Here I outline some of the things that you should be aware of in order to maximize the effectiveness of your educational engagement with children in a primary or intermediate school. 

You will find out what this course covers, and what you will gain in terms of understanding how to engage young people around your science. This is designed above all as a practical course that will put you in the right frame of mind to confidently plan and carry out successful engagements with schools that will really meet the students where they are at, whether for presentations, hands-on workshops, field trips or longer events that include two or more of these elements.

In this section we cover some of the challenges faced by teachers in primary and intermediate schools, and also some of the different motivations that you may have for your educational outreach activity:

There are a few different common types of engagement that you could be asked to participate with in working with schools. Here we cover some different possibilities, and also explore the question of what age levels are most appropriate for your geoscience outreach:

In this section we will cover the significance of the attitude you bring to the students. Think about what it is like to be a child these days, and how that differs from when you were a child.

Looking at four different learning styles and what that means for when you engage with young people.

Reach the different types of learners through storytelling that creates emotional connection and allows for more in depth investigation later.

Some useful pointers for how you get clarity about the students needs and initiate  your school engagement session.

This section covers the outline structure of a session to act as a framework for your planning. This could be during a typical timetabled classroom lesson or school assembly

Ways to organise practical activities that challenge and engage the students, and allow them to benefit from each others' learnings and discoveries, as well as to see the relevance of the activity to real life.

There is quite a lot to think about when leading a field trip to make it safe, as well as have the best educational value and the most enjoyment for the students.

When you are involved with running a school engagement over several days, there are additional things to consider that can increase the educational value of the experience.

With the understanding you now have, you are able to make a complete overview plan for your next school engagement, whether it is a classroom session, workshop or field trip or combination.

Some simple ways to get feedback so that you keep learning and improving you educational / science communication skill set. Openness to feedback and willingness it change your approach is the most powerful way to develop your skills

Last words - Where to from here?