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Anyone who has had contact with small children will recognise the stage at which real inquisitiveness starts. The usual signs are
the continual use of the one word question “Why?” Some parents find this quite challenging and indeed annoying, particularly when the context is about their authority.
But this is an important phase of development that is far too often stifled by both the home and school environments.
I am deeply concerned at our failure to enthuse enough young people into studying science, maths and engineering and I see a connection between this
and the dampening of a child’s inquisitiveness.
We can all recognise examples of where good teachers and parents spot the early signs and help point the child towards a way of thinking that stays
with them and in turn helps to promote scientific exploration. Sadly however this is not the norm, because despite the high level of skill in the primary sector there is
an acute shortage of scientists who are teachers.
Society faces some important decisions about major challenges such as GM foods, nuclear power, human genetics, nanotechnology and the environment to
name but a few. But these are issues about which many politicians, journalists and teachers are happier dealing with at an emotional level and objectivity comes way down
the list.
In a recent newspaper article a politician was quoted as saying “…being mesmerised by science is at best short sighted and at worst
disingenuous.” The same article also contained the extraordinary quote “Science quite often gets things wrong.” Science is, of course,
based on the accurate observation of facts and the relationship of these to general principles and laws. Hence, the solution for that politician and newspaper
lies in education. We should seek to develop a society within which both the thirst for knowledge and the containment of abuses of that knowledge go hand in hand based
upon reason not emotion.
We will not get it right unless we start with the key building blocks. So my starting point would be at the level of teacher
training. I want to see a significant part devoted to the exploration of scientific concepts and how to transmit them to inquisitive children. I
realise this will be met with cries of “There’s too much crammed in now”, or “We do all this already”. Unfortunately I don’t have a quick fix, but I would welcome a
serious study leading to a White Paper from which legislation may ensue.
13th May 2004
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