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Andrew Copson speaks to science communicator Alom Shaha who shares his experiences as a teacher and author. From growing up in a strict Bangladeshi Muslim area in south-east London, to the role of his teachers in shaping his worldview, it's a thought-provoking episode about the power of education and the thrill of intellectual endeavour. Alom Shaha is a patron of Humanists UK. In 2012, he published The Young Atheist's Handbook: Living a Good Life Without God. The book chronicles his upbringing in a strict Bangladeshi Muslim area in south-east London in the 1970s and 80s and outlines the intellectual journey which led him to identify as a humanist. It was launched at an event organised by Humanists UK, which later ran a successful crowdfunder to distribute copies of the book to every school in the country. Alom is also a former trustee of Humanists UK. What I Believe was the title of two separate essays by the philosopher Bertrand Russell and the philosopher EM Forster in the early 20th century. These two humanists set out their approach to life, their fundamental worldview, in a way that was accessible to all. In this podcast, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, speaks to humanists today to understand more about what they believe, to understand more about the values, convictions, and opinions they live by. Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non religious people to advance free thinking and promote a tolerant society. If you'd like to support the podcast or find out more about the humanist approach to life or the work that we do, please visit humanists.uk. If you like what you see, please consider joining as a member: You can follow Humanists UK on Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok – and please remember to leave a 5 star review! What I Believe is produced by Sophie Castle.
On this episode of Mind The Gap, Tom and Emma are joined by special guest Alom Shaha, a teacher with over 25 years of experience. Alom shares his journey from working in television to rediscovering his passion for teaching and the sense of community it provides. During the conversation, Alom discusses his upcoming children's book that aims to teach young readers about scientific discoveries, specifically how rainbows are formed (How To Find a Rainbow). Inspired by his children, Alom found it easy to develop the characters in the book, as they were based on his daughters. The discussion also delves into Alom's belief that the teaching profession is undervalued when compared to other professions. He expresses his deep frustration with the numerous challenges and immense pressure that teachers constantly face. He also shares his experience writing a book about atheism and non-belief for young people, discussing the positive feedback he received and the importance of allowing people from Muslim backgrounds to openly explore atheism (The Young Atheist's Handbook). He addresses the complexities of identity and the role Twitter plays in muddying the waters. Reflecting on his upbringing and his children, Alom underscores the importance of nurturing children's curiosity and providing access to resources and supportive environments for learning. He takes responsibility for creating a positive learning environment and hopes that all children can encounter teachers and peers who encourage their thirst for knowledge. The conversation concludes with Alom sharing the challenges he faced while writing his current book, the constraints placed on him, and his belief that science should be taught in a way that highlights its interconnectedness and cultural significance (Why Don't Things Fall Up?: and Six Other Science Lessons You Missed at School). He emphasizes the need for science to be accessible to everyone, as it allows humans to make sense of the world and share their understanding. Participants Alom Shaha was born in Bangladesh but grew up in London. A science teacher, writer, and filmmaker, he has spent most of his professional life sharing his passion for science and education with the public. Alom has produced, directed, and appeared in a number of television programs for broadcasters, such as the BBC, and has received fellowships from the National Endowment for Science, Technology, and the Arts (NESTA) and the Nuffield Foundation. Alom has represented his community as an elected politician and has volunteered at various charitable organizations. Follow Alom on Twitter @alomshaha and read more about him at www.alomshaha.com Tom Sherrington has worked in schools as a teacher and leader for 30 years and is now a consultant specializing in teacher development and curriculum & assessment planning. His books include Teaching WalkThrus: Five-step guides to instructional coaching, Teaching WalkThrus 2: Five-step guides to instructional coaching, Teaching WalkThrus 3: Five-step guides to instructional coaching, Rosenshine's Principles in Action, and The Learning Rainforest Fieldbook. He regularly contributes to conferences and CPD sessions locally and nationally and is busy working in schools and colleges across the UK and around the world. Follow Tom on Twitter @teacherhead Emma Turner joined Discovery Schools Academy Trust as the Research and CPD lead after 20 years in primary teaching. She founded ‘NewEd – Joyful CPD for early-career teachers,' a not-for-profit approach to CPD to encourage positivity amongst the profession and help retain teachers in post. Turner is the author of Be More Toddler: A Leadership Education From Our Little Learners, Let's Talk About Flex: Flipping the flexible working narrative for education, Simplicitus: The Interconnected Primary Curriculum & Effective Subject Leadership, and Simplicitus Altius: Leading the Interconnected Primary Curriculum. Follow Emma on Twitter @emma_turner75. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mindthegap-edu/message
How much science do you remember from school? Do you know how a simple electric motor works, or what the Doppler effect is? Basic physics is taught early in schools, but is easily forgotten. To learn some basic science, we travel this week to the Royal Institution (RI) in London, one of the world's oldest and established venues for scientific education and research. It hosts the annual Christmas lectures, which have cemented its reputation for demonstrations of how science works. Good demonstrations can play a big role in making abstract science concepts come alive. Alok Jha, The Economist's science and technology editor, meets author and physics teacher Alom Shaha at the RI for some summer science lessons. Alok speaks to Dan Plane, head of Demonstrations at the RI, about the institution's history and the importance of making science fun and accessible. Alom also leads Alok through a few science demos to explore some key concepts taught in schools today. For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How much science do you remember from school? Do you know how a simple electric motor works, or what the Doppler effect is? Basic physics is taught early in schools, but is easily forgotten. To learn some basic science, we travel this week to the Royal Institution (RI) in London, one of the world's oldest and established venues for scientific education and research. It hosts the annual Christmas lectures, which have cemented its reputation for demonstrations of how science works. Good demonstrations can play a big role in making abstract science concepts come alive. Alok Jha, The Economist's science and technology editor, meets author and physics teacher Alom Shaha at the RI for some summer science lessons. Alok speaks to Dan Plane, head of Demonstrations at the RI, about the institution's history and the importance of making science fun and accessible. Alom also leads Alok through a few science demos to explore some key concepts taught in schools today. For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
"Why?" was the title of a book that had just been published by Sharon Dirckx looking at God, evil and suffering. She interacted with atheist Alom Shaha as we asked "how can a loving God allow suffering?" We also heard stories from people who had been through suffering but kept their faith such as Will, who became a Christian after losing his wife and a child in a tragic road accident, and Rachel who suffered from MS for a number of years. First broadcast in 2013 • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow
From the archives: Alom Shaha grew up in a Muslim background in London but became an atheist in his teens. Now a science teacher he has written about that journey in his book "The Young Atheist's Handbook". He chatted with Tom Price of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics about Love, God, Narnia, Hope and much more... • More shows from Unbelievable? https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training-and-events • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate
Alom Shaha was born in Bangladesh but grew up in London. A parent, teacher, science writer, and filmmaker, he has spent most of his professional life trying to share his passion for science and education with the public. Alom has produced, directed, and appeared in a number of television programmes for broadcasters such as the BBC, and has received fellowships from the National Endowment for Science, Technology, and the Arts (NESTA) and the Nuffield Foundation. He has represented his community as an elected politician and volunteered at a range of charitable organisations. He teaches at a comprehensive school in London and writes for a number of print and online publications, including The Guardian.In this episode, Alom talks with Nikki Gamble about his passion for science and practical ways to engage children and parents with activities using everyday objects.About Mr Shaha's Recipes for WonderEvery child can be a scientist with the help of Mr Shaha and his recipes for wonder! Turn a rainy day at home or a walk in the park into a chance to experiment. All you need are a few simple items from your kitchen cupboards - and the power of curiosity! Learn about sound by making wine glasses sing, investigate chemical reactions with vitamin-powered rockets, and explore Newton's Third Law by making balloon driven cars. Written by a science teacher and dad, Mr Shaha's Recipes for Wonder gives clear, step-by-step instructions for over 15 experiments.Whether you're a science star or just starting out, it will help you inspire young people to learn. Get the whole family joining in around the table, as you transform your kitchen into a laboratory!About Mr Shaha's Marvellous MachinesTransform and recycle household objects into your very own homemade toys and machines! Learn about the centre of gravity by making a balancing bird, create a toroidal vortex with a smoke-ring machine, and turn a spoon into an electromagnet. Chances are you won't need to buy the materials required for these machines because they're all in your house right now. Every child can be an engineer with the help of Mr Shaha and his marvellous machines.
A conversation about mathematics inspired by a balancing bird. Presented by Katie Steckles and Peter Rowlett, with special guest Alom Shaha. Alom’s video and template about the balancing bird.
A conversation about mathematics inspired by a balancing bird. Presented by Katie Steckles and Peter Rowlett, with special guest Alom Shaha. Alom's video and template about the balancing bird.
Hosted by Robin Ince and Dr Helen Czerski this episode of the Science Shambles podcast is an audio recording of our weekly Sunday Science Q and A show that goes out at 10am BST on our YouTube channel. This week Robin and Helen are joined by Libby Jackson and Alom Shaha to talk about science in schools, paper planes, life on the moon and long lasting soap bubbles. Watch them on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/cosmicshambles and get bonus content and extended conversations with guests by subscribing at patreon.com/cosmicshambles
Marnie Chesterton reveals how important the models and graphs are in informing government strategies for the Covid-19 pandemic. Christl Donnelly, Professor of Statistical Epidemiology at Imperial College London and Professor of Applied Statistics at the University of Oxford, and Dr Kit Yates, Senior Lecturer in Mathematical Biology at the University of Bath and author of 'The Maths of Life and Death', explain what epidemiological models can and can’t tell us about the progression of the disease, infection rates and death rates, and how testing will provide the essential data to make these models more accurate. They also give their take on the current inundation of social media with graphs and infographics created by non-epidemiologists - the ‘epidemic of armchair epidemiologists’. The European Space Agency’s Diego Urbina was one of the Mars500 participants. He spent 520 days in a human mission to Mars, shut up in a fake spacecraft with his fellow astronauts. So who better to get tips for home isolation from? Are you stuck in with the kids and want to try some science experiments that you can do at home? The Royal Institution is about to launch ExpeRimental Live - a live stream of home science experiments, designed to educate, entertain and inform your children with some cheap and easy science. And its existing ExpeRimental series of short films for parents are already available online. They were produced and directed by science teacher and writer Alom Shaha, who helps BBC Inside Science producer Jennifer Whyntie to have a go at making singing wine glasses with her children. Producers - Fiona Roberts and Jennifer Whyntie
23. Minds-On as well as Hands-On: Alom Shaha
Rev Gillian Straine is an Anglican priest with a background in science. She tells the story of how she dealt with the spiritual and medical challenges of being diagnosed with cancer aged 21, as told in her book 'Cancer: A Pilgrim's Companion'. She also shares news of a free public lecture by internationally renowned physicist Marcelo Glasier in London on Tue 22 May. Atheist guest Alom Shaha is a secondary school physics teacher and engages with Gillian on the question of faith, illness and science. He shares his story of rejecting his Islamic upbringing after the death of his mother and how he fell in love with the world of science. Alom has recently authored a book of practical science experiments for kids 'Mr Shaha's Recipes For Wonder'. For Marcelo Gleiser's free Drawbridge Lecture 'Unknowns in Heaven and Earth' on 22 May https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-drawbridge-lecture-tickets-39148003733 For Gillian Straine: http://www.gillianstraine.com/my-books/ For Alom Shaha: http://alomshaha.com/books/mr-shahas-recipes-for-wonder/ For Unbelievable? the Conference 2018: http://www.premier.org.uk/justask Get signed copies of Unbelievable? the book and audiobook: http://www.unbelievablebook.co.uk Get Unbelievable? the Conference 2017 DVD/CD & Digital Download: http://www.premier.org.uk/shop For more faith debates visit http://www.premierchristianradio.com/Shows/Saturday/Unbelievable Join the conversation: Facebook and Twitter Get the MP3 Podcast of Unbelievable? Via RSS or Via Itunes
Christian theologian Randal Rauser's new book "Is the atheist my Neighbour?" says that Christians often fail to extend respect and love towards atheists. Atheist contributor Alom Shaha interacts with Randal as they discuss the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to atheist/Christian dialogue and debate. For Randal Rauser: http://randalrauser.com/tag/is-the-atheist-my-neighbor/ For Alom Shaha: http://alomshaha.com For more faith debates visit http://www.premierchristianradio.com/Shows/Saturday/Unbelievable Join the conversation: Facebook and Twitter Get the MP3 Podcast of Unbelievable? Via RSS or Via Itunes
Join Richard Vaughan as he discusses Ofqual's recent decision to consult on removing practical assessments from overall GCSE grades. He travelled to the Association of Science Education's annual conference to get the views of Dr Hilary Leevers of the Wellcome Trust and ASE president and Reading University vice chancellor Sir David Bell. He also caught up with physics teacher and author Alom Shaha to hear his thoughts on the matter, and he heard from Janet Holloway, association director standards for design,development and evaluation of general qualifications at Ofqual to get the reason behind the decision. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
ExpeRimental There's an online wealth of science demonstrations you can try at home with your kids. But what's sometimes lacking is the encouragement of questioning the science in these DIY experiments. Science teacher and film maker Alom Shaha has devised a series of videos with the Royal Institution showing parents experimenting with home-made lava lamps, bubbles and bottle cannons. He hopes that amidst the mess and mistakes, some scientific thinking can be nurtured. Rosetta The European Space Agency's robotic spacecraft Rosetta is about to start its detailed study of the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko. In the audacious and risky mission, the craft will follow the orbit of the comet as it approaches and passes the Sun. It will attempt to land a probe on the surface of the icy, rocky mass. It's hoped the mission will provide great insight into what comets are made of, how they behave as they heat up, creating its gassy coma and tail. And it's hoped Rosetta and its lander will be able to tell about where Earth's water and even some of the building blocks for life might have come from. MOOCs Massive Open Online Courses are free and open to anyone with access to the internet. You can study a huge range of topics from cancer and dental photography to quantum physics, and even the archaeology and history of Hadrian's Wall. Critics say these higher education courses are just a PR exercise by universities, and that it will set up a two tier system in education. But Kathryn Skelton from FutureLearn, a platform for many of these MOOCs, argues that they encourage people who would not normally extend their education to take part and the universities providing the courses can gain great insight into the changing face of teaching methods. Evolutionary Psychology Last week Adam Rutherford and Alice Roberts had a robust discussion on the biologising of the human condition, with Professor David Canter. Listeners wrote in to complain that we didn't give an evolutionary psychologist a right to reply, so this week, listener and evolutionary psychologist Rob Burriss has his say. Producer: Fiona Roberts.
Alom Shaha grew up in a Muslim background in London but became an atheist in his teens. Now a science teacher he has written about that journey in his book "The Young Atheist's Handbook". He chats with Tom Price of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics about Love, God, Narnia, Hope and much more... For The Young Atheists Handbook http://alomshaha.com/buy-the-book.html For Alom Shaha http://alomshaha.com For Tom Price http://www.theocca.org/bios/tom-price Unbelievable? The Conference 2012 DVD http://www.premier.org.uk/dvd Info on The Atheist Prayer Experiment http://www.premier.org.uk/atheistprayerexperiment For more Christian/non-Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes You may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 22 Aug 2009 - Does religion make people unhappy? "Does religion make people unhappy?" - Christian Apologist Tom Price & Atheist Barry Duke Unbelievable? 6 Jun 2009 A Skeptic in Narnia Narnia & CS Lewis - a skeptic and Christian discuss - Michael Ward & Laura Miller Join the conversation: http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter
"Why?" is the title of the new book by Sharon Dirckx looking at God, evil and suffering. She interacts with atheist Alom Shaha as we ask "how can a loving God allow suffering?" We also hear stories from people who have been through suffering but kept their faith. Will, who became a Christian after losing his wife and a child in a tragic road accident. Rachel who has suffered from MS for a number of years. For Unbelievable? the Conference 2013 www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable2013 For more discussion between Christians and non-Christians visit www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable Join the conversation via Facebook and Twitter Sharon Dirckx bio http://www.rzim.eu/biography-sharon-dirckx For her book "Why?" http://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-Sharon-Dirckx/dp/1844746194 For Alom Shaha http://alomshaha.com/ Get the MP3 podcast of Unbelievable? http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes You may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 25th August 2012 - The Young Atheist's Handbook - Alom Shaha & Tom Price Unbelievable? 5 July 2011 - William Lane Craig vs AC debate on God & Evil.
Dr Adam Rutherford asks whether the proposed ice wall around the Fukushima nuclear plant will finally halt the radioactive leaks they've suffered since the tsunami in 2011.BBC Tokyo correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes gives an insider's view on the current crisis and public reaction to the £300m rescue plan announced this week. Plus, Prof Neil Hyatt from Sheffield University describes the challenges ahead in building the ice wall, and decontaminating the water used to cool the crippled nuclear reactors.Amongst the many challenges of sending a manned mission to Mars is the problem of 'menu fatigue'. Eating the same ready meals for several years could send anyone over the edge. NASA recently completed a four month Mars simulation on a barren volcano in Hawaii, their mission was to invent dishes to recreate on the Red Planet. Cooking doesn't get tougher than this.School practicals may be popular with students and teachers but recent research suggests that they might not be a useful way to teach science. Is the aim to train up the technicians of the future, or teach children how to think scientifically? Science teacher and writer Alom Shaha and Prof Jim Iley, from the Royal Society of Chemistry, discuss how to make science demo more effective. And the best way to make cheese on toast.Finally, Dr Pete Etchells from the University of Bath shows us his instrument - an eye-tracker used in psychology experiments. Recent applications include discovering why professional cricketers are better than amateurs, and whether horses are conscious.
In the March edition of the RA Podcast, Alom Shaha discusses Islam's problem with evolution, the new President of the BHA Jim Al-Khalili tells us why it's time for a more accommodating approach to religion, humanist chaplain Chris Stedman makes the case for inter-faith, and comedian Stewart Lee bemoans the lengths to which parents must go to get their kids into faith schools. Length: 25:36 Music by Andrea Rocca
This podcast is part of a series of interviews with science communicators about science communication. Today we are Speaking to… Alom Shaha. This is a special podcast interview with Alom Shaha, a science teacher, science communicator and author of The Young Atheists Handbook. Useful links: Why is Science important? Imperial College MSc science communication You can follow […]The post Speaking to… Alom Shaha appeared first on Speaking of Science » Podcast Feed.
Can art fulfill the purpose of religion in a pluralist, secular society? Can we reconcile religious dogma with individual artistic creativity? FT arts editor Jan Dalley discusses the long and sometimes fraught relationship between religion and art with Alom Shaha, physics teacher, film-maker and author of "The Young Atheist's Handbook", history painter Tom de Freston, and art critic Richard Cork. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
"Lots of people just passively accept the religious identity they’re born with." Alom Shaha, author of the Young Atheist's Handbook, describes how he came to give up Islam. This is the first podcast in our new series on religion and non belief in contemporary society in partnership with New Humanist magazine.
In today’s episode, I speak to Alom Shaha, a science teacher and communicator from the UK. Alom has worked on television shows researching science, and is well known in science communication circles. He recently published a book called The Young Atheists Handbook, and spoke to me about his views on science, religion, freedom from religion, […]
Alom Shaha talks Science