Mistakes, Mentos, and Meaningful Connections
For Doug Walker, head of science at St. Patrick’s College in Wellington, teaching has always been about more than just equations and exam results. With a teaching career that spans 17 years and two hemispheres, his approach is about creating meaningful connections with students, fostering curiosity, and showing young people how science fits into the world around them.
Doug initially began teaching biology in the UK, then found a love for physics. He has dedicated his career to making science accessible, engaging, and relevant for students. He’s taught at schools across New Zealand, including Palmerston North Boys’ High School, before settling into his current leadership role at St. Pat’s.
“The key to good teaching is knowing your students,” Doug says. “I make it a priority at the start of each year to get to know them — what their interests are, what makes them laugh, what motivates them. That way, I can shape my lessons to suit them.”
This student-first philosophy underpins Doug’s teaching approach. He believes in creating learning environments that feel both structured and supportive, where students feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and learning through trial and error.
“I’m a big believer in celebrating mistakes,” Doug explains. “I sometimes make errors during lessons and enjoy seeing students spot them. It lightens the mood and reinforces that mistakes are part of the learning process.”
Neuroscience educator Kathryn Berkett says Doug’s techniques of fronting up to his own mistakes, and taking time to get to know each student are excellent ways of building trust. “Doug’s explicit teaching methods are quite literally allowing his students’ brains to absorb information,” she says.
Doug’s lessons play host to many practical demonstrations and experiments — from marble runs to explosive chemical reactions and the ever-popular Mentos and Coke fountain. These activities, he says, aren’t just for spectacle; they offer hands-on experiences that deepen understanding and help students develop their analytical skills.
“When students physically see or experience a concept, it sticks,” he says. “They remember the smell, the sound, the excitement. That makes it easier for them to recall the underlying science.”
To maintain focus and productivity, Doug relies on non-verbal cues, clear expectations, and well-established routines. But he’s also flexible, adapting his teaching to fit different learning styles and abilities. This adaptability is especially important when introducing competition and collaboration into the classroom — a strategy Doug uses to boost engagement.
“We’ll do races where students work in pairs to solve problems. It gets them moving, thinking fast, and working together,” he says. But it’s not a one-size-fits-all method. When asked how he accommodates neurodiverse students in these high-energy situations, Doug emphasizes the importance of thoughtful pairing and knowing students well enough to ensure the environment remains inclusive.
Ms Berkett says when we compete, we push ourselves into a state where we are working outside of our comfort zone and we will often attempt something beyond what we know we can do, in order to try to ‘win’.
Another cornerstone of Doug’s teaching practice is feedback — and not just at the end of a unit. He prefers using smaller, scaffolded questions throughout a topic to gauge understanding, rather than relying on big, end-of-topic tests. This strategy allows him to address misconceptions early and keep students progressing.
Doug has also drawn on educational research showing that comments alone are often more effective for learning than grades. In his classes, students regularly self-mark their work using official mark schemes before Doug provides his assessment. They then compare the two, identify any discrepancies, and discuss what can be improved.
“It gives them ownership of their learning,” he says. “They start to understand what good work looks like and how to get there. And it’s working — we’ve seen a shift, with fewer ‘not achieved’ grades and more merits and excellences coming through.”
Above all, Doug is committed to ensuring his students leave school with not just academic knowledge, but confidence and curiosity. Teaching general science courses to students from Year 9 through to Year 13, he’s especially mindful of creating pathways for those who might not have previously found success in the classroom.
“Some students arrive with a negative experience of school. I see it as my job to change that — to show them that learning can be fun, that they’re capable of more than they think,” Doug says.