THE TRAINING OF HIGH-SCHOOL CHEMISTRY TEACHERS A. J. CURRIER,PENNSnVANIA STATECOLLEGE, STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA Many teachers look back upon their first year of teaching with a feeling that it was largely a period of trial and error in which many mistakes were made, usually at the expense of their students. Effective teaching of any kind, and particularly the teaching of chemistry in the secondary school, demands a well-organized knowledge of subject-matter and considerable techqic in the method of presentation. This proficiency, in the case of the majority of teachers, is gained in the hard school of experience. A few institutions are attempting to give some preparation to prospective teachers of high-school chemistry, by offering courses designed specifically to that end. Glenn' has recently pointed out the need for general information as to the details of these courses: "What are the present teacher-training facilities with respect to chemistry in typical states? If courses are given dealing with the teaching of high-school chemistry, what do these courses include and what should be included?" The writer has outlined a course, "The Teaching of Chemistry," which is based largely upon problems drawn from his own experience in teaching chemistry in the secondary school. It is a study of the real problems met with in the class-room. The course (three hours weekly for one semester) was first offered in 1924 by the Department of Chemistry of the Pennsylvania State College. The course is elective for students in the School of Education and the School of Chemistry and Physics at this institution and will be given in the coming summer session which is attended largely by teachers. One of the students in the class this year is acting as laboratory assistant and is thereby receiving actual teaching experience. The following outline of topics is used in the course described above: I. History of Instruction in Chemistry in American Schools. A brief study of this topic is undertaken for the purpose of giving the student a knowledge of the factors which have contributed to the development of our modem courses in chemistry. 11. Aims and Content of Instruction (General). 1. Analysis of the present-day courses into general sub-divisions, e. g., theory, practical applications, etc. Relative percentages of students who do and do not attend 2. college; influence of this factor on the kind of instruction given. 3. Various syllabi of courses.
111. Survey of Subject-Matter (in Detail). This work occupies considerable time. Earl R. Glenn, THISJOURNAL, 2, 6704 (1925).
A standard elementary
text-book is used with frequent reference to other books and articles in the literature. The viewpoint is that of: 1. The pupil's everyday experience. 2. Necessary background of the teacher. 3. Method of presentation. Special attention is given to certain topics, e. g.: Acids, bases, salts. Ionization. Chemical calculations. Conservation of matter and energy in chemical changes. Valence. Writing of formulas and equations. Kinetic theory of gases with applications to elementary work. Structure of matter. Demonstration technic. Chemistry in the High-School Curriculum. IV. 1. What is the proper time allowance for recitation, demonstration, and laboratory work? 2. I n what year of the high-school course should chemistry be taught? Why? 3. Should it precede or follow physics? 4. What is the present trend as to the number of students enrolled in these two subjects? 5 . What is a desirable sequence of science for the four years? 6. How can a chemistry teacher cooperate with other teachers? 7. How many teaching hours should be expected?
V.
Special Problems. Comparison of recitation, demonstration, and laboratory work as effective means of instruction. Proper sequence of the above methods. Should boys and girls be placed in separate classes? Examinations in chemistry. Note-books and laboratory manuals. Use of the project method. Use of the inductive method. Lesson planning.
VI. Laboratory Construction, Equipment and Maintenance. 1. Location, lighting and ventilation of the laboratory. 2. Design of tables, drains, and storeroom. 3. Purchase of supplies.
4. Storage, dispensing, and disposing of chemicals. 5. Projection equipment. 6. First-aid equipment and responsibility of the teacher in case of accidents. 7. Attitude of the teacher in laboratory work.
VII. Professional Advancement of the Teacher. 1. What other subjects may he be expected to teach? 2. What organizations are helpful? 3. Teachers' literature. 4. Should research or analytical and consulting work he done? 5. What formal study should he done? 6. Various fields for promotion.
It should he emphasized again and again that high-school chemistry is for the most part a means to an end rather than an end in itself. We must teach our high-school pupils a type of chemistry that will he of real value both as to what is learned and how it is learned if we are to get results commensurate with the time and expenditure allotted to it. To accomplish this purpose we must give more attention to the training of our teachers.
