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Hamilton Science Teacher Achieves With Excellence

Thursday 30 September 2010, 1:32AM

By HMC Communications

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Peter Hampton - Science Educator Kudos Winner 2010
Peter Hampton - Science Educator Kudos Winner 2010 Credit: HMC Communications

HAMILTON

Peter Hampton, Head of Faculty Science at Hamilton’s Fraser High School, has been awarded the Wintec Secondary Science Teacher/Communicator/Educator Award at last week’s Kudos Awards in Hamilton.

Mr Hampton was recognised for the work he has done introducing new areas of science to the classroom, such as Geology and Astronomy, with a focus on enquiry based science, practical investigation, research, scientific reasoning and having fun.

The Kudos Award he received acknowledges the hard work he has put into developing and refining science teaching strategies that will engage students at a secondary school level.

As a high school Science teacher for the best part of 35 years, Mr Hampton has taught in five Waikato secondary schools, and over the past seven years at Hamilton’s Fraser High School has developed a mentoring programme for science teachers in training. He sees this as a significant way to contribute to future Science education. “We have many gifted Science teachers in Waikato secondary schools and the secondary teaching sector is very fortunate in having so many world class science research and science based industries and organisations in the region to draw on” says Mr Hampton.

The Wintec Science Educator Award recognises a major, recent contribution toward encouraging an understanding and appreciation of science to Waikato young people or the wider community.

The Kudos Awards celebrated Waikato’s finest scientists and science educators at an Awards presentation and dinner evening held on the 23rd of September at Southwell Auditorium, Hamilton. The Kudos Awards recognise the region’s most innovative science research and discoveries over six categories, including agricultural, environmental, medical, science educator, emerging scientist and lifetime achievement.

The winner’s cash prizes are used to further develop science and research throughout Hamilton and the Waikato region, and are sponsored by; Hamilton City Council, University of Waikato, Wintec, WEL Networks, Waikato District Health Board, Waikato Times, King Street Advertising, and Orbit Calder & Lawson. Other supporters include Plant and Food Research, McFarlane Engels & Associates, and AWIS (Association of Women in Science).