AACT Member Spotlight: Scott Hawkins



Every month AACT spotlights a passionate member who is dedicated to enhancing chemistry inside and outside the classroom. This month, we spotlight Scott Hawkins. He teaches chemistry at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, OH.

Tell us about yourself.

I grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and now reside in Northfield, a southern suburb of Cleveland. I teach Honors and Standard Chemistry and previously taught AP Chemistry for 21 years. I was a member of the AACT inaugural governing board in 2015! I have been married for 22 years to my wife, Jennifer. We have a 21-year-old son, Andrew, and an 18-year-old daughter, Taylor. I graduated from Northwestern with a Chemistry degree in 1995 and earned my M.Ed. at John Carroll in 2002. I am a huge Star Wars fan and a lifelong suffering Cleveland Browns fan. I like to spend my free time watching the Browns, Cavaliers, and Guardians, reading, and working out at the gym.

Why did you become a teacher? Did you always want to teach?

I initially wanted to be a research chemist, and/or work for NASA. One day, I volunteered at the school where my mom worked as a teacher’s aide. I had so much fun working with the kids in the science class that day! I knew then it was my calling to be a science teacher.

What fuels your passion for science and teaching?

Science has been on my mind since I was a young kid with my first chemistry set. I have always wanted to see how things worked, or what stuff was made of. My 6th-grade teacher saw this love of science in me and encouraged me to continue to love science. Each year, I always look for those kids who show that little spark of interest but may be a bit too timid to really let it shine. I want to give them the same encouragement my teacher gave me to continue this passion for learning how the world works.

What are you most proud of in your work?

I love it when my former students come back to visit! Some have been away for just a year or two, some stop in 10 years after they graduate! It is so much fun to hear their life stories and their successes, and I feel so good when they mention how my class and my teaching have helped them after high school.

What topic do you find hardest for students? How do you teach it?

I have really loved teaching thermochemistry, even though it seems to be the most difficult unit, especially because of all the calculations involved. It takes time for 10th graders to really think conceptually about heat transfer. What I do now is have the students draw particle diagrams to help them understand the data they are given.

What do you do to remain current and bring the latest science into the classroom?

AACT has always been a great resource for chemistry education and provides great tips for teaching. ChemMatters Magazine has been a great resource for real-world chemistry, as well as many other science publications I check out online.

How do you monitor the progress of your students? How do you ensure under-performers excel?

I want a constant two-way street in regards to communication. I am always asking for feedback from the students to help me gauge how my teaching has been received. Many of our class discussions, as well as the class assignments, include sections where the student must explain the concept to me as if they were the teacher. This gives me a better understanding of how they are thinking.

The ones who underperform, I look for one success, no matter how small, and emphasize that. This gives them the confidence to try something just a bit more challenging; to take one more step. We acknowledge that new success and then repeat the process. Over time, the student will have confidence and belief in himself and will strive to constantly improve.

What is your approach to building a meaningful relationship with your students and their parents?

I want to see these kids as more than just chemistry students. I ask them what they do outside of class and ask for updates. As the year goes on, they like to share more with me, which is great. It makes teaching more personal, and we all end up with a great relationship.

When talking to the students and/or the parents, I always think of at least one positive thing to say, even for the kids who are really struggling. I want them to see that I notice something in them, and I will be there to help them build on these positives and become successful in my class.

Why did you become involved with AACT? What are the benefits of being involved?

The announcement of the start of AACT popped up in my Twitter feed 10 years ago. I had not heard of a chemistry teacher-specific organization before, so I immediately signed up. It was an honor to be a part of the inaugural governing board as President-Elect and later to return as high school ambassador. AACT has given me the opportunity to meet many great chemistry teachers from across the country. The Classroom Resource Library has been such a huge help in creating effective lessons for my kids. I have enjoyed using ChemMatters Magazine both in class for teaching real-world applications, as well as personal reading to learn new and interesting chemistry facts.

Share some words of wisdom with other chemists.

Use your imagination! We cannot see atoms or molecules moving around and reacting. Scientists need to imagine what is going on to really understand how chemistry works. Kids underestimate their ability to imagine. Trust your mind to build that mental picture of the molecular world, and the data and calculations will make much more sense!