Wonders of the cosmos: Nurul Syahirah making learning about astronomy fun for her primary school students.
JOHOR BARU: Instead of relying heavily on captured cosmos images on textbooks, a primary school teacher here is bringing the beauty of stars and planets into her classroom by using the brush, paint and canvas to teach astronomy.
Sekolah Kebangsaan Infant Jesus Convent Johor Baru teacher Nurul Syahirah Nazarudin, 29, who teaches English and art, said students are learning astronomy under science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
“But in primary schools, astronomy is not being taught at a deep level compared to secondary schools and I want to spur my pupils’ interest in astronomy.
“I want to make learning astronomy a fun experience. Instead of using pictures from textbooks or images that can be found on the Internet, I want them to see the beauty of the cosmos through their eyes,” she said.
Nurul Syahirah decided to use art for teaching astronomy so her students could have a better understanding of the subject.
She organises stargazing sessions on the school field at least once a week during a school term as part of their lesson.
“The stargazing session I conduct starts at around 8.30pm and would last for about an hour as the pupils have school the next morning.
“I received positive feedback on the sessions not only from the pupils but their parents as well because they would bring their whole family to the school,” Nurul Syahirah said.
“While stargazing, we also have picnics under the stars to make it an even more memorable experience.”
Nurul Syahirah said some stars are visible in the Johor Baru night sky, but they are not as clear compared to other locations such as Sedili Kecil and Sedili Besar in Kota Tinggi, and Pulau Mawar in Mersing.
“Whatever stars the students see through telescopes, they would paint them on a canvas for a better understanding of astronomy.
“Art and science actually complement one another. I encourage my students to use their imagination when painting the cosmos.
“Albert Einstein once said that imagination is more important than knowledge.
“By using their imagination, students will have better insights on astronomy,” she said.
Through her hard work in teaching astronomy, Nurul Syahirah was given two awards for innovation by the Johor Education Department.
She was also invited by other schools to hold workshops on painting the cosmos.
“For me, applying art in the field of astronomy can give me satisfaction and make me feel closer to the universe. I hope to see my students continue pursuing this passion,” she said.
