A Level Environmental Science Teacher Training Day

A subject that asks more of teachers

Imagine teaching an A Level where even the textbook does not cover all the subject knowledge. And the author admits it — he is even offering free CPD webinars on the Facebook page devoted to teachers.

At Burlington House, home of the Royal Society of Chemistry, one teacher described the textbook as “not particularly nice, with no bold words and summary questions, but selling it to the students is essential for consolidating their knowledge”. She still recommended it, though, and demonstrated some of her techniques for making students engage with it and learn the powerful knowledge hidden within its unbolded pages.

A specification still finding its feet

AQA A Level Environmental Science — because that is what we are talking about here — is not even a subject AQA pretend to be fully on top of.

Damian Gant, Subject Lead for Science at AQA, pointed out that their website hosts an “enviro-science email” — which he has never heard of and certainly never had access to. Who knows how many emails are falling into the black hole of this expired address? Mr Gant recommended the alternative, alevelscience@aqa.org.uk, which allows teachers to book a consultation on the course between 3pm and 5pm, Monday to Thursday, as well as ask questions directly.

It is not just broken links that need attention. The scheme of work needs an overhaul too — and, miraculously, it may get one. Last year, Environmental Science did something special: it exceeded 2,000 entries. That may not sound spectacular, but it pulls A Level Environmental Science out of the “Other” category and demands individual subject reporting. It also brings with it more time and money for teacher resources, and greater standardisation of the scheme of work.

We are living in exciting times.

Not a weak subject — just a different cohort

You could say all this explains why students on the course do not perform particularly well, but it does not. Careful calibration has taken into account how students starting A Level Environmental Science performed at GCSE and, on average, they had lower grades than students taking the other sciences. That is why they perform less well at A Level.

It is not an impossible course, and it certainly is not a dud one. It is simply chosen by different students.

From attendee to speaker

I have a confession to make: this was not only an event I was attending. I was also speaking at it.

Co-representing Greene’s and the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Environmental Chemistry Group, I stood up and admitted that this was my first year teaching the course. With a few BTECs and university courses in environmental science under my belt, it was nevertheless a new and, because of the scarcity of students, mysterious specification to get to grips with.

But I was not there to advertise my novelty. As a co-organiser from the Environmental Chemistry Group, I was there to do what the event was designed for: share, share, and share resources.

When in doubt, bring data

What did I have to bring to the table? The answer is: data.

After organising Environmental Chemistry events for 13 years and teaching other environmental science courses, I stitched together no fewer than 200 slides of graphs. Graph after graph after graph. Carbon dioxide levels, nitrous oxide levels, particulate matter, Piper diagrams, box-and-whisker plots, lever diagrams, and choropleth maps. I suggested Spearman’s rank, chi-squared, and t-test analysis, and I spanned the major environmental chemistry topics of the last twelve years.

They were excited. Why would they not be? We all love a good graph.

The value of fieldwork and fresh air

I was not able to attend the whole day, but there were more marvellous things to follow.

After the talks, the Field Studies Council took delegates outside, because it would not be a proper conference without practical work on a crisp March afternoon — in the middle of urban Piccadilly, no less. I was not there for that part, so perhaps they were measuring sound pollution, or taking air samples instead of soil samples, but either way, it was a reminder of what makes this subject come alive.

A large box of kit had arrived, which is also a reminder to all of us running science practicals just how time-consuming and expensive science A Levels can be.

But it is worth it.

The tantalising touch of fresh air, the freedom to move your body, and the shift in setting all spark a different kind of enthusiasm for learning — whether in teachers attending the event or students taking the course.

And, let us face it, that is why we keep teaching this stuff, is it not?