Reversed Roles: To Further Society by Gregory

Reversed Roles: To Further Society by Gregory - October 2016 Scholarship Essay

As the bell rings to signal everyone to class I walking into my designated classroom. Who do I sit with? Do I sit in the front or the back? I choose neither, for I am the teacher after all. Here in my classroom I teach high school chemistry. Throughout my years of teaching many students ask me the same questions. Why do you teach chemistry? What do you like so much about it? I teach chemistry because it’s the backbone of science. There is always something to learn and even more to discover when it comes to chemistry. It’s not only one of the most rewarding subjects to invest in, but it also gives you a better understanding of the world.
Chemistry is an extremely broad subject. It can range from alchemy. Extracting metals from ores, fermenting beer or wine, making glass, making soap, medicines, and even perfumes. Many consider fire to be the first form of chemistry. Its ability to transform one substance to another was revolutionary at the time. It was fire that first led to the discovery of glass and the purification of metals that lead to the rise of metallurgy. From there chemistry takes a turn into the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, and goes right into the medieval age. With each step of the way something new being discovered. As time goes on chemistry becomes much broader with the discovery of ideal gas laws, electrochemistry, thermochemistry, equilibrium, and acid base solutions. The great thing about being able to teach students in my classroom chemistry is that the get to learn about each chunk that makes chemistry what it is, and from there they have the choice to excel their learning in their desired chunk.
When I was in high school I showed an immediate interest in chemistry. I had always been interested in science from a young age, so the connection was pure. In my introductory chemistry class I was a top student, passing the class with a perfect grade. The following year I decided to invest more into chemistry by taking the advanced placement course for it. I didn’t do nearly as well as I did in my introductory year, but the class was of extreme benefit. In those two years of studies I learned so much about the subject and knew I wanted to pursue it further. It could have been memorizing the periodic table, mixing different elements, or titrating liquids; everything I did in those two classes was the foundation for my love of the subject.
Perhaps the main reason I decided to become a chemistry teacher is that I’d have the opportunity to teach the next great scientist. There is so much left to be discovered in the world of science. There are elements that have yet to be discovered even though we know of their existence, such as element 125. There is also the question of if we can ever make chemistry environmental friendly. With global warming, deforestation, and plastic waste; we have to be more cautious in our approaches to discover more about our world. We need to take more environmental friendly steps to ensure the persistence of our Earth. As a result of people not knowing the entirety of our universe, there is so much more for us to learn, and the foundation of studies for everyone is their introductory chemistry class, and as a scientist I want nothing more than to be able to contribute to that cause.
As a science teacher I want nothing more than to expand the worlds knowledge on chemistry. The ability to teach students their introductory chemistry class is an amazing honor and being able to pass down my knowledge is special in its own. I want to be able to teach students the history behind chemistry. I want to show them how it all started with fire and the progression to today. I want the students to learn in my class, but I also want them to ask “what else is there to this?” My goal for each class I teach is to get them to want to learn everything that we know, but I also want them to have the drive and motivation to want to discover more. I want them to find the next element, cleaner energy, and the origins of life. I teach chemistry because I want my students to be successful.