Excerpt from ETSU Northeast Tennessee STEM Innovation Hub
By Gerri St. Clair, Chemistry Teacher, Sullivan South High School, Kingsport, TN
Modeling Instruction has changed the way I teach chemistry
I have taught Chemistry at Sullivan South High School for 20+ years and nothing has changed my style of teaching more than attending the Modeling Chemistry workshops for 10 days each in June 2012 and June 2013 at East Tennessee State University. Modeling Instruction for teachers began in Physics in 1995 at Arizona State University and was expanded to Chemistry in 2005. A Modeling Biology course is currently under construction. Thousands of teachers across the nation have been trained in the modeling approach since its inception. Modeling instruction is a very student-centered approach to teaching and I firmly believe that it is the best way to teach chemistry. Also, it closely parallels the Common Core key points of reading, writing, speaking, listening, language, and media and technology by providing rigor with a greater depth of understanding chemistry. The activities and exams focus on students being able to explain their thinking and to illustrate their thought process with diagrams instead of traditional fill in the blank and multiple choice questions.
Read the rest of Gerri’s insightful and compelling post here: http://www.netstemhub.com/blog/gerri-st-clair-chemistry-teacher-sullivan-south-high-school-kingsport-tn
