Chemistry is Life by Jennifer

Chemistry is Life by Jennifer - October 2016 Scholarship Essay

Periodic tables, elements, compounds, and atoms. These scientific words may intimidate many people. In the beginning, I was one of those people who dreaded Chemistry. Now I get excited about chemicals like hydrochloric acid and writing nomenclature - all the thanks to my high school Chemistry teacher Mr. Grossman. My love and interest for chemistry began with Mr. Grossman. I could never forget a teacher like him! Mr. Grossman taught more than Chemistry. He instilled his natural passion of science into each of his students. Mr. Grossman made the class eager to learn. When a person can transform the classroom into an intriguing atmosphere, students can achieve academic excellence.

If I had the privilege to teach a subject it would be chemistry because there is so much stigma and fear around it. I would also teach chemistry because it’s an important subject to understand. Lastly, I truly love all the components in Chemistry. If the roles were reversed, I would teach, tutor, and volunteer every chance I could to reach as many minds to share the power of understanding chemistry.

The stereotype of chemistry being hard, boring, and unpleasant are inaccurate assumptions. As with any tough subject, people have the tendency to not put in the effort to understand. People sometimes do anything to avoid math and science. Some people who did not graduate high school or college may be very intimidated by science and math subjects. Not knowing that those subjects can benefit them intellectually in many ways. Chemistry is necessary to pursue careers in medicine, dentistry, and engineering. With the opportunity to teach chemistry I could open doors for women and minority students that could personally identify with me.

I can relate to students who feel stuck, inadequate, and lost many times in Chemistry. When a student experiences this, they may also feel alone and hesitant to ask questions. When students do not ask for help, they can miss out on critical learning and understanding.This is absolutely not the students’ fault, and if I were a Chemistry teacher my goal would be to break these patterns in the classroom. I would emphasize to each student that asking questions is great and forever valuable for the learning process. Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. This is something I have learned through my challenges feeling stuck and lost in Chemistry. Demonstrating how Chemistry can be lively, inclusive, and amusing is exactly what I would strive to achieve in my classroom at all times.

Fundamentally, Chemistry is a vital subject to know in life and as an inhabitant on planet earth. Chemicals are everywhere and chemical reactions are occurring nonstop. All species are made up of chemicals and reactions are happening every time we breathe or eat. Chemistry is essential because it is literally the study of everything. This is exactly why students need to learn and comprehend chemistry. The best part about teaching a subject is teaching one you're passionate about, which indeed is rewarding. Like I mentioned above, I was one of the many who dreaded Chemistry because I did not understand it. Mr. Grossman took the time to give me extra help, and I put the effort into learning. When I saw how I could do well in a subject that was tough I started falling in love with chemistry. If I brought those same feelings of mastery to students, I would be a proud teacher.

Education is a process centralized around becoming aware. Education has the power to unlock and enlighten anyone’s mind. When you can connect and teach students real life applications intertwined with the subject at hand, teaching becomes priceless. Ultimately, when you are a teacher you have the tools to empower a student's entire life. Mr. Grossman was a mentor and role model for me. I still have the enlarged periodic table he gave to every student in class, many years ago. Knowledge is truly power and Mr. Grossman helped me realize that, which makes him powerful too. Now if the roles were reversed, and I could be what Mr. Grossman was to me, I would feel extremely accomplished. My aspiration is to be a dentist. I am so glad I fell in love with Chemistry years ago. Chemistry is one of my stepping stones to pursuing a dental career. Along my journey , I hope to tutor, teach, and even mentor students toward embracing the power of chemistry, which has the potential to unlock a brighter future for all.