Educating the whole child through science: A portrait of an exemplary primary science teacher

This article describes the primary science practice of one teacher as a picture of exemplary professional practice. The teacher, Suzanne Peterson, was a colleague and friend. Her untimely death earlier this year was regarded by those who knew her as a tragic loss to education. As it happens, we have access to many sources of information about Suzanne's practice and the inspiration she gave to her colleagues and her students, so that we find ourselves in a position to be able to reflect on the nature of that practice. This article is an attempt to make sense of exemplary professional practice through Suzanne's pedagogy and the way she perceived it. We hope that her story might engender inspiration, and encourage a deeper understanding of the power of primary school science to educate.