The maintenance, handling, and distribution of equipment and reagents used in a school science laboratory is the responsibility of a school science technician. Technicians are frequently asked to assist and instruct students in laboratory procedures and required safety precautions. This frequently necessitates close collaboration with teachers and other science department personnel. A school science technician should also be able to troubleshoot procedures that go wrong and provide emergency care to students who have been involved in laboratory accidents. In the absence of science professors, technicians may be asked to fill in as substitute teachers.
The majority of a school science technician’s responsibilities are performed in the school laboratory, where the technician is in charge of acquiring and maintaining the various implements, chemicals, and other materials used in class. All lab tools, from tongs to microscopes, should be in good working order and calibrated, according to the technician. He must also ensure that all chemical reagents are in sufficient quantities and that all solutions are prepared as directed. The technician’s job is to look after all living organisms in the lab, such as bacterial cultures and dissection animals. A school science technician’s responsibilities also include the upkeep of additional teaching resources such as slides and projectors.
A school science technician’s responsibilities often extend to an instructional role in many schools; the technician frequently assists teachers in demonstrating proper laboratory equipment use as well as necessary safety procedures for lab work. This includes instructing students on how to calibrate measuring instruments, control heating implements, and clean up after themselves. In order to avoid any potential harm, technicians should also teach students how to properly handle chemicals and organic specimens. A school science technician should know how to administer first aid in the event that a student has an accident while performing a laboratory procedure. In general, the technician should be available to help students who are having trouble with their assignments.
Because technicians are sometimes asked to assist with lectures, school science technician requirements frequently include a college education in a scientific field. Technicians frequently find themselves having to explain important principles to students, despite the fact that the level of knowledge required to be effective at a technician’s usual responsibilities is lower than that of a professor. A school science technician with a thorough understanding of the subject will be more effective at his job and capable of assisting students in learning.