. . . Is a challenging and rewarding job
"Teaching is not a cushy job," says Wilmer Stratton, professor of chemistry at Earlham College in Richmond, IN. "It's hard work for modest pay. But it's very rewarding." Mansel Nelson, a chemistry teacher at Tuba City High School on the Northern Arizona Navajo Reservation, agrees. "It's a harder job than I thought," he says. "After working in the military for 14 years, I was looking forward to a lot less stress. But teaching is sometimes more work. Still," he adds, "I wouldn't have it any other way. Helping students grow, develop, and seek their potential is a tremendously inspiring job."

"I have always loved chemistry," says Diane Bunce, professor of undergraduate and graduate chemistry at Catholic University in Washington, DC. "Teaching for me isn't an isolated thing. It happens through chemistry and my love of chemistry." Stratton also finds teaching a satisfying venue for his lifelong interest in chemistry. "Teaching has allowed me to work close to the frontier of chemistry," he says. "I'm always involved in research with my students. It may not necessarily be original research, but I am engaged in the practice and process of chemistry on a daily basis."

Myra Thayer, chemistry teacher at South Lakes High School in Reston, VA, always knew she wanted to be a teacher but majored in chemistry after falling in love with it. "I fell in love with the labs in my high school chemistry classes," says Thayer. "I thought it was great that we could explain the way the world worked using chemistry. When I went to college, I signed up for chemistry and education courses because I realized I could combine my love of chemistry with my desire to be an educator."

. . . Is guiding and shaping young lives
Next to parents, teachers have the greatest influence on a young person's development.

They are not only educators, but also role models and mentors.
Teachers of chemistry-whether they teach at the college level, in high schools, middle schools, junior colleges, or graduate schools-say helping shape the lives and minds of students is the most satisfying aspect of their work. It is the reason they have chosen teaching as the career in which to practice their knowledge of chemistry.

. . . Is different at each level
Allene Johnson has taught high school chemistry for 41 years. "I like high school students because they possess maturity, but they also have an innocence about them," she says. Bunce teaches both undergraduate and graduate students and says, "The graduate students are just as emotional as the 18 year old who is leaving home for the first time. Their goals are different; the graduate students often want to change the world. Their need for guidance and support, however, is as great as the high school or college student."

Teaching at a junior college presents yet other challenges. "At a two-year college, we get a lot of students who come in with weak backgrounds," says Warren Grant, professor of chemistry at Montgomery College in Rockville, MD. "They don't have weak minds, but they are not well prepared to do the work. We offer a lot of remedial courses and give extra help in the chemistry courses."

Educators teach problem-solving skills, simulate creativity, provide challenges, and offer support. Teachers have different personalities, interests, and styles of teaching; but a love of chemistry and an interest in working with young people are two common denominators for chemical educators. Individual teachers may be drawn to the level at which they teach by a real affinity for the age group they work with.

. . . Is mastering your field
While pursuing a career as a chemical educator, it is also important to consider how well you are suited to the demands of each teaching environment. "At Earlham, there's a real emphasis on teaching," says Stratton. "This is very different from the demands on faculty at major universities who are under great pressure to research and publish in scholarly journals-so much so that they often have to shortchange the teaching," he says. "I'm happier at a place where the teaching is paramount, where it is the number one criteria for hiring and promotion of faculty."

Johnson suggests that those interested in teaching high school chemistry should observe classes, not just advanced classes, but classes where the kids are not as motivated. "Ask yourself if you can relate to their way of learning," Johnson says. And, if teaching is a career you feel well suited for, the best preparation is to master your field of interest. "The more you know, the better able you will be to teach someone else," says Johnson. Thayer agrees, "I think to be a good teacher, you have to have a really good knowledge of the subject area that you are working in."

But Thayer says that there are two other factors that contribute to being a good educator, and adds, "You have to have the ability to share that knowledge and then you have to have the desire to share that knowledge with somebody else. So an interest in chemistry is not necessarily going to make someone a good chemistry teacher if there's no great desire to be able to share that information with someone else, or to develop the skills necessary to do that."
Copyright 1997 American Chemical Society

WORK DESCRIPTION
Chemical educators give lectures, conduct discussions, and run labs. They lead field trips, prepare classes, grade papers, and meet with students for extra help during both scheduled office hours and sometimes in the evenings or on weekends. Middle and high school teachers participate in the daily life of the school through cafeteria duty or being a hall proctor. At colleges and universities, teachers spend more time reviewing professional journals and keeping up to date with developments in their field. Many carry out independent research and are under pressure to publish their work regularly. More and more, university teachers must also dedicate time to applying for funding to support their research.

WORKING CONDITIONS
High school chemistry classes can have between 15 and 30 students. Classrooms are generally equipped with basic instruments for teaching. At universities, lectures for introductory chemistry courses are large-up to 400 students. At smaller liberal arts colleges, teachers have the ability to work with students at a more intimate level. Labs often have research quality equipment and can offer students and teachers excellent lab experience.

PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT
Most chemistry teachers are employed by state or local education systems, but some are employed by private institutions. Chemistry teachers are employed in middle schools, high schools, two-year colleges, liberal arts colleges, and four-year research-oriented colleges and universities. Chemistry teachers sometimes practice at the elementary school level.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Education professionals agree that the most important qualities for a teacher to have are enthusiasm for their subject and a real interest in the students. A firm grasp of the material and the ability to make abstract principles concrete, sometimes finding three or four ways to explain a single concept, are necessary. Teachers also say you must be caring; willing to go the extra mile for students; and able to go with the flow and not get frustrated by disciplinary problems, student's lack of understanding, or failure to turn work in on time.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING
It is recommended that high school teachers have a bachelor's degree in chemistry and take courses in other sciences, math, and education methods. Two-year college instructors are usually required to have a master's degree, if not a doctorate. Chemistry teachers at four-year research-oriented colleges and universities have doctorates. Real preparation for teaching happens on the job. Many colleges offer education and theory of education courses, and while teachers acknowledge these are useful, they say a better gauge of your ability to teach will come through tutoring other students and testing your ability and patience while helping them.

JOB OUTLOOK
Today, the job market for teaching chemistry is very tough. At the college level, about 100 qualified applicants apply to fill a single teaching position. Competition for high school positions is less intense. One college professor advises students who want to go into academics to be exceptional in their field.

SALARY RANGE
Starting salary for recent B.S. chemistry graduates teaching high school is about $24,000 per year. New MS degree holders in secondary education start at about $30,000 per year. A high school chher a B.S. degree or M.S. degree earns a salary in the range of $30,000 to $33,000. Some high school chemistry instructors who have Ph.D.s tend to be older, but tend to earn the same salary as their counterparts with a MS degree. For instance, in 1995, a high school teacher with 30 years of experience earned about $40,000 for either degree.

The vast majority of college and university chemistry educators hold a Ph.D. degree. Their salaries generally rise with rank and differ by length of contract, work function, and type of institution. Public and private institutions tend to have similar pay scales. One of the largest differences in academic pay is from length of contract. A beginning assistant professor on a 9-10 month contract earns a median salary of about $61,000 per year, while one with a 11-12 month contract earns a median salary of $85,000.

Academics doing research at a Ph.D. granting institution tend to earn the highest salaries. They are more apt to supplement their salaries by consulting than chemists in any other type of employment.

The chemists who teach as their primary function in industry tend to hold Ph.D.s and are few in number. In 1995, the overall median salary was $58,000 for this group of chemists.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
American Chemical Society
Division of Chemical Education
1155 Sixteeth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(800) 227-5558

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW
Any exposure to working faculty members is a good way begin understanding their jobs to determine if teaching is the right profession for you. In college you may be able to get a job as a lab assistant, a teaching assistant, or get involved in tutoring programs. Some colleges offer tutoring for local high school student. Working with students may help you discover talents you didn't know you had. On the other hand, you may discover that you don't enjoy explaining and describing things to a certain age and education level.

American Chemical Society, Education Division, 1155 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036; (202) 452-2113.