1. Do you remember your first teacher? What memories do you have of your chemistry teacher/s?

2. What is necessary to become a teacher?

T eachers are called teachers because they teach. If you look carefully, the word 'teacher' has the verb 'teach' in it. The suffix-er was added because it means ‘someone who does the thing indicated by the verb’. Make no mistake; teaching is like no other profession. As a teacher, you will wear many hats. You will, to name but of a few of the roles teachers assume in carrying out their duties, be a communicator, a disciplinarian, a conveyor of information, an evaluator, a classroom manager, a counselor, a member of many teams and groups, a decision-maker, a role-model, and a surrogate parent.

Each of these roles requires practice and skills that are often not taught in teacher preparation programs. Make no mistake; as a teacher, your day doesn't necessarily end when the school bell rings. If you're conscientious, you will be involved in after school meetings, committees, assisting students, grading homework, assignments, projects, and calling parents. All these demand some sacrifice of your personal time. Teaching probably won't make you rich, and, to be sure, no one should make any career decision without gathering as much information as possible and thinking it over carefully. If you're committed to excellence as a teacher, it's a sacrifice you can live with. If not, you will be uncomfortable at best.

What is the role of a teacher in general? Here are some former students' definitions of a teacher:

• Amy, CINCINNATI, OH. ‘Teachers play multiple parts in students' lives. From kindergarten on up through the college years, a teacher can be at various times a role model, a parent, a sponsor, a peace officer, a nurse, a caretaker, a challenger, a referee, a supporter, a confessor, a friend, and a mentor. And the best teachers take each and every one of these roles seri­ously! A teacher is someone who holds your future in his or her hands. Someone who always seemed "old" to me. Some­one I had lots of respect for (although I'm not sure that's the case with many students and teachers these days). To me, a teacher was always someone who just plain knew more than I did - and probably still does!’

• Pat, VERONA, PA. ‘A teacher is a person who helps others to succeed.’

• Renee, TEMPLE, TX. ‘A teacher is... a helper.’

• Sarah, NORTHAMPTON, MA. ‘A good teacher is a person who respects children and whose students, in turn, respect him or her. A person who knows how to make a child feel special. A person who is creative enough to open up whole worlds to young minds.’

• Sue, TUCSON, AZ. ‘Someone who challenges me to try harder, to think "outside of the box." A role model for learning. Some of the most difficult teachers I had are now, in retrospect, those I consider the best.’

What Makes A Good Teacher?

1. A good teacher is someone who is patient and understanding.

2. A good teacher is someone who is young at heart.

3. A good teacher is someone who knows where to find the things which she wants.

4. A good teacher is someone who encourages you to work hard at school.

5. A good teacher is someone who knows a lot about his/her subject.

6. A good teacher is someone who is always cheerful and good-tempered.

7. A good teacher is someone who is interested in you as a person.

8. A good teacher is someone who is strict.

9. A good teacher is someone who doesn't have teacher's pets.

10. A good teacher is someone who is good at organizing lots of different classroom activities.

11. A good teacher is someone who gives interesting lessons.

12. A good teacher is someone who has a sense of humour.

13. A good teacher is someone who is interested in your opinion.

14. A good teacher praises you when you work and behave well.

WHAT DO CHEMISTRY TEACHERS DO?

T eaching is more than just the delivery of knowledge, as every teacher knows. Chemistry teachers instruct children in secondary education schools all over the country. They must teach theory as well as practical uses of world. Though the main job of a chemistry teacher is to teach chemistry, the actual job may involve a lot more than that. Many teachers not only teach the subject, but also conduct research into their chosen fields. In order to teach most effectively a chemistry teacher develops lesson plans, which not only include lectures and homework, but also labs and demonstrations. Based on the information presented in class, along with the information presented in the directed readings, the teacher creates tests to make sure the students are properly learning the material.

Typically, teachers spend 40 to 50 percent of their time in the classroom actually teaching. While this may make it seem like teachers have a great deal of free time on their hands, other duties often keep them very busy. The rest of the time is spent in devising lesson plans, holding classes, grading papers and other assigned duties.

To become a chemistry teacher, the prospective candidate not only needs to take a variety of sciences, and specifically chemistry, classes as part of the university curriculum, but the teacher-to-be also must meet his/her state's teaching requirements. Each country has its own teacher certification requirements but in general the rules are very much the same. There is a specific listing of courses required for chemistry education majors with a special emphasis on the methods of teaching the subject as well as the foundations of psychology and pedagogics. The prospective teachers should also acquire some practical skills and experience during their training at school as part of the curriculum.

There is a world-wide shortage of chemistry teachers. It is hard to keep science teachers. Many young specialists leave schools after the compulsory three years of work according to the state legislation. This is because people with science training can get jobs that pay more outside of teaching. There are some ways to solve the problem. The state should offer better salaries, improve teachers’ working conditions, and provide teachers with more mentoring. There’s also a strong need for a funding system that gives extra support to teachers who choose to work in hard-to-staff schools.