Teachers Teach Teachers

Teachers teaching teachers how to teach chemistry differently

How can we change the fact that chemistry has long been one of the most unpopular subjects in our schools? Teach chemistry differently! The Teachers Teaching Teachers project at the 3T Chemistry Centres, organized by the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, is transforming the way chemistry is taught in schools. As the main partner of the project, the Experientia Foundation backs the initiative with CZK 500,000 per year, enough to cover the annual operation of five chemistry centres.

There are now nearly two dozen Chemistry Centres across the country, where enthusiastic chemistry teachers pass on their experience and practical teaching tips to their fellow educators. The aim is to teach chemistry in an entertaining way and with an emphasis on its practical application. “The interest teachers have shown in the program is immense. Having chemistry centres in the different regions means they’re accessible for teachers across the country and the sessions are held on a monthly basis. Some centres have had to switch to a double-session schedule,” says Petr Holzhauser from the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague. Participation in the sessions is always free. “The exciting thing about the 3T Chemistry Centres project is that it’s a grassroots project, starting with the enthusiastic teachers themselves. We believe that it will transform the way chemistry is taught and allow the Czech Republic to take its place among the world’s chemistry leaders in the future,” say the founders of the Experientia Foundation, Hana and Dalimil Dvořák.