Catherine Ross

        Catherine Ross answered on 13 Jun 2016:

        I would consider working as a teacher but in my job I get to see lots of patients and help to make them better but I also get to go into schools in my free time and help with Science clubs and chat to kids about science so I guess I get to do both.

    Comments