Blog 6: Second Interview Questions

Questions:

1. What got you interested in teaching chemistry?

2. Was there anyone in particular that helped you choose this career? i.e. (Did he have his own mentor?)

3. How did this organization come to be? (The class he teaches is taught at a church so why?)

4. Why do you think chemistry is important in a high school student's education?

5. How long have you been teaching? or How long have you been studying chemistry?

6. When did you become interested in the topic? Was there any specific events that made you decide you would teach for a living or study chemistry?

Blog 4: Working Essential Question

The Pentagon: 
(1) Positive Statement: What positive thing happen as a result of what you have completed so far?
I have been able to study more for the SAT subject test and been able to interact with chemistry teachers and students to get more information for what I want to do with my future because of the senior project so far. The research has been proven to be really helpful and intriguing; I know that I will be able to use it for both my 2 hour and my future classroom.

(2) EQ Content:  Pick a piece of research or your interview.  How has it helped you improve your understanding of your topic?
After reading "Making Chemistry Teaching Relevant" by Jack Holbrook, I now understand the topic that most teachers have to deal with: how to make students interested and actually care about chemistry. In my eyes, a good chemistry teacher can get students to fall in love with the subject; I want to be able to do that with my students. 


(3) What has worked for you so far in the senior project?
Although finding research was hard at first, now I feel as if my research is very helpful and topical. I enjoy reading it, and I believe it will help me pass my SAT chemistry test as well. 


(4) What hasn't worked so far?  
Because chemistry teachers have to use potentially dangerous chemicals in their experiments, none, that are close, have been willing to mentor me so far. Hopefully as the year goes by it will get easier to find a mentor willing to let me shadow him/her for the rest of the year. 

(5) Finding Value:  

a) What possible question or questions come to mind regarding what you would like to study this year?
I want to know what I can do to be the best chemistry teacher to my students. I want to be able to teach my class accordingly and help students realize how valuable and relevant chemistry is in everyday life. 
(What can I do to interest my students into chemistry?
 What kind of teachers do students learn from the best?)

b) What is your end goal this year with your senior project?
I want to know what I am in for during college and later in my career. I know that I want to major in chemistry and receive a minor in teaching, and I want to understand how many jobs will be opening when I graduate. I also want to have a head 

c) Who would you like to talk to you next? Why?   
Dr. Holbrook, who wrote the article mentioned in 2, would be my ideal candidate because his piece has helped me quite a bit this year already. I have his email so maybe I can reach him, but if not I plan to interview a college professor named Dr. Page. 

Science Fair: Blog A - Problem Statement

Topic: Teaching Chemistry

1. a) Not enough money are put into chemistry labs.
    b) Once I become a teacher, I will ensure that my classes are stocked with necessary materials by applying for grants.

2. a) According to article 8, "The Challenge of Effective Teaching of Chemistry: A Case Study" students can't pass the general education chemistry class in college because the standards are immensely different.
    b) I would publish a paper explaining how this effects chemistry students and how to improve it by increasing the standards in high school and possibly creating chemistry in junior high or elementary school, without the use of dangerous chemicals.

3. a) Students don't find enough relevance of chemistry to take it seriously in high school according to Jack Holbrook, Secretary of ICASE.

    b)  Once I become a teacher, I will teach my class by covering relevant topics as introduced in the article Chun Wu and Jordan Foos and shown to the right. 

Blog 3: Interview Preparation

1.  I plan to ask Ted Crutchfield, my grandfather. He graduated with a a degree in chemistry, and is currently works as a substitute chemistry teacher. He worked in research and development for the beginning of his career, and his legacy is that he created the first home pregnancy test. He is the first person that got me interested in chemistry so I believe that he would be the perfect person to help me start my research.  

2.
Required:   • I'm interested in studying chemistry. What can you tell me about it?
                  • From your perspective, what could I study that would be significant to other people?
                  • Who else would you recommend I talk to?
                  • What kinds of places and activities do you recommend I do for the mentorship component?
                  • What books should I read in this field? Who else can I interview?
Additional: • What got you started in chemistry? Why did you transfer to teaching it?

                  • From your experience what is the best method of teaching? 

                  • How do you develop a lesson plan?

                  • What are the procedures you run your labs by?

Blog 2: Topic Choice

Topic: Teaching Chemistry

I chose this topic because I really enjoy chemistry; I was raised with it as a child because of my grandfather who was a biochemist. I never really connected with it though until last year in Mr. Pang's class. It made perfect sense to me, and it excited me every time we did a lab. (Although I don't think he ever realized that.) This summer, while cleaning out a cabinet, I found an old chemistry set that has never been used. As pathetic as it sounds, I believe that was the highlight of my summer being able to look through the instructional pamphlet and at the chemicals. The reason why I don't want to just study chemistry though is because I always wanted to be a teacher, which again is in my family. I love talking and tutoring whenever I can, and I thoroughly enjoy explaining things to people. I am actually really excited about being able to study this topic because I want to actually do this with my life.

ESLERS:

    • iPoly Citizen: I want to stay up to date with any new inventions and news about new resources and techniques that chemistry teachers are currently using as opposed to what they did in the past. For example using interactive periodic tables and websites that allow interactive learning. I will always be mindful of the high school I will mentor at and never be tardy when they are helping me succeed. Lastly, I will not procrastinate on doing my project and my service learning hours.

    • Communicator: I plan to tutor juniors whenever they need help, and will be available to them during my free time. I want to be able to demonstrate easy methods to get to the answer depending on what the junior prefers to use. I want them to be able to come to me with questions so I can help as much as I can, and in return they help me with my senior project.

    • Learner: I plan to study independently and join a college level chemistry course to learn more about chemistry itself even if it doesn't count for my mentorship hours because I believe the class will help me with my academics and allow me to solve problems dealing with my subject. By the end of the course I want to be able to completely grasp the concept of chemistry so that when I teach it, I can appropriately display it through my own way. I will also be studying for my chemistry SAT which will also help me reach this goal. When I finally am allowed to teach and work with the students in a high school I will hopefully be ready to answer any problem that comes to mind.

    • Technology: In chemistry, graphs and tables are necessary for organizing information. I will be able to use the computer to create these so excel will be my new best friend. I also want to be able to use the internet to find podcasts and other informational pieces using technology which I haven't really used before.