Should genetics be taught earlier at schools?
You will have noticed that my posts have slightly dwindled this last week. I’ve been heavily involved in the merge of two junior schools which has been a fascinating exercise not to mention that attorneys can be your best friends but also so damn infuriating! Luckily both schools are pro the merge and that now includes staff and parents. Makes life easier!
While I was reviewing the academic syllabuses it made me realize that kids just aren’t told about genetics and the huge role it will play in their lives. Genetics is a scary subject for most people … you just have to think of the cloned ewe ’Dolly the Sheep’ and it conjures up freaky images.
It’s the same at Medical School. Our ‘would be’ physicians come out knowing zilch about genetics other than a few experiments on fruit flies. So if they know nothing that doesn’t look good for the rest of us!!
Well I for one am going to start the ball rolling with my school. I’ll be asking for the gentle introduction of the subject right from pre-school. My kids are learning about DNA, genes and the role they play in their lives and they are so totally unfazed about the subject, which I think is a good thing as they will grow up embracing it and not being scared of it.
What do you think?
Penny Harrington
b5 media Genetics and Health correspondent
Genetics plays an important role in nearly all of the medical dicsiplines, but here in Hungary, genetic education takes only 2 semesters of the 12 (in medschool). Yes, it should be taught earlier in schools and it should get more attention in medical studies as well.
Hi Berci
I totally agree. I know in the UK some Med Schools are reviewing the way genetics is taught including Molecular Diagnostics … but because the tutors don’t understand it having not been taught, difficulties are arising in writing the syllabus!
Let’s keep at it! We’ll get there!
Penny
I completely agree that genetics needs to come up earlier in schools. I was asked to come talk about my job in my kid’s kingergarten class and I brought a bunch of tubes containing strawberry DNA floating in rubbing alcohol. They were fascinated and had all kinds of questions.
One risk (here in the States anyway) is that most teachers below the high school level don’t necessarily have a good understanding of genetics (and a lot of high school teachers don’t either). This makes teaching it to students that much harder…
Thanks Barry – it’s the same in Europe. Not sure how we can break the trend, it will take time!
My wife thinks it is crazy that I never really learned anything about genetics in school. Biology wasn’t a required class, but perhaps it should’ve been.
Thanks Cozmo – will let everyone know how my ‘mini project’ to get genetics taught at junior school goes.