Mind Museum Reaction Paper

Labrador, Ana Micaela

2011–02178

I was never seriously interested in Science. I did have my fleeting moments of wonder, as did every kid when it came to certain phenomenon, such as the mysterious appearances of rainbows, fire, the color of the sea; still, I didn’t grow up wanting to pursue such wonders and just took things at face value. I didn’t understand why things happened; I simply accepted that they did, and that was that. As I grew older, I only drew myself away from the prospect of taking an interest in Science. The daunting terminologies, combined with the complicated anatomical illustrations, deterred me from showing a more forward interest in the subject; I simply didn’t feel smart enough for such pursuits.

When representatives from the Mind Museum came to our STS class for a demonstration, I expected to be bored, bombarded with lengthy terms as if I were back in my Biology 1 classroom, trying to make sense of scientific names that I would surely forget as soon as we turned in our final exams. However, I was pleasantly surprised when these representatives, or ‘Mind Movers,’ as they called themselves, were able to hold my attention throughout the entire demonstration. What amazed me even more was that I didn’t find myself bored; on the contrary, I was rather drawn into the presentation.

What was great about the demonstration was that at the beginning, they made it clear that terminologies weren’t the sole importance of Science. Sure, it was good to know what certain processes and events were called – one cannot avoid such professionalism, after all – but they made it a point to emphasize that Science wasn’t reliant on sheer memorization of such words. What was important is that you understood what was going on. This direct, forward explanation at the beginning of the presentation made me feel more open to what other things they had to share with us.

As the presentation continued, they showed us a series of experiments that involved fire; I appreciated their choice of experiments, because it made me feel like a kid again – drawn to flashy, showy things. Never mind those images I’ve associated with scientists all these years of pouring different colored liquids into various glass tubes over and over again; the explosive effects of the fire were definitely more successful in capturing my interest, and at the end of the demonstrations, I found myself clapping and smiling in awe along with the rest of the audience.

I also appreciated how they showed us ways in which the body can be used to demonstrate the presence of Science all around us. It is a fact that the Philippines is not very immersed in Science, partly because of lack of equipment and tools. Such use of the body is a good and interesting way to learn, especially for kids, who are usually more physically oriented when it comes to learning activities.

I am glad that Mind Museum was able to somewhat transport me back to my childhood, in which I did not feel so much the ‘threat’ of Science, and was, instead, enthralled by it. The folks of Mind Museum did a great job in reigniting my bewilderment in Science once again.