Biology is a very popular subject, with almost 20,000 students completing the HSC course in 2023. Tim Sloane is a name many of you would know - as one of our OG presenters, Tim has helped countless Biology students in NSW learn and love the subject. His passion is infectious, and he knows a thing or 2 about getting exam-ready too. We recently sat down with Tim and got the low down on who he really is and what he gets up to when he's not at school or in front of the Edrolo camera.
Keen to master exam questions? The CUBE approach to answering questions is to CIRCLE the verb, UNDERLINE the key biology content of question, BOX the plurals and conjunctions, and ELABORATE, EXAMPLES, EVIDENCE. Once CUBEed, structure your response using the IDEA scaffold. You can learn more about the ALARM framework in Tim’s NESA verbs Edrolo lesson - the Year 12 version is here and the Year 11 version is here).
I believe a love and engagement with Biology will also help students understand their place in the world, the impact they have on the environment, and the impact that decisions they make will have on their own health.
Fun facts about Tim
🦒 If he weren't a teacher, he would be a landscape architect or zookeeper.
🏝️ His favourite food is halloumi (in fact, he declared it as his desert island meal of choice).
🎥 He loves any documentary by David Attenborough.
🎸 His favourite band is Tool.
🏍️ His 'Roman Empire'? His motorbikes, of course!
Tell us a bit about your teaching background.
I’ve been teaching for 20 years, both across Newton High School of the Performing Arts and now as Head Teacher of Science at Concord High School. I’ve also had extensive experience in Stage 6 marking and the moderation process. I have a strong interest in Science literacy, and have presented in a range of capacities on assisting teachers and students to develop and structure extended responses using the CUBE-ALARM framework.
I also completed a Science degree (Hons) at Macquarie University, which led me to a career in cardiovascular research prior to teaching. However, I wasn’t happy working in human health so I decided to retrain as a teacher and engage with what I love – Biology.
Why Biology? What makes you excited about this subject?
From early childhood, I have had a keen interest in living things and a fascination with the range of organisms that exist on the planet. I wanted to understand how they came to be that way and how they all interact with one another to fill their niche in life. All aspects of my Science degree were focused on animal, plant and microbiology.
I love the beauty that exists in the world of Biology. As a teacher, I have the opportunity to pass on this passion to students.
Where do students use the skills they gain from studying Biology in life beyond school?
Critical thinking is applicable across most careers and life in general. It is central to all Science courses. I believe a love and engagement with Biology will also help students understand their place in the world, the impact they have on the environment, and the impact that decisions they make will have on their own health.
In your experience, what do students find most challenging about Biology, and how do you support them?
Some of the complex content that they won't encounter outside of Biology. For example, protein synthesis. It is challenging for students to understand what is occurring at the molecular level. I would typically use different forms of modelling to support them with this, and as part of our assessment schedule, students are required to produce their own audiovisual model of protein synthesis.
Know the cognitive verbs of each syllabus dot point and write study notes to that depth. Then, apply with lots of practice using past papers marked using the marking criteria. When practicing questions, CUBE the question and structure your response using the ALARM framework (IDEA).
What do you see as a key benefit for students and/or teachers in using Edrolo?
It’s self-paced. It’s mapped to the syllabus. It includes practice assessments for students. It provides data so teachers can monitor student progress. And it allows for flipped classroom delivery.
What's the funniest thing that's ever happened in your classroom?
I was demonstrating air pressure to some Year 6 students visiting the school. The experiment involves removing air from a flask using heat and a long glass tube inserted through a stopper. Once removed, the flask is turned upside down and the glass tube is placed into a large beaker of water with food colouring. Air pressure forces the coloured water up the tube to create a fountain. The pressure was so great that the whole system imploded, and the liquid went all over me and the students around me. Funny now - not at the time!
How would your students describe you?
Approachable, knowledgeable, and engaging.
What are the best and worst things about teaching?
The best is engaging with young people and sharing the passion of my subject, and the worst is all the unnecessary admin.
See Tim in action, and get exam-ready for Biology. Log in to your Edrolo account now.
