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Find out what you’re going to be learning at school about families and relationships! What you learn at school in subjects like PSHE, otherwise known as Personal, Social and Health Education, is sometimes talked about and decided by the government, in particular the Department of Education. This subject teaches all about relationships, including with your friends, family, and other adults, and in September 2019 it was decided that different types of families should be taught. Some families have two mothers, some have two fathers, and some might have one parent, or even three or four. This includes LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) families and, since 2013, two people of the same gender have been allowed to get married in the UK.
Eloise Stonborough is the Associate Director of Policy and Research for LGBT rights charity Stonewall. She explains why this decision is important, saying: “It helps [you] better understand the world [you] live in.” Eloise says that it is difficult for children, including from LGBT families, who feel like they do not fit in because their family is different, and they might feel lonely or get picked on. She adds: “In 2021, it’s more important than ever that primary schools… help children understand the importance of accepting differences, and celebrate what makes each of us unique.”
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ments doing experi d e rt a st ck e ra K scientist Professor Ta She is now a l. o o h sc t a s when she wa the brain! who studies
We all have a brain, but do you know how it works? Tara Keck is a neuroscientist who studies the brain and how it learns. She is American but now lives in London and teaches at a university. We spoke to her about her first ever science experiments at school and what it is like being a scientist. What is neuroscience? Neuroscience is the study of how the brain and the nervous system work. I research how the brain learns new things and forms memories. What do you do as a scientist? I do experiments to find out the answer to questions. It is cool to ask a question and work out the answer. I also teach university students about different parts of the brain. Have you always liked science? When I was six, I did my first experiment for a science fair. I tested to see whether plants would grow more with just water or water and fertiliser. This was my first experience of finding the answer to something by only changing one thing and I really enjoyed it. I decided I wanted to do science and my parents let me do experiments at home.
An important way to keep the brain smart and healthy is to exercise your body. Do you just look at the brain? As a neuroscientist, I also have to look at the senses (touch, taste, sight, smell and sound) because that is how we experience the world. All the senses and nerves in your body send signals to your brain and the brain processes those signals to help you react to the world. Can you tell us something interesting about the brain? Brains are always learning and you can always get smarter. The brain is like a muscle, if you work it out by learning it makes it stronger. People do puzzles to become smarter, but there is no evidence that this works. You need to keep learning.
What was your favourite experiment? My favourite experiments always involved food. I was really interested in how much land, water and other things were needed to feed someone for a day. I got everyone in my class to write down what they ate in one day and I worked it out. What are you researching now? I look at how the brain can learn through our whole lives, even when we are old.
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