RE: [ATM] (no subject)

[mdholm@telerama.com]

Quoting Thomas <tomjan@ozemail.com.au>:


> I'm still trying to get a decent scope for my local high school. The
> idea being that the scope should be good for both day and night work,
> most of the students can get time to use it during the day, but nights
> are harder to organise. But the school isn't being that helpful, the
> cost to the school would be nothing, I have the glass and time to do it
> , just want an undertaking from the school to use the scope.
> 
> How hard could this be? Any suggestions on how I can get the school
> more
> interested?

Perhaps you need to talk to individual teachers to see if any of them are
interested.  Does the school have anything like what is often called an "Earth
Sciences" class in U.S.  These classes sometimes have an astronomy unit.  Any of
the other science and perhaps math teachers ought to be good bets, but you never
know: perhaps that Home Ec. teacher with the great chocolate cake recipie could
get hooked on the stars.  In U.S. high schools, individual teachers often
sponsor/advise student clubs that meet, usually, after regular school hours. 
These clubs can have a wide range of interests, from politics to dancing. 
Astronony or telescope making would be a natural for a club. The advantage of a
club, is that you mostly get students that are actually interested in the topic.
 In a regular class, a pretty high percentage of high school students think they
are too bored to be interested in anything.  Also, the club sponsor/advisor
doesn't usually have to have formal credentials in a subject to sponsor/advise a
club as they do to teach a class.  The Home Ec. teacher, or swimming coach, or
choir director, or any teacher you can get interested can sponsor/advise a club.

With science teachers, you might do a bit better with what, in the U.S., we call
Junior High Schools, or Middle Schools.  In the U.S., the pre-High School
science curriculum often covers a pretty wide range.  Astronomy might well fit
in.  For that matter, the curriculum in the elemetary school science program
almost always has an astronomy segment, and the kids are a good bit more likely
to display some curiosity and wonder than the older, more jaded ones.

Back at the High School or Junior High, you might find that a wood shop teacher
would be looking for an interesting project for more advanced students.  A
Dobsonian telescope might fit in well.

If you get a nibble, invite the interested teacher(s) to a star party or a small
observing group session so they can get a feel for what is possible.


Mark Holm
mdholm@telerama.com
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