Teacher Martina Gánovská. (source: Juraj Sedlák/Seesame)
Martina Gánovská, a chemistry teacher at the Secondary Polytechnic Vocational School of Jan Antonín Baťa in Svit, northern Slovakia, won this year's Cena Dionýza Ilkoviča. The prestigious award is given out annually to teachers who develop extracurricular activities for primary and secondary school students.
Gánovská, who says she tries to pass on to her students her experiences of chemistry in everyday life, talked to The Slovak Spectator about her educational journey, what she teachers her students, and a NASA project she and her pupils are involved in.
You originally studied conservation, now you are a chemistry teacher. How did that happen?
I was interested in working as a conservationist, or in the field of ecology and environmental studies. When I first looked for a job back at the time, there were no positions in organisations dedicated to conservation. However, a new department called environmental monitoring was being created at the Secondary Polytechnic Vocational School in Svit. Since I had graduated from the school, former teachers approached me and asked if I would come there and teach.
The environment is generally a very important topic for young people these days – many participate in various climate strikes. Is this true of your students?
I've noticed that young people are starting to care about the environment more and are also a bit worried about the future. The effects of climate change are clearly visible, and I believe that young people are trying to do more to protect the environment compared to students more than 20 years ago, when I started at the school.
Can you give some examples?
Things like recycling, saving electricity, water and similar things. They are also interested in climate change at a scientific level, that is, they investigate whether it is happening, how it can affect phenological factors (the study of the timing and cyclical patterns of events in the natural world - Ed. note), and the like.
Have you met any students who are climate change deniers?
I have not met any such students at our school. This might be because one of the school’s focuses is environmental protection, and we are a green school. Right from when students start with us, we tell them that it is necessary for them to protect the environment, not only as experts, but also as citizens.
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Have you also talked to them about whether they are afraid of the consequences of climate change? Do any of them suffer from climate anxiety?
