Winner: 2024 Early Career Prize for Excellence in Primary Education
Max Parker
Callicroft Primary Academy - The Olympus Academy Trust
For fostering a learning environment that captivates the imagination of students and embracing the challenge of incorporating real-world careers into the curriculum
I currently work as a primary school teacher in Patchway, Bristol. I have spent the majority of my teaching career as a Reception teacher, and enjoy working with children in the younger age range as I value the importance of exciting, engaging and impactful education in primary and particularly in the early years. My responsibilities also cover science leadership for my school. Within this I try to arrange as many engaging visitors as possible, monitor and support the quality of science teaching in our school, and attempt to form the beginning of links to real-life scientific job opportunities for the students I work with.
Biography
I am a proud Yorkshire man and owe my love of learning and fascination with science to not only my teachers in South Yorkshire but also to my parents, who I am sure answered numerous questions about anything and everything. My love of science led me to study Biology at the University of York and while I didn't get the grades I wanted, my passion for science never faded and the incredible resources and work of the Open University allowed me to access further learning at a different time in my life. My first opportunity to overlap my love of teaching with science was provided by the National Autistic Society and from then on I have always wanted to provide everyone with the opportunity to learn – and if I can sneak in some science along the way, even better. I have worked in a variety of roles as an educator, from being a teaching assistant, 1:1, and now I am a primary school teacher. I trained to be a teacher during the COVID-19 pandemic, and since qualifying I have worked at Callicroft Primary Academy, primarily within KS1 and the Early Years, while leading science in the school. My focus in leading science is attempting to expose the students to as much engaging science as possible, using the knowledge of experts in the local area and trying to link this learning to real-life job opportunities. Science fundamentally is based on failure and I feel this is a brilliant way to build resilience in students.
Providing children with positive experiences educationally continues to inspire me daily and drives my continued desire to be a teacher.
Mr Max Parker
Q&A with Mr Max Parker
What would be your advice to educators who are working with colleagues going above and beyond, but are yet to nominate them for an RSC Education prize?
Share the love. Call out and appreciate your co-workers, as we all know and work with people who do a fantastic job day in, day out. Sometimes people's hard work can become and feel like the norm so please do nominate and let people know how amazing they are.
How did you first become interested in chemistry or science?
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Who or what has inspired you to have a role in education?
From working in my first role as a residential support worker for the National Autistic Society, I have been inspired by the impact that caring individuals can have on the lives of children. Providing children with positive experiences educationally continues to inspire me daily and drives my continued desire to be a teacher.
What has been a highlight for you (either personally or in your career)?
While there are daily highlights watching children understand and grasp a new concept or piece of learning, my personal highlight was while working with an autistic child who shared their first word with me... 'orange'. Hearing a child use their voice for the first time was an incredible experience and highlight of my career.
What has been a challenge for you (either personally or in your career)?
Training and becoming a teacher during the COVID-19 pandemic understandably had its difficulties and challenges. I thank the work of scientists across numerous fields, as well as the work of the NHS, in their tireless efforts to combat the pandemic. More recently, the 14 years of austerity under the previous government had significant impacts on schools and their funding, the effects of which have been plain to see.
Who or what has supported you in your career as an educator?
I have been lucky enough to work in an incredible school – Callicroft Primary Academy – since qualifying, and I don't think I would be the educator I am today without the support of the team who work tirelessly and are absolutely wonderful. I of course have to mention my family as well as my beautiful partner Alice, also an educator, who brightens every one of my days.
For a bit of fun.
....What is your favourite element?My dad worked as both a miner and a plumber, so I have to mention both carbon, the key element in coal, and lead, with the symbol Pb, from the Latin plumbum, from which plumbers are named. Plumbum is also just a fantastic word.