Motivating high school students in chemistry
The average high school student views chemistry as one of the hardest classes offered. For many students, this impression is so powerful that they decide not to attempt taking the class but would rather take an “easier” science course or stop taking science all together. This major dilemma faces not only high school students but high school chemistry teachers as well. It brings about two important questions. First, how do we motivate students today to take chemistry? Second, how do we make students successful in chemistry without changing the rigor of the course?
For the most part, today’s students are not as motivated as past generations. Previous generations could be solely motivated to meet a challenge as presented, with an intrinsic sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when a solution to a problem was discovered. However, today’s students do not have this same motivation. Their sense of accomplishment comes from beating expert-level songs on Guitar Hero. So when asking students why they do not choose to take chemistry, the standard response is, “I want a easy junior year” or “why take a hard class when I can take…”.
How can we encourage students to rise to the challenge of a chemistry course? It’s simple: relevancy! We must make a chemistry class relevant to their lives. Students need to discover that chemistry surrounds us. Not only that, but students need to see that the skills learned in chemistry, like problem solving and logical thinking, applies to their lives. However, these points do not answer the question of how we encourage the students to sign up for chemistry. Well, the answer is the same: relevancy. Showing demonstrations and real life applications to students before they sign up for the class is a perfect way to motivate them to pursue chemistry. Chemistry can explain everything from water forming on the outside of their cold tea glass, to how fireworks get their colors, to how taking Tums can relieve heartburn. If we can show students that chemistry explains life, we have created the anticipatory set to entice students to take chemistry. Today’s students are not motivated by solving a challenging problem but rather are motivated by the question, “How does this matter to me?” The answer: relevancy.
So, the first challenge is motivating students to take chemistry. The second challenge is how to deliver a rigorous course but at the same time enable students to succeed. The abstract concepts learned in chemistry need to be taught in such a way that students can assimilate the information quickly. The best way to do this is to teach chemistry on multiple levels, addressing multiple learning styles. Every major concept should be taught at the macroscopic, particulate, and symbolic levels to incorporate kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learning. Chemistry at the macroscopic level is achieved by students performing labs and watching demonstrations. At this level, students can visually identify chemical reactions. Labs also provide an important opportunity for kinesthetic learning and relate chemistry to real-life applications. Labs are a great way to keep students motivated throughout the course. The particulate level is the hardest for students to understand and for teachers to teach. This is the level at which students cannot see what is going on, but it is where the “real chemistry” occurs. The best way for students to understand what is happening on a molecular level is for teachers to use visual aids such as props, skits, or even analogies. At the symbolic level lies a huge disconnect between teaching and learning. Since the symbolic level is second nature to teachers, oftentimes teachers assume students understand these complex concepts. However, for students, it is difficult to learn. Teachers will often move through the material quickly, and with much assumption. Teachers expect that the students’ background in math is adequate enough that they can follow along, which is not the case most of the time. Most of the “learning” occurs as teachers lecture the material and students watch. Yet, as students leave the room, they have already forgotten most of the content. This discrepancy needs to be addressed in order to make students successful. Overall, chemistry teachers must be willing to teach all three levels to all three types of learners.
Overall, chemistry is one of the hardest classes offered to high school students. Today’s students frequently lack motivation to take a challenging course. However, if they are shown how relevant it is to their lives, they will be willing to work towards understanding it. Chemistry is important, not just for school, but to help understand life. By encouraging high school students to take chemistry, these students will be better prepared for college and other endeavors in their lives.
