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U N I V E R S I T Y O F P I T T S B U R G H |
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Volume X, Number 2 |
November
2004 |
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U N I V E R S I T Y O F P I T T S B U R G H |
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Volume X, Number 2 |
November
2004 |
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Ericka Cederstrom-Huston, ChemistryA thread ties much of organic chemistry together. I share this connection with students, so they realize the importance of continuing to build upon everything they have learned so far.
My enthusiasm about what I teach is very apparent and rubs off on many of my students. I loved organic chemistry as soon as I started taking courses in it—I actually got “warm fuzzies” from my first textbook. When I share this story with my students many of them laugh (and I’m sure roll their eyes!). I tell them candidly that, whether they think this class is as exciting as I do, they will have to do a lot of work to succeed. I tell them I will do everything I can to help them but in the end their success will be due to their own effort, discipline, and natural ability. In order to help my students do well I am very transparent about my expectations. In my organic classes I provide a list of bulleted learning objectives for them to assess whether they have mastered the course material. Many classes average 150 students (I have had as many as 240); so opportunities for one-to-one interactions during lecture are limited. Thus, I believe it is especially important for students to feel comfortable enough to ask questions that address their misconceptions. Consequently, I am very friendly during and outside of class. I encourage students to ask questions and let them know that they need not feel inadequate or intimidated. While my lectures are quite traditional, most students stay engaged (even in my intense four-week summer organic courses where there is no time for classroom breaks) because my lectures are very animated (aerobic for me!), deliberate (I choose examples very carefully), and organized. Before each class, I refer to what was talked about last time and then link it to what will be discussed. If we are starting in a new direction and have to change gears, I tell them so. The value I place on clarity contributes to the way I organize my lectures. I continually try to show my students how a thread ties much of organic chemistry together. I think it is important to share this connection with students so they realize the importance of continuing to build upon everything they have learned so far. I frequently repeat important principles and do everything I can to make sure that students comprehend—not memorize—as we apply them over and over. I tell them when particular topics are not going to “go away.” In organic chemistry, I draw pictures on the board, explaining that each arrangement of atoms has a personality that can be used to make predictions. After presenting a general concept, we do examples that encourage students to use their knowledge to predict what’s going to happen. Rather than memorizing a rule, an understanding of the underlying principles and meaning is crucial for figuring out a problem. I believe the problem-solving skills students learn in their chemistry courses can be applied to situations they will encounter in their chosen careers. | |||||||||||||||||
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