Debbie Myers

B. Sc.(Hons), PGCE Primary, NPQH, MA (Education) (Children's Literature), M.Sc (STEM Education), CSci Teach, PGCAP (Durham), SFHEA.

I am currently employed as an Assistant Professor, Teacher Educator and Science Lead, delivering primary education programmes at Northumbria University. As Year 3 Internship Placement Lead I work with school-based mentors to support student teachers in their development as reflective practitioners during their teaching placements. 

I have previously held posts within primary education as a full-time teaching Deputy and as a Headteacher; as an English Consultant, Professional Development Lead at Science Learning Centre North East (Durham University) and as NQT Mentor supporting the entry of those new to the teaching profession. In collaboration with colleagues, the focus of my work in primary schools was to build the social and scientific capital of children - resulting in Excellence in Cities awards in 2004, 2005, 2006 (North Tyneside). 

I am currently a Chartered Science Teacher (CSciTeach) and a nationally accredited provider of professional development in primary science education. During my role as Professional Development Lead, at Science Learning Centre North-East, I audited the professional development needs of primary teachers in the region, and, in collaboration with colleagues in the SLC network, I developed appropriate programmes of professional development, at a time of transition to the current National Curriculum (DfE, 2013).  In 2013 I was invited to join the Royal Society of Chemistry Primary Teacher Advisory Group. 

In 2007, I designed a Rolls-Royce Science Prize finalist project: 'The Roman Apothecary Garden and Fairytale Willow Village,' resulting in the construction of multiple outdoor environments in which to situate creative inquiry-based learning. This project enabled my staff team to reconnect children with nature in role as artists, authors, scientists, mathematicians, historians, geographers and environmental stewards. In 2007 I became a recipient of the AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust's Award: Primary Science Teacher of the Year, now known as the Primary Science Teaching Trust.

During my career in higher education I have worked as a Teaching Fellow, Senior Lecturer and STEM provider at Durham, Canterbury Christ Church and Manchester Metropolitan Universities and as English Lead at Sunderland University. 

My areas of research interest include science education, reconnecting children to nature, Education for Sustainable Development and Children's Literature. I have developed projects incorporating scientific enquiry, experiential, play-based maker and drama-based pedagogies to support innovative curriculum-making, for example Leonardo Da Vinci's Apprentices.

I have also designed and delivered creative science workshops for children, including Spooky Science (Durham Science Festival), Nature Wears Disguises, Da Vinci''s Apprentices (National Science Week) and Future Worlds Storm Survival (British Science Festival, 2013; NSTA Conference Los Angeles, 2017). 

Publications

Myers, D. (2022) Leonardo da Vinci's Apprentices or Tinkering Belles and Boys at Ludic Play? In Murcia, K.J., Campbell, C., Joubert, M. M. and Wilson, S. (Eds.) Children's Creative Inquiry in STEM. Cham, Switzerland.

Myers, D. (2021) New Eden: Mediating pre-service teachers’ conceptualisations of Education for Sustainable Development,  Chapter 7, In White, P.J, Raphael, J., & van Cuylenburg, K.(eds.)  Science and Drama: Contemporary and creative approaches to teaching and learning. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.

Myers, D (2021) Behaviour for Learning or Behaviour Management? In Gillespie, A. Early Careers in Education: Perspectives for Student Teachers and NQT's. Emerald Publishing Limited. Pp 93 - 100.

Myers D. (2019) Re-Coupling Nature and Culture: How Can Primary Teacher Educators Enable Pre-service Teachers and Their Pupils to Breathe Life Back into Humanity’s Tin Forests? In: Leal Filho W., Consorte McCrea A. (eds) Sustainability and the Humanities. Cham: Springer. Awarded a prize as one of three best papers.

Myers, D. (2015) ‘Enacting Darby’s Notion of Engaging Science Pedagogy.’ Science Teacher Education. July. Association of Science Education.

Myers, D. (2014) In Waugh, D., Allott, K., and Jolliffe, W. (2014) Primary English for Trainee Teachers. Chapter Seven 'Fiction'. London: Sage. (First, second editions, 2014, 2017);  Chapter 8 'Fiction' (Third edition, 2019).

Primary science education research project:

Curiouser and Curiouser: Supporting Pupils' Independent Enquiries in Science (SPIES) 2013 - 2016 Principal investigator and CPD lead: researching the value of using science inquiry as a way of knowing to develop the scientific capital of primary pupils living in an area of social and economic disadvantage.

This project was ‘highly commended’ in the BERA-BCF Curriculum Journal Prize 2016 by the British Curriculum Forum and selected for the final Cambridge Primary Review Trust Conference: Primary Education: What is and What Might Be (2016).

The science education strand of this project received small grant funding awarded by the AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust (Primary Science Teaching Trust).

Project dissemination:

Myers, D. (2016) Take Three Eggs: Recipe Science or Working Scientifically? Primary teachers’ shifting perceptions of the value of using science inquiry as a way of knowing. British Educational Research Association (BERA) University of Leeds.

Myers, D. and McGrory, M. (2016) 'Curiouser and Curiouser'. Primary Science Education Conference (PSEC1). Primary Science Teaching Trust. International Conference Centre, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Myers, D., McGrory, M. and Westgate, C. (2016) 'Curiouser and Curiouser', Primary Science. 142 March/April. Association of Science Education.

Myers, D. and McGrory, M. (2016) Curiouser and Curiouser' Association of Science Education Annual Conference. University of Birmingham.

Project web-page: https://pstt.org.uk/what-we-do/primary-science-teacher-college/projects/supporting-independent-enquiry

Project

Myers, D. (2017) Mighty Micro-organisms - Dr Jekyll or Mr Hyde? Human survival in an ancient kingdom. Facilitating primary teachers’ participation in action research to develop creative pedagogies. Supported by a Microbiology Society Microbiology in Schools Funding Award 2016 (MSF16/17).

Conferences: Presentation of papers:

Myers, D. (2019) 'The Space Between Trees', British Education Research Association (BERA), University of Manchester.

Myers, D. (2019) Recoupling Nature and Culture. European Science Education Research Association (ESERA) Conference, Palazza dei Congressi, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Italy. Poster presentation SIG Strand 9 Nature, Ecology and Environment.

Myers, D. (2019) Leonardo da Vinci's Apprentices or tinkering belles and boys at ludic play? Reflective Seminar: Playing to teach and learn. Primary Science Education Conference (PSEC 2). Primary Science Teaching Trust. Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

Myers, D., McGrory, M. and Westgate, C. (2018) We the Curious! Developing an enquiry-led curriculum to operationalise pupil voice in an area of significant social and economic disadvantage. British Educational Research Association (BERA). University of Northumbria. 

Myers, D. (2017) Future Worlds Storm Survival for STEM Clubs, South East STEM Conference, Ashford, Kent.

Myers, D. (2017) ‘Letters to Darwin,’ A case-study to critically evaluate how primary pupils' perceptions of plant and animal adaptive traits were mediated by a programme of teaching interventions. British Educational Research Association (BERA). University of Sussex. 

Myers, D. (2017) 'Future Worlds - Storm Survival', ASE South East Regional Conference. University of Surrey.

Myers, D. (2017) 'Future Worlds - Storm Survival': Facilitating Pupils’ Epistemic Curiosity and Creativity. National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Annual Conference, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Myers, D. (2016) ‘Take Three Eggs: Recipe Science or Working Scientifically? Primary teachers' shifting perceptions of the value of using science inquiry as a way of knowing’. British Educational Research Association (BERA). University of Leeds.

Myers, D. (2016) Evidence-informed practice - the rewards and the challenges. Panel Discussion: Primary Science Education Conference (PSEC 1). Primary Science Teaching Trust. International Conference Centre, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Myers, D. (2016) 'Peer Review in Initial Teacher Education' (2016) Association of Science Education. University of Birmingham.

Myers, D. (2015) 'Enabling Effective Transfers and Transitions from Primary to Secondary School' (2015) The Reflective Practitioner Conference. Durham University.

Myers, D. (2015) 'Exploring professional identity through metaphor and role-play.' (2015) The Reflective Practitioner Conference. Durham University. 

Myers, D. (2014)  'Preparing for Your NQT Year: A Game of Snakes and Ladders?' Teaching and Learning Conference. Durham University.

Myers, D. ( 2014) Supporting Pupils' Independent Enquiry Studies' (SPIES). Poster Presentation. 4th Annual Science Conference. Primary Science Teaching Trust. At-Bristol Science Learning Centre, Bristol University.