How Can A High School Chemistry Teacher Make The Subject More Interesting?

For a high school chemistry teacher, teaching kids can sometimes be a nightmare! High schools students can be a bit difficult to handle and when you are talking about chemistry, which is one of the most dreaded subjects, the problems gets even worse! The teacher has to make sure that the subject is interesting and students can easily understand it.

However, no need for teachers and to-be-teachers to get alarmed. Chemistry is indeed a very interesting subject. We are all surrounded by chemistry and chemical reactions are taking place inside our very own body! As a teacher, you need to show students that chemistry is not some boring and dull subject but is related to everyday life. Everything around us is made of atoms and molecules and many chemical reactions are going on around us as we speak.

Your very first class will set the tone of your coming classes. Set the kids at ease and engage them in an interesting topic. Get them excited about chemistry.

Relate chemistry to them.

For instance, teens usually like munching on snacks whenever they can lay their hands on them. Tell them about the chemical composition of snacks and chemical reactions that generate inside their bodies.

Or if you are talking about enzymes, why not explain them with the example of Jell-O and fruits? If you add certain fruits to Jell-O, it won't set. That is because some fruits contain enzymes proteases which stop the formation of bonds between Jell-O molecules. Interesting, right?

Teaching from a book is good but it might be harmful in the end if all you do is teach from text. Students might eventually lose interest. You have to engage them by using projectors and charts. This will also describe chemistry concepts better than concepts dictated directly from book.

You could also make use of models to explain chemistry concepts. It will grab their attention. Don't tell them how copper sulphate crystallizes, show them. Show them the effects of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and they will be eagerly waiting for your next class. Experiments involving nitrous oxide are safe and can be done in class. Seek out easy-to-do, interesting experiments and get your students to do them in class.