Sarah McCarron-Stewart, chem-major, graduated from UNH and is in her third year
teaching chem at Dover (NH) HS.
Her husband, Ben, is graduating with his MS and and will also look for a
teaching job.
I have informally mentored both of them.
And Sarah gave a NEACT talk with Warner's green chemistry folks last summer, I
believe.
I ran into her at Market Basket yesterday and we got to talking.
I asked her if she was still a member of NEACT.
She could not recall, so I reminded her of our upcoming summer conference.
She said she is an American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT) member
($50/yr), and told her of our efforts to somehow work together with them.
We both thought that an AACT member should automatically become a NEACT member
(or member of another state's or region's chemistry teacher group).
And, in turn, NEACT should seek some kind of integrated and reciprocal
membership agreement.
So here is an area that NEACT might address.
And another thought.
Sarah said that being an ACS member ($300+) does not automatically one, or even
a div-CHED member, membership in AACT!
If the ACS is going to take a more active role in promoting careers in
chemistry teaching in HS, then they should look at this policy.
We/they need to remember that new chemistry teachers, eschewing a possible
lucrative job in industry for one in public or private education, will likely
begin teaching with debt and a minimum of financial resources.
So any potential future dues policy should take this into consideration.
Thanks for listening,
W. Cary Kilner
