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In this episode, Dr. Peter Dalmaris and Marcus Schappi talk with Josh Cox.
Josh Cox founded Reptile Encounters in 2007, following a lifelong interest in Australian wildlife. With two parents with teaching backgrounds, the idea was born to take animals into classrooms and educate students about nature.
Josh is the soon-to-be author of Better Humans: Empower your students to save the planet. He has a degree in Medical Science from LaTrobe University and worked in the pharmaceutical industry prior to starting Reptile Encounters.
This is Stemiverse podcast episode 23.
Stemiverse podcast is brought to you by Tech Explorations, a leading provider of educational resources for Makers, STEM students, and teachers. Go to techexplorations.com to see a complete list of our books and courses covering the Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and electronics.
Show Notes
- [spp-timestamp time=”00:00″] Introduction – Introducing Josh Cox
- [spp-timestamp time=”02:44″] Josh talks about his background, his relationship to Education and his pet Parrot
- [spp-timestamp time=”05:47″] How does one buy a reptile?
- [spp-timestamp time=”07:34″] What came first for Josh? Love for education or love for animals?
- [spp-timestamp time=”08:15″] Josh describes his Educational Show, Reptile Encounters
- [spp-timestamp time=”09:30″] Size of the animals in Reptile Encounters
- [spp-timestamp time=”10:28″] Age of the audience of Josh’s show
- [spp-timestamp time=”11:06″] How did Josh develop his curriculum without formal teacher training?
- [spp-timestamp time=”11:49″] Is there a need for training certification in Victoria? How to acquire a demonstration license that allows taking animals into schools
- [spp-timestamp time=”12:53″] How Josh finds people for his staff
- [spp-timestamp time=”13:36″] The emotional transformation of a child when encountering a wild animal for the first time
- [spp-timestamp time=”15:36″] An example story from a birthday party
- [spp-timestamp time=”16:10″] The hardest thing when doing a show working with animals and children
- [spp-timestamp time=”17:34″] Structure of a Reptile Encounters show
- [spp-timestamp time=”19:07″] How does Josh know when the goals of each class have been reached?
- [spp-timestamp time=”20:18″] Has Josh found children that are not interested in pythons?
- [spp-timestamp time=”21:06″] How much does the show cost?
- [spp-timestamp time=”21:35″] Why is it important for kids to be exposed to reptiles and other native animals? The importance of getting in touch with Nature
- [spp-timestamp time=”26:50″] If Josh was the Minister of Education what would he change?
- [spp-timestamp time=”27:49″] Current state of the Australian curriculum regarding nature subjects: The example of ResourceSmart Schools
- [spp-timestamp time=”28:40″] As a principal or teacher, how to go about introducing more nature in the curriculum?
- [spp-timestamp time=”29:29″] What type of animal Josh recommends for teachers as a classroom pet
- [spp-timestamp time=”32:06″] Breeding Programs
- [spp-timestamp time=”32:36″] Josh talks about the book he is writing, “Better Humans”
- [spp-timestamp time=”34:46″] The connection between disrespecting animals and nature and disrespecting material possessions and even humans
- [spp-timestamp time=”36:51″] Are rural kids more or less empathetic to the animals?
- [spp-timestamp time=”37:44″] Reconnecting our children with nature makes them better humans
- [spp-timestamp time=”38:40″] Josh’s main mission, teaching behavior alongside biology
- [spp-timestamp time=”40:13″] Learning how to teach when you’re not a classically trained educator and who has influenced Josh on shaping the way he teaches
- [spp-timestamp time=”42:02″] Are new educators ready to teach important topics such as sustainability and preservation of natural resources and what can they do to prepare themselves?
- [spp-timestamp time=”43:49″] Advice, tips and tricks for educators that put on shows or educational seminars for kids
- [spp-timestamp time=”45:15″] Josh’s role models: David Attenborough and Steve Irwin
- [spp-timestamp time=”46:27″] What Josh knows after ten years that he wished he knew when he was starting out
- [spp-timestamp time=”47:17″] Josh’s relationship to programming languages and a funny robot story
- [spp-timestamp time=”48:32″] Parting thoughts, dos and don’ts: Reptile Encounters Website