Professional+Considerations+notes+page

More needed. Also, a connection to FUNDRAISING and writing small grants. Teachers should have to attend a certain number of meetings, workshops, etc. to keep current and to meet/discuss with other chemistry teachers. Most high school chemistry teachers are education majors and are not adequately trained in chemistry concepts or labs. More emphasis should be put on this type of teacher by making them more competent in the field of chemistry. “life-lines” should be put in place so these teachers have access to “chemistry people”.
 * Notes on Professional Considerations**

The teacher and the school administration need to have a plan in place for a lab emergencies. If there is a gas leak the administration needs to know where the main cut-off is and how to evacuate students. There should be an emergency code so the office knows there is a medical emergency (cuts, burns) in a lab-we buzz three times on the office buzzer and the office personnel know we need help right away. 1. aligned with national, state and district standards 2. aligned with state or district textbook adoptions. New document must recognize that now the teacher has less freedom to design their course of study. Courses must be Standards Based and students must be prepared to perform on state and local tests. I suggest changing each use of the phrase “chemistry teacher” to “chemistry teachers.” My reasoning on this is that, as written, this section gives a weaker teacher license to disregard the chemistry department’s goals and objectives. Is this still a viable section, or does it just make us seem overbearing and unreasonable these days?
 * Notes on Decision Making and Consultation**

More and varied lab experiences. I suggest rewriting bullet 2 to read “Good safety practice is part of good chemistry instruction. Teachers must be given enough time to conduct chemistry instruction properly while incorporating the best safety practices.”
 * Notes on Time Required for Laboratory Preparation**
 * 1) 3 is such a loaded issue! This came up in my online safety course recently when one teacher complained about the time it takes to put together the materials for the Chemical Hygene Plan (CHP). She suggested that the solution is everything that’s listed in #3. “But,” exclaimed the art teacher (the course includes studio safety), “I have to set up art materials and have the many of the same safety procedures to maintain and SOPs to write that you do.” And someone mentioned the counter complaints she had received from an English teacher who spent untold hours reading and marking long papers. I don’t have a good suggestion!

Not the “real world” of high school chemistry teaching. Yet, this document should try to set the standard. Amen! Lab-oriented science classes should offer some sort of supplement because of the time taken to prep labs. I have coached several sports and found it takes more time to prep for a lab than preparing teams. (I also have four preps) Agree-but is it still realistic a demand?

Add info about joining science/chemistry professional organizations. Maybe provide some examples of ways to work with ACS-my students have gone once a month to Florida Southern College to work with students of Dr. Carmen Gauthier. The student affiliates at FSC have been great role models for my high school students. Her students presented their summer research during National Chemistry Week. We were one of the first schools to receive a charter for ChemClub. We found in our area that teachers did not know what resources ACS had to offer high school teachers. Teachers in other areas could approach their local colleges and begin to work together as we have. Again Amen. However at leas in my county, No money is allotted for professional growth, regardless of content area. We are told there is no money, but I’m under the impression the state does give counties funds for professional development. Include in 1 and 4 electronic resources.
 * Notes on Professional Growth**