I am happy to meet lately one of my former students who took up Chemical Engineering also. We met at a music store while I was checking out some heavy guitar picks.
Anyway, my student got inspired by our topics in Chemistry during our classes. One interesting laboratory experiments that she could remember until now, is our research on the different elements, especially on metals and non-metals. It was instilled in her mind that gold, silver, platinum, palladium and rhodium are important elements. She is into the coin industries now.
Having been a teacher for so long, let me share my thoughts with the readers. Here are what I believe are, among others, the most essential qualities of a good teacher:
- at times, a teacher must play the role of a surrogate parent;
- should see him/her self as a good shepherd/steward of the students; and
- a window through which young people will see their future.
(By profession, I am a Chemical Engineer. May our tribe increase.)