ACS\'s Adopt a Teacher Program

Chemical Education Today

Especially for High School Teachers by Diana S. Mason

ACS’s Adopt a Teacher Program

photo by J. J. Jacobsen & E. K. Jacobsen

How can high school teachers benefit from ACS? Take a look at “A Year for Opportunity” by ACS President Bill Carroll in this year’s first issue of Chemical and Engineering News (1). ACS’s new president promised to be visible, and he certainly is giving it the ol’ college try. In a section headed Secondary Education Carroll turns his attention to high school teachers, noting that ACS has recently passed bylaw changes making it more agreeable for teachers to join. More importantly, Carroll recommends that companies and individuals “Adopt a Teacher”. Here’s an idea: if you are not already associated with your ACS local section, put yourself up for adoption! Tell them Bill Carroll sent you. Your section might help you attend the San Diego ACS meeting March 12–17 (see pp 355–367) or another of the events mentioned later in this article. In San Diego Carroll will host presidential events highlighting what it takes to become a teacher and how several chemists have made career transitions from industry to the classroom. Carroll will also announce an exciting initiative that combines a subscription to this Journal with membership in the ACS Division of Chemical Education for a much lower than normal cost. As usual, there will be High School Day, a program designed especially for you. The more opportunities we have to experience new and exciting presentations by fellow teachers, the better prepared we are for the classroom, and that’s what High School Day is all about. Please promote ACS’s “Adopt a Teacher” program whenever you can, and use it creatively. If you’re like me, I bet you often spend personal funds to buy things for your classroom. You know that you need something for the lab today or some new technology just to try it out. There isn’t time to go through the proper channels for the appropriate funding (which might not be approved anyway), so you just buy it yourself. Why not contact your local ACS section and ask if they are willing to support you, your classroom and school, and your professional development? Articles in this issue provide great ideas for ACS to support. Glickstein (p 391), Smith (p 393), and Stieff (p 489) all target ways that we can help our students connect to chemistry through exploring and interacting with the environment either at the macroscopic or molecular levels. Also check out this month’s Classroom Activity (pp 400A–B) for an inventive way to experience H-bonding, and read Schultz’s supporting information on p 401. High School Program at the San Diego ACS Meeting See pp 355–365 for information about the outstanding DivCHED program in San Diego. Highlights to which you are invited include the CHED social hour and dinner (Saturday, March 12), the High School Day and the High School/ www.JCE.DivCHED.org

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Secondary School Featured Articles 䊕 Putting a Human Face on Equilibrium, by Neil Glickstein, p 391. 䊕 A Supramolecular Approach to Medicinal Chemistry: Medicine Beyond the Molecule, by David K. Smith, p 393. 䊕 JCE Classroom Activity #70: The Nature of Hydrogen Bonding, by Emeric Schultz, p 400A—B.

College Interface Luncheon (Sunday, March 13, p 364), and the ACS Conant Award presentation, “What Am I Doing Here”, by Annis Hapkiewicz (p 364); her many contributions to teaching are described in detail in Chemical and Engineering News (2). While at the ACS meeting be sure to visit JCE at booth #902 in the Convention Center. Admission is free to High School Day participants. NSTA Meeting: Deep in the Heart of Science The NSTA Convention in Dallas, March 31–April 3, offers many interesting sessions and events. Be sure to visit the JCE booth (the booth number is not known at press time). We look forward to meeting and talking with you about the Journal and all the wonderful opportunities it offers you. The NSTA High School Committee’s Chemistry Share Session is 11 a.m.–noon on April 1 in the Majestic 5 room of the Adam’s Mark Hotel. Also, the High School Breakfast will be April 1 from 7–8:30 a.m. in the Majestic 6 room at the Adam’s Mark. The featured breakfast speaker will be Richard Olenick, astronomer and physicist, from University of Dallas. There are also more than 120 presentations highlighting all academic levels of chemistry along with the mammoth exhibit hall and a special event sponsored by “The Flinn Morning of Chemistry: Demonstrations with a Woman’s Touch” on April 1 that showcases seven women chemistry teachers from across the county. ChemEd 2005 in Vancouver, Canada Make plans now for attending ChemEd 2005, July 31– August 4 and come see us at the JCE booth. For registration information see the conference Web site at http:// nobel.scas.bcit.ca/chemed2005. Also mark your calendars for ChemEd 2007 to be held at the University of North Texas, July 28–August 2, 2007! Literature Cited 1. Carroll, W. F. Chem. Eng. News 2005, 83 (1), 2–4, http:// pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/83/8301message.html (accessed Jan 2005). 2. Chem. Eng. News 2005, 83 (1), 38–39.

Vol. 82 No. 3 March 2005

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Journal of Chemical Education

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