Review the most important topic in chemistry.

Let’s play a guessing game on the most important thing to review at the end of chemistry.

Significant figures? No.

Stoichiometry? Not that either.

Equilibrium? Nope.

Electron configuration? Still no.

What was your guess? I bet it was wrong too.

I believe that the most important thing to review with your chemistry students is… your chemistry students. You read that right. Review your students.

At the beginning of each school year, I have the kids take a “September Selfie” with their phone. After they take the fishy-faced, hold the camera up, find the best side of their face photo I tell them that the person in that picture is dumb. Chemistry-dumb. They don’t know anything! It catches them a little by surprise that on the first day of what could be an intimidating class their teacher is already calling them dumb. But I back that up with a story of where we are going to go. (I wrote about that in a blog post here.) That story includes the rigor of the class they are about to take. It includes the understanding that there are going to be big challenges ahead. And throughout that story is me. That I will be their guide. I will be their biggest fan. And as their fan I can’t wait to see what they can do.

Review the Class

Take a minute to walk them down memory lane. Remember where we started? Look where we are now. For my regular chemistry class, I remind them that we spent an entire unit on learning to convert grams to moles. And it felt so hard. And now they know the molecular masses of all kinds of molecules, without using their periodic table. Remind your AP chemistry kids that one year ago today they were just learning PV=nRT. And now they can apply that concept in their sleep to equilibrium mixtures. Look back in an appreciative way, communicating to the kids the amazing steps they have taken. Looking back over their path will give them reason to celebrate their accomplishments and build momentum for the future.

Review the Kid

It takes very little time to speak truth about the path that a student has walked this year. Just yesterday, I had a conversation with a student that totally brightened her day. I simply told her that I had noticed that she wasn’t the same kind of student that she was at the beginning of the year. That she had earned my respect. She thought for a second, quietly agreed, and then smiled a huge smile. I don’t know, but I bet it had been a while since a teacher really noticed this super quiet kid. If I was a betting man, I would bet that she will be back in another one of my classes in the future.

I also have some less fun review with students. Most of these reviews are centered around kids asking whether or not they should take AP chemistry. I tell them that I will be completely honest when they talk to me. I will tell them straight up if their capabilities, study habits, and school-life balance can handle AP. I often talk about trajectory. If they keep the same trajectory over one more year, they might not be successful. They have to raise the trajectory. It must go up for a chance to succeed at the highest level. And honestly, the kids will often take that advice and take AP chem knowing they have to grow as a student.

I had another kid recently that had the opposite sense of relief. Many of his friends were signing up for AP chemistry, and he was not really the type of student set up for success. Deep down, he didn’t want to take the class. We had a conversation, I told him the truth, and we talked about his future goals. His goals had nothing to do with science. We made a different science plan that will set him up for success. He walked out of that conversation so relieved and with a sense of purpose. “This is what my teacher believes will be the best for me.”

Review Their Life

I am not an extrovert. I am much more co

mfortable sitting here behind my computer keyboard than interacting with all sorts of people. But part of my job and my mission is to connect to kids. All people desire to be known. And so, a simple review question of their plans for the summer can go a long way toward reinforcing that relationship. Try to ask any question besides, “What are you doing this summer?” While it’s true, that is what you want to know, there are better ways to get more insight. Try some of these, instead.

What are you looking forward to this summer?

What adventure will you have this summer?

What is the farthest from this school you will be this summer?

What will make you want to come back to school the most?

What are you going to learn this summer?

Be creative. Find the question that gives you the greatest opportunity to connect to the student. Our job becomes so much easier and more rewarding when we get the opportunity to join in knowing someone’s story.

I will end with a short story about a text I got the other night. It was from a student that had graduated about three years ago. I had taught him in chemistry, been his coach, and his advisor. We have had a good relationship. I get to teach at a Christian school, which offers another level of connection that I didn’t have when I taught in public school. The student texted me at 10 pm. “Mr. Koch, would you consider baptizing me?”

My jaw hit the floor. A student was making a huge, life-altering choice, and he wanted his teacher to be part of it. What an honor. I know that the reason I was in his mind was not because of the amazing lecture I gave on hybrid bonding orbitals (though it was great). The reason he thought of me was because of a connection built on trust. Reviewing your students is just one more step in building that trust. So go ahead, take a spare minute with your class or a few seconds in the hall and review the most important topic in your classroom. The students.