Bachelor of Education, Primary Education (EPR) EPC3903

Task S6/4
An interview with a Primary
School Science
coordinator/Teacher.

TP Guide for EPC3903 (EPR) Practicum 3b

Year Three, Semester Two / 2016-17 /

Bachelor of Education, Primary Education (EPR) EPC3903

Table 7: An interview with a Primary School science coordinator

This is an interview with Ramya Raj, the coordinator of science.

Sample interview questions for the Principal and/or

science coordinator/teacher re: science provision in
the setting.

Responses from the Principal and/or

science coordinator/teacher re: science
provision in the setting.

Is there a science coordinator and/or how many

specified science teachers are there in the school?

Yes there is a science coordinator. In

Elementary section, every home room
teacher Math, Science & English.
In High School, we have subject specialists
for Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
In middle school, the qualified lab
technician and subject specialist's teacher
middle school.
The science coordinator overlooks
curriculum design and implementation from
K- 12.
Monitors assessment and instructions
within classrooms.
Create and implement action plan
Identify areas for improvement and set
curricular targets
The science coordinator teaches Biology ( 9
12)

What are the duties/responsibilities of the science

teacher/coordinator?
Does she teach any, all students or just specific

year groups?
Obtain a teaching schedule and any schemes of

work, lesson plans, software used etc. from the

science coordinator/teacher.

Who is responsible for science policy and provision

within the setting?
(Can we obtain a copy of the policy?)

Head of Science Department

Online/Blended Learning:

Blended learning has been effectively

implemented from grade 5 7. Grade 1 4
students access the person website within
classrooms.
Grade 6& 7 use E learning as a part of their
science lessons.
Tabs have been purchased by students
which are used in class. High speed internet
access has been provided by school to
facilitate blended learning.

Does the setting have its own website? If so, what

is the URL, who created it and who is responsible

for managing and updating it?
Is there any online/blended learning taking place

related to science? If so, how is this delivered?

What ICT resources are used specifically for

teaching science?

TP Guide for EPC3903 (EPR) Practicum 3b

Year Three, Semester Two / 2016-17 /

Bachelor of Education, Primary Education (EPR) EPC3903

What science equipment/manipulatives/resources

can be found the setting? (Is there a list?
Differentiate between the classroom; the science lab
and other areas in the setting e.g. library)
Is there a budget for materials?
Who trains teachers and staff in the use the

Our Science labs are a work in progress.

Every year the school sets apart a budget
and we acquire equipment on a priority
basis.
The suppliers train the teachers and staff on
how to use the equipment
The lab technician is primarily responsible
to maintain the equipment.

equipment?
Who manages the equipment and materials?
5

Is/Are there dedicated science labs in this setting?

If yes, how is it used and by whom? How is it
organised? What equipment can be found here?
If no, why not? e.g. lack of funds? No need?

Enough science equipment and expertise in each

classroom?
Does the setting feel it has enough specialist

science teachers, technicians and dedicated

science rooms?
6

Which science resources does the setting feel it

needs or would like to have to achieve its vision or
better science teaching and learning?

Yes, We have 2 labs. The physics lab is

open to elementary students. Teachers
organize lab periods with the help of the lab
tech and ensure that students have access to
the labs under controlled settings.
The chemistry and biology lab has been
designed to accommodate middle and high
school students only. We have microscopes,
chromatograph, titration equipment's,
dissection sets and related instruments etc.
Lab equipment's

E.g. Science Kits, books, wifi,

manipulatives/models, digital
cameras/camcorders, lab equipment OR soft
materials (consumables- colored paper, glue,
popsicle sticks etc.).
7

What are the safety rules?

Are the safety rules posted in the science setting?
Who developed these and are they

mandatory/enforced?
8

Yes safety rules are posted in the lab and

cop y of the safety contract has been given
to all students and it has been made sure
that they have read and signed them. The
parent's signature is also ensured on the
document.

What safety equipment is available and when is it

used commonly?

The eye wash, fire extinguisher, fire

blanket, first aid kit

Is safety equipment available for all students in the

Managed by lab technician

classrooms?

TP Guide for EPC3903 (EPR) Practicum 3b

Year Three, Semester Two / 2016-17 /

Bachelor of Education, Primary Education (EPR) EPC3903

Is equipment cleaned, if so by whom? Who

manages this duty?

9

Planning for learning- how are the science lessons

planned for in the setting?
Does the MOE/Zone/KHDA provide unit

plans/lesson plans? (can we obtain a copy of

this?)

HOD approved lesson plans

Weekly planning meetings are conducted
by elementary teachers on a grade level to
discuss labs, assessment and lesson
planning.

Are there weekly planning meetings? What is

usually done in the planning meetings?

Who attends the planning meetings?

Does the school have specific goals related to

science (TIMMS scores etc.)?

10

How is learning assessed in the science classroom?

11

What science professional development / training do

teachers currently receive or have recently had?
How frequently and from whom did they /are they
receiving this?

Formative and summative assessments are

conducted regularly.
Is there an assessment plan for the semester? What Teachers collect data and analyze the data
does it include?
regularly and modify instruction to suit the
needs of the students.
Do teachers collect student data? What data, when, Students get regular feedback based on
and what is it used for?
their performance.
Parent teacher conferences are conducted
How do students get feedback so that they can
every term to give feedback to students.
make improvements?

Do they have a document that outlines this PD?

What PD do they think teachers in the setting still

The publishers of the text books that are

used by the students conduct PD at the
beginning of the year and midyear.
Intel has provided E-learning training.
Internal PD by Principal, Head of Teaching
and Learning, Head of Department.
Internal PD.
STEAM

need?

TP Guide for EPC3903 (EPR) Practicum 3b

Year Three, Semester Two / 2016-17 /