By Yumna Bodiat
Edited by Imaan Moosa
We spoke to biochemist and curricular specialist Fatima Patel on her venture 'Nosy Newtons'.
In 2015, biochemists and STEM curricular specialists founded Nosy Newtons, "a new millennium era program" that is geared towards enriching the sciences within the education system.
Fatima Patel holds a bachelor of science degree; her love and knowledge of the sciences propelled her to start Nosy Newtons aimed at "creating a generation of learners who are excited and exhilarated by the sciences. ... A generation inspired to innovate and create".
Our objective is to create a pressure-free environment for young children to indulge in exploration and discovery. There are so many amazing female figures in South Africa today and I certainly hope and aspire to be a key figure in bringing the love of science back to the hearts of learners across our beautiful country.
As Patel's children grew out of the toddler phase, she found herself looking for ways in which to introduce educational play into their daily routines in order to reduce their screen time.
Being a biochemist by profession, she used her knowledge of both chemistry and physics to introduce simple science experiments to her children. Not far along the line, Nosy Newtons was born out of the happy afternoons her children and the neighbourhood youth spent playing with science experiments.
I wanted to find a path toward utilising my degree in a way that is beneficial to society whilst still making use of my knowledge and love of the sciences. I wanted the youth to have the opportunity to innovate.
Pictured: Nosy Newtons workshop setup. Photos: @nosynewtons
Patel was invited to be on the Educational Curriculum Advisory Committee for her alma mater, the Vaal University of Technology which was both a thrilling and humbling experience for her.
As a curricular specialist, she has been able to curate a unique curriculum of interactive lessons which focus on learning through play and exploration in a variety of subjects. Targeting children in grades R and RR, the Nosy Newtons program uses the STEM-based educational approach, which targets and interprets science, technology, engineering and math through art.
"This curriculum fosters ingenuity and creativity leading to new ideas and innovations. Our curriculum is designed to build resilience, to encourage experimentation, to encourage teamwork and teach problem-solving.
"This visual appeal engages our students beautifully and is perfect for our target age group. It combines fun activities with concept learning in an engaging fashion. We also pride ourselves in guiding student inquiry, dialogue and critical thinking through song and rhyme."
The Nosy Newtons curriculum focuses on core STEM subjects such as basic chemistry, biology, physics and maths at the beginning of each term. The children then move onto experimentation and exploration in forensics, genetics, astronomy and coding.
For example, we introduce simple fingerprinting science as part of our forensic lessons. After we have practised basic fingerprint lifting, we will play a detective game and then examine all the collected prints under microscopes to eventually determine our guilty party! So fun and excitement all around.
Pictured: Nosey Newton's hands-on workshops. Photos: @nosynewtons
Aside from their programs which dedicated to grade R and grade RR kids, Nosy Newtons have also integrated a Toddler Science program. This program involves simple two or three-step kitchen science experiments which focus on developing sensory awareness.
We try and develop the toddlers' awareness of each sense. Each experiment in this programme has a 'WOW' factor that is taste, touch and smell safe to allow for unfiltered exploration. We also use equipment that develops fine and gross motor skills.
The Nosy Newtons workshops run for roughly two hours and begin with simple introductions, as well as safety instructions to get learners comfortable. They then have several different 'take-home' experiments that are presented to the learners who are allowed to complete them at their individual lab stations.
In between these activities, they also afford learners the opportunity to partake in a number of other physics experiments. Patel says these aim to increase engagement toward the fun side of science. They end off with a question and answer session to help learners process the new information they have learned.
Nosy Newtons has provided such fulfilment in terms of inspiring my little students in the fields of science; in exploring, experimenting and gaining confidence with each lesson.
"This being our fifth year running, I often bump into past students who tell me stories of how they are inspired and how they were ahead of their peers in terms of scientific terminology and knowledge. That continues to remain a top perk!"
Pictured: Fatima and some of her Nosy Newton students. Photos: @nosynewtons
One of the biggest challenges Patel faced with her students was the lack of tactile awareness and reduced concentration levels, as a result of increased screen time. She says this impacted the functioning of lessons, leading her to research different ways of teaching in order to increase learner tactile abilities and concentration.
Their lessons are presented in a lively and animated way to hold the learners' attention. They cater to different learning styles such as visual and auditory learning. One of their biggest challenges, however, was "search[ing] for new innovative ways to present lessons to engage and delight each learner".
Patel says South Africa lacks a comprehensive framework of science and technology, therefore it is imperative to introduce various STEM programs so that South Africa's youth will be well-prepared for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This will encourage South Africans to be the leading innovators and producers in Africa and the world.
A note from Fatima Patel:
Teaching STEM in the foundation and intermediate grades opens the door for students to become tomorrow's movers and shakers. Young females with a strong foundation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics will go on to play an integral role in our nation's global competitiveness and economic stability. I must emphasise that women are no longer bound by antiquated gender roles. We can be mothers and wives and have successful careers too!
Eager future scientists can contact Nosy Newtons on any of their social media accounts or directly message their business number.
Business number: +27 82 3657845
Instagram: @nosynewtons
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