During June and July 2010, 37 students from the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences took part in the Student Associates Scheme with STEM Sussex. Each completed a three-week placement in a local school to share their experiences and enthusiasm for their subject, raise pupil aspirations and gain an insight into teaching. Over 160 students completed the scheme.
Along with supporting classroom teaching the student associates were also involved in other activities including after-school clubs, assistance with the design and creation of a school show set, hosting a robot activity and some even helped at a Year 9 camp.
Undergraduate students and university tutors celebrated the scheme successes on Wednesday 10 November 2010. In feedback Mr James Mannion, science teacher at Portslade Community College, highlighted the impact Adeolu Oluwasanmi (Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences 2nd year) had in the classroom: "His lesson to the triple science class on Molecular Orbital Theory is probably the best thing I have ever seen in a science lesson - the students were open mouthed and gobsmacked by the presentation, and were gripped in discussion for over an hour."
At the celebration tutors from the School of Education, Bhavna Prajapat and Kerry Doyle, provided information about how the experience could be used by students to develop further on a teaching route. While Lorraine Harrison, Head of the School of Education, presented certificates and congratulated the students on their achievements.
The Student Associates Scheme is a TDA funded project co-ordinated in the University of Brighton by STEM Sussex. The feedback from the 17 schools across the county which hosted placements has been overwhelmingly positive. 97% of teachers involved felt that Student Associates raised the aspirations of the pupils and 96% that they had a positive effect by using their subject knowledge to help with learning and raise interest.
This year the scheme is available for students enrolled on degrees relating to Chemistry, Physics, Maths, ICT and Design and Technology.
For more information regarding the scheme please contact STEM Sussex at: studentassociates@brighton.ac.uk.
