Chemical Education Today
Especially for High School Teachers
by J. Emory Howell
The Central Role of Science Teachers
in the fundamental need to grow professionally and continually add to your repertoire of teaching skills and science knowledge. Individual initiative truly characterizes JCE ’s high “If students gave teachers more time, they would likely learn school teacher readership. But what can an individual teacher more. Sometimes students do not give enough time to be really do? Wait for legislatures and school boards to take successful. Rarely do they give enough time to achieve exceldecisive steps to improve working conditions and pay teachers lence.… In our experience, specific instructional modifications an equitable salary? Wait for a ground swell of public support encourage students to give of their time” (from “Time and Teachfor adequate funding? Wait for Congress to fund summer ing”, pp 714–715). The four authors of this article discuss institutes that meet real professional development needs for the issue of time in detail, with illustrations from the literature teachers? and their collective teaching experience. Certainly we need to work toward these goals, but many If time is an issue for you and your students I encourteachers are not waiting for such large-scale changes to occur. age you to read this article. It caused me to reflect on the One example that I witnessed recently stands out clearly in my central role of the teacher in the learning process, especially mind. In her Conant Award Address at the on the facets of teaching and learning that ACS High School Day Program in San Dithe teacher can control or influence. As a ego on April 3, 2001, Barbara Sitzman beginning teacher many years ago, I probspoke with conviction of the critical need ably would not have done well with some for experienced teachers to mentor new of the modifications discussed in the article. teachers. Speaking from both experience Not because experiential learning was neand personal observation, she described the glected in my preservice education (it was power of mentoring to help new teachers stressed, albeit not to the degree it is today) through the critical early years of teaching. or because I lacked a science background (I She reminded the audience of the alarmhad a strong science and mathematics backingly high proportion of new teachers who ground), but because I needed to sharpen Kelli Bennett of the Secondary School the required skills through teaching experi- Office demonstrates a Cartesian Diver leave the profession within the first two or ence, interaction with experienced teachers, at the JCE booth at the NSTA meeting three years and she appealed to her listeners to become mentors. What about you? Are and professional development. I was fortu- in St. Louis. you mentoring a new teacher? In honor of nate to have daily contact with an experiBarbara Sitzman and all teachers who mentor, I challenge you enced teacher who shared ideas and resources freely and conto take a proactive stance by remaining focused on what you tinually encouraged me in my teaching pursuits. Although can do today for a new teacher. If you are a new teacher, I he would not have considered himself a mentor, that is exencourage you to seek out an experienced teacher who will actly the role he filled for me. This relationship coupled with share his or her experience and answer your questions as you NSF-funded summer institutes fueled professional developencounter unfamiliar situations. And, of course whether menment opportunities that related directly to the experience I tor or mentored, don’t fail to look to the resources of the was gaining in the classroom. Journal of Chemical Education! The resource I depend on to this day is the Journal of Chemical Education. As a young high school teacher I needed Search for a New Secondary School Chemistry Editor all available help, and here was a journal filled with demonstrations, teaching strategies, and new developments in chemMy five-year term as Secondary School Chemistry Ediistry. I literally had professional development delivered to my tor is coming to a close. I am excited about the direction the desk each month. Journal has taken in relation to high school teachers, and chalIt is estimated that two-thirds of the current teaching force lenge my successor to remain focused on the changing needs will retire in the next ten years. The gravity of the situation is of high school teachers so that the Journal may continue to highlighted in Before It’s Too Late (1). John Moore discussed be the resource for teachers, both new and seasoned. If you the report in his December 2000 editorial (2) so I will simhave a vision of how to carry on JCE ’s mission for high school ply remind you that the report emphasizes the relationship beteachers, I encourage you to refer to page 723 for more intween effective teaching and learning. An emphasis on the formation about the position and how to apply for it. professional development of teachers and improvement of science and mathematics teaching is found also in President Bush’s Literature Cited initial educational position statement, No Child Left Behind (3), and the related bills that are currently before the House, 1. National Commission on Mathematics and Science Education H.R.1, and the Senate, S.1. for the 21st Century, Before It’s Too Late, http://www.ed.gov/ Meaningful legislation may or may not result from either americacounts/glenn/toc.html (accessed Apr 2001). report, but there is definitely a critical need for an ample force 2. Moore, J. W. J. Chem. Educ. 2000, 77, 1535. of well-prepared science and mathematics teachers. I doubt 3. Bush, G. W. No Child Left Behind; http://america_counts@ that you would be reading JCE right now if you did not believe ed.gov/inits/nclb/index.html (accessed Apr 2001). JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu • Vol. 78 No. 6 June 2001 • Journal of Chemical Education
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