Back into learning to inspire students
A teacher at St Peter’s Catholic School in Cambridge is taking part in a programme to further his knowledge about scientists and the way they do things.
Jaco Labuschagne, 37, was accepted into the programme ‘‘Understanding our Coasts’’ along with 34 other New Zealand teachers. The programme is based at the Waikato University in the School of Science.
He said his particular focus was to learn about how scientists work.
‘‘It’s about how scientists go about their research, their equipment, how they gather their data and what they do from then on,’’ he said.
Labuschagne is looking at oceanography, and during his 16-week placement he will travel the country with scientists and take part in different activities.
‘‘I love the outdoors, I love fishing. It suits me,’’ he said.
Last week he joined a group in Raglan where the scientists set up video surveillance and put ‘‘drifters’’ into the ocean to monitor wave currents to enable people to better predict where rips are and advise surf lifesavers on the safest places to swim.
Labuschagne said he believes the experience will help him bring inspiration into his classroom when he returns to work.
‘‘Sometimes the teacher needs to be the student.
‘‘I want to foster that interest of science in the students and encourage them to take it as a subject past year 10.
‘‘After this I can come back and tell my stories to inspire the young students.’’
Moving to New Zealand from South Africa in 2009, Labuschagne has been a primary school teacher for five years – three of those at St Peter’s Catholic School.
He said this was an opportunity for him to broaden his horizons.
‘‘I can network with other teachers, exchange resources and build that pool of knowledge,’’ he said.