Ionic Bonding by Abigail

Ionic Bonding by Abigail - August 2017 Scholarship Essay

As I finish setting up the projector, I breathe in a sigh in relief as I realize I have a few minutes until my next class. I pull up my hair and remember today's lesson: Ionic Bonds between atoms. When the bell rings, my students file in some with smiles and others wearing what was left of their smiles after a rushed morning. When I made sure everyone was called for I began.
"Today, class, we will be learning about the ionic bond between atoms." I hear a variety of sighs, groans, and whispers. After it settles back down, I continue, "An ionic bond happens when an atom has a certain of valence electrons and shares them with another atom to become either positively charged or negatively charged."
One of my students, who doesn't usually raise their hands, holds up her hand.
"Yes, Allison?"
"So that would be like people exchanging information with each other?"
"In a way, yes. Why don't we do this activity and perhaps you all will understand more," I hold up pieces of paper with different amounts of valence electrons with their correct Lewis diagrams. As I pass out the papers, I explain how the project will work.
"You are an atom. By using the periodic table of elements and your textbooks, I want you to figure out what your atom is.Then I want you to find another atom to complete yours to have a a positively or negatively charged ion. Ready, set, go!" I watch as all my students get excited to be the first to complete this activity. I think about how I love to watch my students struggle with a concept, they ask questions and go to extraordinary depths to figure out the concept. My favorite part of teaching chemistry is when they understand it after struggling and then offering their help to another classmate, who is still struggling. I realize that in a way, my life with these students is an ionic bond. I share what I know with them to make me a positively charged human being. I smile as I realize I also have a covalent bond with these kids. Not only do I give them my knowledge, I receive knowledge from them and connect with them. I smile as I see their laughing and smiling faces and I continue with my lesson, being content with my life as a Chemistry 101 professor.