Chemical Education Today
Especially for High School Teachers by Laura Slocum
Meet the New Kid on the Block content-rich experience for secondary educators. Five of the WOW!!! That was the first response that came to my seven symposia related directly to the National Science Eduhead when John Moore talked to me about becoming the cation Standards: Science Content Standards (3). Secondary School Associate Editor, and I am glad that it was I know how hard it can be to teach classes, grade panot what I said. Since that time, it is what I have frequently pers, manage a classroom, and do the thousands of other tasks said to myself. I never fully appreciated all the work that goes we are all expected to accomplish. Those tasks are not why into producing one issue of the Journal, let alone a whole we teach; rather it is the gleam in a student’s eye who finally year or more. As Erica Jacobsen mentions in her column (opunderstands stoichiometry (and can then do the problemposite page), these past few months have been one big “Joursolving independently) or who masters titrating to a nal” learning experience for me. “light” pink endpoint. This is what drives us! However, I received my first copy of JCE right the tasks can be overwhelming for many teachers, espeafter I graduated with my B.A. in chemiscially new teachers. They need encouragement and suptry from Western Connecticut State Uniport. I want to be able to give it to them, just as so many versity in June, 1990 from one of the others have given it to me. faculty members. I was headed to the UniOne of the ways that I have started giving back is versity of Notre Dame to begin work on through local, regional, and national involvement in the my Ph.D. in organic chemistry—still my ACS, especially in DivCHED. Serving as an Alternate passion—and I remember thinking, “nice journal, but why do I need this, I am go- Marigolds—a good Councilor of the Division has allowed me to see that there ing to be a synthetic organic chemist and source for natural dye. are many opportunities for high school teachers to serve on a variety of committees. Each of these committees preteach organic chemistry at a research unisented a report to the Executive Committee meeting at the versity”. At that time, my favorite article was James Schreck Fall National ACS Meeting in San Francisco last September. and Marvin Lang’s “Chemistry on Stamps” feature article A number of these Committee Reports appear in this issue about the Nobel laureates (1). Yes, I still have that issue; it is (p 20). Those in attendance at the Executive Committee the first in my collection. meeting were asked specifically for names of high school Through a series of crazy circumstances, I ended up back teachers interested in serving on any of the Division’s comin Connecticut, teaching high school chemistry at Greens mittees. I strongly encourage you to consider becoming a Farms Academy (GFA). Once I settled in, I went through committee member. Contact Donald Wink, Division Secremy own collection of chemistry education materials. I found tary, if you are interested (contact information given on p 32). my first copy of the Journal, went through it page by page, I still have lots to learn about being an editor. I am both and discovered several things that I could use in my classexcited and apprehensive about this opportunity. I will conroom. Helen Stone’s “I Remember a Single Red Rose” was tinue to advance the many high school-teacher focused acespecially encouraging (2). I found her suggestion about ustivities underway at JCE. I especially encourage more high ing “Pictures in the Mind” especially intriguing and often school teachers to subscribe to and write for the Journal. You’re use these and analogies to explain abstract concepts. I dedoing great things in your classroom—share them with us. cided to subscribe immediately. My first issue arrived later Not sure where to begin? How about sending us one of your that school year, in April, 1993. I have been teaching for 15 activities or laboratory experiments? years now and have always found insightful, encouraging, and The Classroom Activity “Cooking Up Colors from useful ideas in each issue of the Journal. I especially like havPlants, Fabrics, and Metal” (pp 96 A–B) is an excellent ing 䊕 in the table of contents to designate articles of special example of where you might start. In this activity, students interest to high school teachers, something that was instituted use natural products—tea leaves and marigolds—to prepare when Emory Howell became Secondary School Editor. Diana and test the absorbance and steadfastness of dye products on Mason, Erica, and many others on the JCE staff worked tirea variety of fabrics. I really like this activity; the preparation lessly to find new ways to reach out to the pre-college comtime is not extensive and all that is involved in the dyeing munity of educators. We all owe them a BIG thanks!!! process fascinates students. For the last six years, I have been helping my fellow faculty members launch a new high school on the north side of Indianapolis—University High School of Indiana. It has been Literature Cited quite a learning experience, and this spring we will move into our new academic building. I spent the two years between 1. Schreck, J. O.; Lang, C. M. J. Chem. Educ. 1990, 67, 451– GFA and University High School as a graduate student at 456. Ball State University working with Marcy Towns. She was a 2. Stone, H. J. Chem. Educ. 1990, 67, 494-496. wonderful mentor and encouraged me to share my passion 3. National Science Education Standards: Science Content Stanfor teaching with my colleagues. Over the past two years, I dards. http://newton.nap.edu/html/nses/6a.html (accessed Nov worked with the 19th BCCE committee planning a strong, 2006). 8
Journal of Chemical Education
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Vol. 84 No. 1 January 2007
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www.JCE.DivCHED.org
