Chemistry teacher: characterization and teaching

Working as a chemistry teacher isn't very familiar to most people. And meanwhile, knowledge of its characteristics and features of training allows you to determine whether this specialization is suitable for a specific person or not. It is necessary to pay attention to the necessary competencies, basic rights and obligations of such a specialist.

A chemistry teacher, like a teacher of this discipline in a higher educational institution, should be engaged in the dissemination of theoretical and practical chemical knowledge. However, in school, in contrast to a university or institute, the role of the educational work of any teacher is still great. As with any teacher, in this case such a characteristic as the ability to conduct methodological work and interact with other people is important.

Among the advantages of such activities are:

• fairly high public authority;
• stable demand (professional chemistry teachers will always be needed);
• good work schedule;
• long vacation;
• being under a roof, always warm and dry;
• formal employment and the absence of legal risks associated with the gray zone.

Of the minuses, it is worth noting:

• not too high level of salaries;
• a large amount of "paper" work;
• the need to monitor your office;
• increased (compared to other teachers in the school) risk;
• the likelihood of conflicts with students;
• the need to work even if the students are misbehaving and unwilling to obey.

A high school chemistry teacher has a very serious job role. He must thoroughly study the labor protection instructions and safety regulations. It is imperative to master the principles of first aid. All this is needed for:

• teaching and educating students in accordance with the specifics of the subject;
• optimal socialization of schoolchildren;
• maintaining a normal training regime;
• ensuring the safety of people and property in the process of educational experiments;
• organization of extracurricular activities of students.

And also a teacher:

• personally organizes and coordinates the educational process;
• makes adjustments to it if necessary;
• prepares a working educational program;
• monitors the observance of the working hours and breaks;
• systematically checks the learning outcome;
• maintains discipline in the classroom;
• assists in preparing students for exams;
• monitors the serviceability of the classroom, the necessary equipment for it.

There are special requirements for the profession of a chemistry teacher.

In describing the methodological experience of a chemistry teacher, special attention should be paid to knowledge of the current state of pedagogy and current approaches to pedagogical work. Describing the required competencies, it is worth mentioning:

• knowledge of atomic-molecular doctrine, theory of electrolytic dissociation, theory of the structure of organic substances;
• knowledge of the periodic law;
• possession of the mechanism and conditions for the passage of chemical reactions;
• teaching methods of chemistry;
• psychological foundations of pedagogical activity;
• pedagogical technologies of differentiated education;
• physiology of primary and secondary school age;
• modern teaching methods.

But even in a discipline as conservative as chemistry, the role of computers and information technology in general is very important. Only a teacher who is proficient in drawing up presentations and charts, tables and diagrams can count on success. And he needs the skill of drafting text documents himself to simplify the preparation of reports, curricula and other required documentation.

Another of the skills and competencies is useful to take into account:

• basic information from economics, sociology;
• possession of related natural sciences (physics, geography) at least to a minimum in excess of the school curriculum;
• the ability to recognize conflicts in the classroom, find and eliminate their causes;
• the ability to use Internet resources in training and self-study;
• principles of scientific organization of labor;
• high general cultural level;
• competent command of the native language.

A chemistry teacher is primarily a person with a natural science or mathematical mindset.... For such a position, logic should come first. But intuition and other such irrational moments always recede into the background. Guesses and insights in a chemistry lesson, especially when conducting experiments, have no place. As in any other area of ​​pedagogy.

A good school chemist:

• attentive and observant;
• always polite;
• he is disciplined himself and knows how to maintain discipline (without diktat!) in the class;
• presents educational material clearly;
• speaks decently, has no diction errors;
• communicates effectively with students and colleagues;
• does not allow emotions to take over.

The decisions made by the chemistry teacher must be fulfilled by all of his students. If they are not performed or performed poorly, there is a right to initiate punishment in the prescribed manner. The teacher also has the right to undergo certification to confirm and improve his formal qualifications. A chemistry teacher can participate in drawing up a school curriculum, educational program. He cannot be deprived of the right to participate in pedagogical councils, in other collegial bodies of an educational institution.

And also from the rights of the teacher it is worth noting:

• obtaining all information from the management of the institution and from other teachers for normal work;
• maintaining a good workplace;
• acquaintance with all claims for his work, writing objections to them;
• selection of teaching aids and literature (within the curriculum).

The chemistry teacher will be responsible for:

• violation of criminal, civil and administrative legislation;
• incomplete performance of official duties or their failure;
• harm to the life and health of students, other people, property damage (due to willful action or negligence, negligence);
• violation of internal regulations, safety rules (even without harmful consequences).

To become a chemistry teacher, you will have to go to universities, and not rely on secondary education. More precisely, in official documents, secondary education is allowed, but a university degree will always be an additional argument. What subjects you need to take in exams in order to get a higher education depends on the chosen path. Some people go to a pedagogical university, and there they receive the subject education that is necessary for teaching chemistry. Others first become professional chemists (scientists, engineers, experts, and so on) and then undergo pedagogical retraining.

Without any special problems, if you have the desire and special additional training, you can become a chemistry teacher with any other pedagogical education (it does not matter in physics, Russian, life safety or something else). It is logical for the inhabitants of Siberia to study to be a chemistry teacher at the Tomsk Pedagogical University. Residents of the north of the European part of Russia should pay attention to the Lobachevsky University of Nizhny Novgorod. And also the universities of Kazan, Samara, Saratov deserve attention. Also worth mentioning:

• Pacific State University;
• Russian Pedagogical University named after Herzen;
• Moscow Pedagogical University;
• Belgorod Research University;
• Yaroslavl Pedagogical University named after Ushinsky;
• OmGPU;
• Voronezh Pedagogical University;
• South Federal University.

But the chemistry teacher will also have to constantly engage in self-education.... Particular attention should be paid to the latest advances in fundamental chemistry. To organize the educational process, they master new programs. However, a good self-study program is always tailored individually. Depending on personal preferences, it focuses primarily on:

• work with especially talented students;
• expanding knowledge of the history of chemistry;
• deepening understanding of a separate section of chemistry;
• nuances of chemical technologies;
• biochemistry, geochemistry, toxicology and so on.