Yannick Bergeron: A completely crazy teacher… of science!

Making science interesting for each student in his class: this is the mission given by teacher Yannick Bergeron, from St-Jean-Vianney College in Montreal. In order to share his passion for the physical sciences and chemistry, he will be the guest of honor at the 12^e edition of the event " Girls and science, an electrifying duo! ”Which will be held on Saturday, February 19 at the École de technologie supérieure in Montreal.

Armed with his multicolored smock and his vials of chemicals, Yannick Bergeron intends to put a touch of madness in the day of the participants, students of 2^e and 3^e secondary. “The sciences are neither flat nor inaccessible,” he explains. "Eat fast food to count calories, make ice cream, or perform experiments on the Les Débrouillards magazine are everyday activities in my classes! This popularization-centered approach earned him, in 2009, the Michael Smith Prize for the Promotion of Science and the title of personality of the week in science La Presse / Radio-Canada.

In science as in mathematics, developing the interest of each student in the class is not easy. Also, for the event Girls and science, this professor who has been teaching for 12 years has chosen his best tips to generate a passion for science. “I did a lot of arts, dance and headed for the theater, before I got hooked on science! »Exclaims Bergeron. “So I like to incorporate these elements into the students' learning, using scenarios and having them dismantle chemicals themselves. " The science fair, where pupils present in public their projects carried out in small groups, is according to him a springboard for the interest of young people in biology, physics and other natural sciences.

The teaching provided by Yannick Bergeron has the ability to hook girls. “A lot of times they take better grades than the boys, which is to their advantage,” he notes. He is convinced that many of his students are motivated by group activities and that they perform particularly well in biology. Bergeron motivates them by explaining the chemical aspects of cosmetics, among other things. He even organized an internship with the manufacturer of cosmetics Marcelle, so that his students discover the usefulness of physics and chemistry in everyday life!

But how do you hook the many girls who are struggling with math? "I use the laboratory, the colored substances, the demonstrations", summarizes Yannick Bergeron. The man who has been writing for the magazine Les Débrouillards for 15 years intends to impress the hundreds of girls who will participate in the event "Girls and science, an electrifying duo!" »No theory on the menu, but rather an enriching popularization.

Note: the event will be held the same day at various other locations in Quebec (without Yannick, unfortunately!). For example, see the schedule for the Quebec region here.