Mole Day? Have at it, but do me a favor

October 11, 2014

Mole Day approaches. What is Mole Day? It’s October the 23rd each year (10/23, geddit?), when some chemistry teachers decide to devote many class activities to the ‘celebration’ of the chemical mole – Avogadro’s number.

Now, it will hardly be a revelation when I tell you that I’ve never ‘celebrated’ Mole Day, nor will I ever. Teaching is a very personal thing, and we all have our own strengths and weaknesses. It makes sense to play to our strengths, so for me, a Mole Day ‘celebration’ would be out of character, would be ‘false’, and would make zero sense.

However, for others I’m sure it is a rich learning experience that is very worthwhile. In that light I have no problem with Mole Day per se, but if you do decide to meet your kids for breakfast at 6.02 am, make plush moles, and couple this type of activity with tie-dying T-shirts and ‘performing’ 1001, ‘exciting’ demo’s and labs throughout the year, then I beg of you that you do me a small favor.

Don't be shortsighted

Don’t be shortsighted

Please don’t post a message in the discussion Forum of the AP Chemistry Teacher Community, that you are running out of time with your AP class, and ask if, ‘it’s OK to leave out Kinetics and Electrochemistry?’.

Errr…no, it’s NOT OK, and you have not served your kids if you find yourself in that situation because of ‘Mole Day’.

2 Comments

  1. Alan

    Just mentioned it…that’s all…back to PES!

    Reply
  2. Jeri

    Glad to know that I am not the only one for which a “Mole Day” celebration would be out of character, well said.

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

HONORS MATERIALS


REGULAR MATERIALS

ORGANIC COURSE 2


ADRIAN

Read about Adrian as an Educator of over thirty years, as a Chemistry Tutor with a resume of helping hundreds of private clients over three decades, and as an Author and Writer with an extensive portfolio of work

ADRIAN'S CORE VALUES

Read about the the four Core Values that drive all of Adrian's professional endeavors, and that act as the cornerstones of his work

ADRIAN'S CHEMISTRY BOOKS

Check out all of my books

CHEMISTRY BOOK GALLERIES

Pretty pictures of my books

CHEMISTRY WRITING PORTFOLIO

Chemistry writing beyond books