White Rose Science
Hilary Haine, Development Editor at Haremi, has a wealth of experience editing science material for learners around the world. She has also taught science in a variety of secondary schools in the UK, and tutored and mentored many students. We caught up with her during British Science Week to discuss her past life as a science teacher and to discuss some of the recent work she has been doing on one of Haremi's current STEM projects.
Q: Do you have a background in science?
A: My first degree is in Chemistry and Biology, and I have trained as a science teacher specialising in Chemistry. I loved teaching lessons in the labs, as we learn so much by seeing the science happening in front of us!
Q: Can you give us more detail about your experience as a teacher and your editorial background at Haremi?
A: I have taught all three sciences up to GCSE plus A Level Chemistry to a sixth form class. I have also tutored students on a one-to-one basis.
Chemistry is a subject that students often struggle with at first, so when teaching I focussed on the foundations of the periodic table and the use of numbers for different aspects of chemical formulae and equations. Once the students understand these, they start to feel more confident with chemistry (which is very rewarding). At Haremi, I have worked on both digital and print science resources for national and international markets. Understanding science is very important when working on chemistry and physics material in particular, as, for example, I can highlight errors in formulae and equations. I have worked on numerous science resources across various curricula, including A-level, iGCSE and many others.
Q: Tell us about your recent work on White Rose Science.
A: Haremi has worked closely with White Rose Education to produce all the resources from manuscript to final files within the deadlines, including organising images and artwork, proofreading and collating reviewers' and authors' amendments. I development edited the schemes of work, worksheets and prelims for all three terms, liaising closely with the authors. I also wrote the answers for the Summer Term Worksheets.
Q: What pedagogical approaches were applied to the White Rose Science resources?
A: Throughout White Rose Science, different types of scientific enquiry are used to develop pupils' understanding of the world around them and to get them curious and excited about science. For example, dissecting flowers, planning and completing an investigation into the effects of different surfaces on the speed of a toy car down a ramp, as well as investigating filtering and sieving mixtures. Working scientifically is embedded throughout all school years; it involves the nature, processes and methods of science. Scaffolding is used throughout the worksheets, for example pupils are given word banks to complete sentences and then later encouraged to answer questions more independently.
Q: Which topics are important to cover in a modern science curriculum?
A: The White Rose Science content I'm working on covers many topics with a focus on sustainability, such as caring for the planet, food waste, biodiversity, deforestation, global warming and plastic pollution.
Q: What's most enjoyable about working on primary STEM projects?
A: We bring the excitement and interest in science to children in primary schools, with an emphasis on enquiry. The challenge with working on these kinds of projects is making sure the content is appropriate to their age and as clear as possible. I enjoy trying out some practicals at home too for the answers!
Learn more about White Rose Education's new science approach or Haremi's services for educational publishers.
