Lynfield College – Carol TeBay

School: Lynfield College

Host: Auckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland

Region: Auckland

Lynfield College believes that participation in the Science Teaching Leadership Programme (STLP) will build more leaders, capable of leading across the faculty rather than within specific learning areas. This will help to connect the distinct areas of the science curriculum through the overarching Nature of Science strand, and so leadership in this area will enable the development of more rounded and complete science learners. After participation in the STLP, role modelling of leadership practices will encourage others to take on leadership responsibilities and so create a culture of change, further enhancing the learning outcomes of our students.

Carol has been teaching secondary school science and physics for over 12 years. Through teaching, she hopes to encourage her students to become scientifically literate citizens and to inspire them to better themselves and their communities. Her passion for science and student achievement has seen her involved with the NIWA Auckland Science Fair and The University of Auckland Whakapiki Ake recruitment programme, which aims to increase the number of Māori students entering the health sciences.

Carol has been hosted by Professor Martyn Nash and Doctor Vicky Wang at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute at the University of Auckland. Her placement included participation in Doctoral Training Programme modules, attending lectures given by local and international speakers, attending research meetings, and computational analysis of medical images. She was inspired by the processes and the fusion of engineering, physics, biology and computing; lamenting that she “didn’t know this existed” when she did her study. Carol is making it her mission to ensure her students know of the “cool things” they can do in a science career.

Attending the Auckland Bioengineering Institute research forum was an affirming experience for Carol, as it highlighted the relevance and importance of students engaging with Science Fair projects. She enthused “It’s Science Fair for grown-ups”. She witnessed the same skills demonstrated by Doctors as she witnessed demonstrated by Year 7 – 10 students, as they outlined their investigations, explained their findings, and answered probing questions.

Another highlight for Carol was being involved with the Brave Hearts exhibition, which will soon be at MOTAT. Working on the exhibit allowed Carol to use her teaching experience as well as new learning from her STLP placement and professional development to ensure that the student experience included aspects that focused on the Nature of Science.

The Science Teaching Leadership Programme has provided Carol with a wealth of experiences, and both personal and professional development. She is looking forward to working with others on her return to Lynfield College to ensure the best outcomes for their students. She would like to thank the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, The Royal Society Te Apārangi, Professor Martyn Nash and Doctor Vicky Wang, and colleagues at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, Lynfield College, her fellow participant teachers, and her family, for their support, encouragement and patience.