Commentary pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Investigating Chemistry: An Interview with Jesse Bernstein, 2011 Conant Award Winner Jesse D. Bernstein*,† and Erica K. Jacobsen‡ †
Science Department, Miami Country Day School, Miami Shores, Florida 33161, United States Journal of Chemical Education, The Dalles, Oregon 97058, United States
‡
ABSTRACT: This interview with the recipient of the 2011 James Bryant Conant Award for High School Chemistry teaching, Jesse Bernstein, conducted by JCE Precollege Associate Editor, Erica K. Jacobsen, highlights the teaching philosophies and practices of a remarkable chemistry teacher. KEYWORDS: General Public, High School/Introductory Chemistry FEATURE: Award Address
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RECEIVING THE AWARD
and some that were not specifically there. My sister also helped me with a science presentation that involved some chemistry. A friend of my sister’s who was taking chemistry in high school showed me some neat chemistry with potassium permanganate and glycerin. After these experiences, it didn’t take too much else to get me interested in chemistry. Although I had an interest in both medicine and dentistry, I began my college days as a chemistry major.2 I never looked back on the decision I made at the start of my undergraduate years. As a junior at SUNY Buffalo I had my first course with Ted Beachley. I didn’t know it then, but I would spend my graduate days in his research group working on organo-aluminum chemistry. Ted was a great influence on me not just as a researcher; he was an excellent example when it came to his dedication both in the classroom teaching a concept and in the laboratory whether it was mastering techniques or trying to figure out what was occurring on the microscopic level. Further, he demonstrated by example that chemistry is not a nine-to-five job, coming in to work at eight in the morning and leaving late in the afternoon. Saturday mornings were often a time when the entire research group was found working in the lab, experimenting without distractions. Even so, Ted showed that there was also a time to put down the temperature baths and shut down the vacuum line that we used for research and break out the fishing gear or the softball bat and glove.
The Conant Award is the highest award that a high school chemistry teacher can receive. What does winning the award mean to you, both personally and professionally? What did it mean to your students, colleagues, and administrators?
It is a great honor to be a recipient of an award, and an even greater honor to be named by a group of your peers, especially when the award is in the area of your profession. When I began in the profession of teaching chemistry, I had no thoughts about being honored as I have. In fact, I do not believe that I was even aware of the existence of the James Bryant Conant Award1 even though I have been a member of the American Chemical Society since I earned my B.A. degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo). Personally, I am somewhat humbled by all of the accolades that I have received. I have been congratulated by current colleagues and administrators from Miami Country Day School and I guess that is to be expected. In addition, I have received many e-mails from former colleagues and administrators from my former school, Hawken School. What really made my day have been the e-mails that I have received from former students of mine who are currently teaching chemistry at both the high school and college level. Not only did they offer congratulations, but they also reflected on their positive experiences while taking chemistry classes from me. Chemistry friends across the country with whom I have worked have offered their well wishes, too. What I can say, however, is that this award is not the end of a career but a confirmation that what I am doing for teachers and students of chemistry should continue; I intend to do just that.
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Are you aware of personal characteristics that helped you become an award winner? Are there especially effective ways that you go above and beyond minimum requirements?
Sometimes we learn best by observing others, even when the person doing the observing as well as the one being observed are unaware of what is transpiring. Such was the situation with Ted Beachley and me. Over those four years of graduate work, I had many, many occasions to observe Ted doing his own research in the laboratory. He was exceedingly careful and thorough in his research. If something didn’t work the first time, he never gave up when he thought that it should work. He
BACKGROUND AND TEACHING CAREER
How did your academic background, people, or events influence your choice of a career in chemistry teaching? Have you had a particularly influential teacher or mentor?
My first experience with chemistry was when I was given a Gilbert chemistry set at about the age of 12. My sister and I performed many of the experiments in the instruction booklet © 2012 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
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computer was introduced to high school science in the early 1980s. I, along with another teacher, asked our school if we could order three Apple II computers for our classes. Shortly after their arrival, three of my AP students and I wrote software for the computers that would again alter what I did with my students. We wrote programs that would provide for computerassisted instruction related to chemistry concepts as well as programs for laboratory activities. For more than five years, students of mine would prepare for labs by doing prelab and postlab activities. Additionally, there were programs designed for advanced and remedial work on various concepts. All of these activities disappeared a few years after the Macintosh computer was born, as I was not familiar with the programming of the new operating system. All was not lost at this time, however, as a new method of experimenting was evolving, microscale chemistry. Since microscale materials and techniques have been available, I have been actively engaged in developing and using this technique in my classroom as well as giving presentations and doing workshops to other chemistry teachers. Although CHEM Study is perhaps known by only the older group of chemistry teachers, most of us make use of the ideas behind the program. That program emphasized the use of mathematics and problem solving, as well as a significant laboratory program. The major change to the laboratory program that I now use is one that is no longer that of a “cookbook” approach, but one of inquiry. Few of the labs that I ask students to perform involve confirmation of previously discussed concepts; instead, students learn more about the concepts by discovery using guidance from me. In addition, I have incorporated laboratory scenarios that students are able to relate to as the experiments involve analysis of commercial brand products or that of a forensic type of investigation. Over the past 10 years, the development of electronic media has also played a role in how I approach teaching. I have gone from a chalkboard to a whiteboard to an electronic whiteboard. Although the concepts that I cover are the same, the ability to present videos on demand with a smooth transition as well as being able to save my notes to electronic media has changed the classroom experience somewhat. Further, students who are absent on a given day are able to obtain notes from the classroom that would otherwise have been either lost or obtained from another student. I believe that the student has benefitted from this change in the presentation of materials.
showed us how to question what we were doing and taught us how to reason logically. I also had the pleasure of watching Ted teach the first-year chemistry course over two different years. It was Ted who had the major influence on my not only wanting to teach chemistry, but also how I might approach teaching. I have never looked back since then. In addition, Ted was an influence on my doing demonstrations in the classroom as well as believing in the importance of laboratory experiments performed by students. What are your sources of new and innovative ways to teachthings that will help students and inspire you? Are there educational resources or opportunities you wish were available but are not?
The sources that I have used over the many years of teaching have changed, yet many remain essentially the same. My initial involvement in activities occurred at the local level as I became involved in a chemistry teacher’s discussion group. We met on a regular monthly basis at which time we presented demonstrations and experiments to one another. Through sharing of ideas we learned from one another. I am still involved in this activity, although now this includes going to local, regional, and national meetings of the American Chemical Society, and National Science Teachers Association, as well as conferences such as ChemEd and BCCE. In addition to sitting in on presentations, I have also found it rewarding to do presentations of my own. Further, perhaps the activities that lead to quite a number of ideas are discussions with my chemistry friends. The camaraderie that occurs during the break times is priceless. Over the past few years, I have found that reading questions and teacher’s responses on the Chemed and APChem listservs has also helped me to become a better teacher as some of the topics discussed have resulted in me modifying some of my thoughts on how to approach teaching a variety of concepts. The variety of excellent Web pages has also had an influence on what I use in the classroom and how I go about using the materials. Teaching does not occur only in the classroom. I have had some of my most enjoyable moments working with young children at museums and libraries doing chemistry hands-on activities; the smiles on the children’s faces as they experimented was exceedingly rewarding. I strongly suggest that everyone give this type of teaching a try. Lastly, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of being able to have colleagues with whom I was able to bounce ideas off of. To Jon, Russ, Jeff, and Paul I owe my thanks. Tell us about changes in the teaching and learning of chemistry that have occurred during your teaching career, and describe your reaction(s) to them
Have you had success in writing up and publishing your work? How did you get started; what assistance did you have along that sometimes-rocky path to final publication?
When I started teaching, the program called CHEM Study was in the forefront of chemistry education. The approach was one that students learn chemistry by discovery, in particular through laboratory investigation, and not by memorization. One learned chemistry as opposed to learning about chemistry. This philosophy has guided my teaching throughout my career. Having “grown up” in the chemistry world during my undergraduate and graduate days with a plethora of laboratory experiences, I was perfectly suited to follow this approach toward laboratory work when it came to my teaching. Long after the CHEM Study program sponsored by the National Science Foundation was laid to rest I continued to use the laboratory manual as a guide.3 What followed next was to take me to another realm of laboratory activities. The desktop
Over the course of my career, I have had several articles published. For the major articles, the road to publication was long; sometimes it seemed as if a final version was never going to result. Just when I thought that a final version was in the editor’s hands I was asked to do another revision; either I needed to clarify a statement or provide additional material that would substantiate a point that I was trying to make. Eventually the article was published.4 Now that I am reviewing articles for that same journal, I am able to see more clearly what it was that I was not including and why it is so necessary to include supporting materials. 426
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RELATIONSHIP WITH STUDENTS
Why do you think it is important for students to take chemistry? What do you hope they will gain being in your class?
I believe that it is extremely important for everyone to understand and be able to explain the world around them. This will allow each student to be able to make informed decisions about the quality of life, the environment they will live in, health issues, and views of the world. Chemistry is a course that involves problem solving, logical thought process, and the ability to make use of concepts learned in new situations. It is my expectation that a student completing a chemistry course will be able to accomplish all of these facets.
Figure 3. Investigating the “death” of a prominent person using chemical and physical techniques.
when we are one day away from a vacation. Chemistry would not be as enjoyable without showing some humility on my part. I often find myself showing cartoons as well as offering puns galore all related to chemistry in my attempt to demonstrate that chemistry teachers are human and that all students can learn chemistry.
Are there things you do to make chemistry come alive for your students? Do you have a particularly successful method for encouraging them to strive academically?
Two of the best ways I know of to make chemistry come alive are to do demonstrations that are fun to view and are related directly to the concept being discussed (Figures 1 and 2), and
Advising students about career choices will necessarily vary with each individual, but is there an underlying theme that you could share with our readers?
I believe that one’s education is a priority when it comes to teaching. It should be obvious that knowledge of chemistry goes without saying. However, what of other subjects? Students should take as many science and mathematics courses as possible. In addition, to be able to communicate effectively, courses in English are important as well. The world is growing smaller each year, so it seems to me that one should become facile with a foreign language. Whatever area of study is eventually chosen as a major, taking challenging courses should be of primary importance to each person.
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Figure 1. Using knowledge of the thermodynamics of calcium oxide reacting with water to cook breakfast eggs.
SUMMING UP
What advice would you give to prospective teachers or those just starting out in a teaching career? What has helped you guard against the complacency that can come from many years in the same job? Do you have a quotation or anecdote that has guided or sustained you professionally?
Get a solid background in chemistry and make certain that the mathematics studied is compatible with the level of chemistry to be taught. Try new things each year. Find a chemistry group in your region and attend meetings and workshops. These are the places where you will get most if not all of your questions answered; not necessarily by the leader of the workshop but by the participants of the workshop. Join a chemistry listserv. Reading about other peoples’ concerns often will get you thinking about what you might do to improve the chemistry in your classroom. Experiment with what you have been doing. Try modifying what you have done to improve upon the presentations as a student of chemistry. I have always loved experimenting. For me, it has been a challenge to explore the unknown. It may sound corny but in effect it has always been me against the elements; sometimes I win and sometimes I do not. The key to experimenting is to not give up. I observed this firsthand watching my graduate research advisor, Ted Beachley. I also learned from Ted that the “work day” does not end, necessarily at a particular time or a particular day. I find myself getting to work earlier than required and staying later than expected. I also find myself offering help to colleagues when they are having difficulty with a concept or want to find an experiment that fits into a section of the course. For many years, I have gone by the motto, “Do your best.” I preached this
Figure 2. Learning to soar using the knowledge of gas law chemistry.
to have students do experiments that are directly related to the concept being discussed. To be most effective, I require students to have to prepare ahead of time for the activity. In addition, these experiments often are related to the topic of forensic science. Students love to do labs that investigate activities that often involve a real-world problem by a perpetrator of an illegal activity (Figure 3). I also involve students during Mole Day (October 23), wherein they are active in preparing a mole having a theme. I also provide additional activities that require coupling concepts studied to original projects. Furthermore, students get to listen to songs related to many of the chemical concepts studied; especially, students hear most of the songs written and sung by Michael Offutt. We also do several make-and-take activities 427
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motto to both of my children as they went through school and I still tell my students this. I have this motto on the front screen of my cell phone. As an award-winning teacher, your voice may now get a fuller hearing. Is there anything you would suggest to those who shape education in this country that would enable teachers to do a better job in the classroom? That would attract and keep the best teachers in the classroom?
There is no doubt that a college education can be rather costly. I would strongly urge the U.S. Congress to provide a means by which teachers of science were able to get financial assistance for their coursework in science and in science education. In addition, I believe that it is important that summer programs be made available similar to what was available from NSF, the Dreyfus Foundation Workshops, quite a number of years ago and picked up by Flinn Scientific for a number of years ago but stopped after 2008. The American Chemical Society should provide a considerably reduced rate for joining the Society by high school teachers. Increase the summer programs for young students to encourage and maintain their interest in chemistry. Perhaps pairing high school students with a college or university professor might increase the number of students going into the physical sciences.
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AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
*E-mail:
[email protected].
REFERENCES
(1) This award of the American Chemical Society (ACS) is intended to recognize, encourage, and stimulate outstanding teachers of high school chemistry in the United States, its possessions or territories, at the national level. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. sponsors the award, which consists of $5000 and a certificate. Reasonable travel expenses to the national ACS meeting at which the award is presented will be reimbursed. A certificate will also be provided to the recipient’s institution for display. Any individual, except a currently enrolled student of the nominee or a member of the award selection committee, may submit one nomination or support form in any given year. Local Sections of the ACS are especially encouraged to submit nominations for the award. The nominee must be actively engaged in the teaching of chemistry in a high school (grades 9−12). Information about a candidate’s attributes as well as nomination procedures are available from ACS. Go to http://www.acs.org/ (accessed Jan 2012), choose Funding & Awards > Awards > National Awards, and then find the James Bryant Conant Award in the alphabetical List of National Awards. (2) Jesse Bernstein has been teaching chemistry through advanced placement at Miami Country Day School in south Florida for the past 4+ years. Prior to this, he was a chemistry teacher for 33 years at Hawken School in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. He earned both his B.A. and Ph.D. at SUNY Buffalo, focusing on organometallic chemistry of aluminum for his doctoral thesis. He was a mentor for the U.S. Chemistry Olympiad Team in 1998−2000. He has authored or coauthored three chemistry laboratory manuals as well as having taught a variety of courses, including A.P. chemistry, honors chemistry, and grade-level chemistry, along with quantitative and qualitative analysis, forensic science, and environmental science. In addition to this, Jesse has been a presenter at many conferences and has organized and presented at numerous workshops during his many years of teaching. He currently resides in south Florida along with his wife Sandy and their dog, Skadi. (3) Cotton, F. A. Chemistry, An Experimental Science; W. H. Freeman: San Francisco, CA, 1963. (4) Bernstein, J. A Recipe for Inquiry. The Science Teacher 2003, 70 (6), 60−64. 428
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