Sharing Knowledge and Attitudes Many students and practitioners are attracted t o the chemical sciences because they are useful and a t the same time rapidly evolving disciplines. The utilitarian character of the chemical sciences appeal naturally to those of a practical bent. A less prevelant, although possibly an even stronger attraction for some, derives from the realization that there are many opportunities to become involved in the exciting processes of refining the details-perhaps even affecting the principles--of this science. The recognition that chemistry is still a developing science can be a powerful intellectual stimulus which captures the imagination of certain kinds of students. Although young people may be aware of some aspects of chemistry through previous experiences, their first formal exposure to the excitement and challenge that practicing chemists feel for this discipline probably occurs in high school. I t is for this reson that high school chemistry teachers, their role, and their attitudes are critically important. They stand a t the fork in the road. High school teachers are in a position to introduce students to the excitement of the chemical sciences and to the breadth and variety of their utilitarian aspects and intellectual components. Logic dictates that these teachers should have the best and most current general knowledge of the subject that we can provide. Yet, unfortunately, the reality of the situation is that the nature of secondary school teaching generally provides precious little opportunity for the professional growth of chemistry teachers. That teachers of chemistry have an extra burden in keeping up with their subject is not surprising. This fact was recognized by the National Science Foundation in the 1960's when summer institutes were organized to provide a mechanism by which high school teachers could acquire new knowledge and insights about their subject. The demise of this program left a conspicuous void in the system of continuing education for high school chemistry teachers. Hopefully, the NSF's new focus on secondary education will recoup some of the lost ground. While the NSF establishes the details of its direction in this regard, and as a supplement to its efforts regardless of direction, the essence of summer institutes can be recreated on a local level with minimal funds using local resources. Although these local arrangements may lack some of the conveniences and niceties associated with a single source of funds, they are viable alternatives. The fact that a number of successful summer institutes for chemistry teachers have been organized during the last few years with support from the
private sector suggests that it is possible with a little extra effort to focus all concerned-high school teachers, local school district administrators, college teachers, and college administrators-on a relatively local solution to a common problem. The source of creative energy for a summer high school teachers' institute is the total immersion of mature minds in a subject of mutual interest. The experience is one of sharing knowledge among colleagues. This shared knowledge includes not only the changing technical aspects of the subject but pedagogically oriented information as well. It is really quite remarkable how much a high school teacher and a college teacher have in common, especially when dealing with general chemistry. High school graduates apparently do not undergo some magical metamorphosis during the summer between their senior year in high school and their freshman year in college. The problems students encounter, whether they are associated with the difficulties of passing from the Piagetian concrete to the formal ways of looking at the world or involve a maturity as it is reflected in study habits, are essentially the same regardless of whether one is working with high school seniors or freshman college students. Most imnortantlv. summer teacher institutes are a forum for influencing atti&des. For example, one of the perpetual dilemmas faced bv teachers of introductorv courses involves the pedagogical approach t o the subject."~houldwe teach beginning chemistry as a catechism-what we know? Or, should we focus on the way chemists think about chemistry and do i t w h v we know what we think we know? Either aoproach requirk a clear grasp of a working personal philosophy of tearhinr, which isdifficult toacauire in isolation. Reeardless of t h e approach chosen, the huality of classroo& instruction benefits when teachers have engaged in advanced discussion of the technical details associated with new deof chemistw to velopments in the subiect, the a~olications .. oth& disciplines, and p&gogical questions. Habh Waldo Emerson's comment that "in silence we must wrap much. . .,because it is too fine for speech, because also we cannot explain it to others, and because somewhat we cannot yet understand" might well have been written by a teacher of beginning chemistry. Summer institutes for teachers can help. Those who can marshal the local resources should try to organize one; those who can't should try to attend one. Now is the time to begin planning for next summer. JJL
Volume 61
Number 8 August 1984
653
