1. Describethebasicclassformatwhatdoyoudoinclassmostdays?

N&A:WeusuallybeginwithHWreview,anddoalotofactivities.Wedontsticktodoingone
thing,oftenweareapplyingnotesinapartnersetting,andjustswitchingaroundwhatwedoin
class.Itsnotlecturingtheentiretime,andsometimeswedoboardwork

R&V:Mostdayswedosomequicklecture,andavideo,tiredafterthat,thenwepairupand
usuallydoworksheetorworktogether.GoovertheHW.LearnChem.Answeringquestions,
activities.

2. WhatdoyouthinkthegoalsarewiththevariedinstructionMs.Cohaneuses?

N&A:Keepingengagementandfocus.Understandingmoreandapplyingthenewstuffweare
learning.DoinghandsonactualChemistry.

R&V:Themaingoalsgoalsaretohelpstudentsunderstandthetopic,ratherthanregurgitating
informationfromalecture.Gettingtostandupanddolabsandgotothebacktodoworksheets
anddemosreallyhelpsandwecanseehowthechemisapplicable.Whenwedoactivitiesit
helpsustousetheknowledgewejustlearnedandapplyittoasituation,ratherthanjust
forgettingitlater.

3. Howdoyouexperiencetheclassformat?

N&A:Walkingaroundandnotstayingatdeskthewholetime,thatdefinitelykeepsmeawake
duringthelaterblocksintheday.Youtrytonothaveclassbeboring.Doinglabsandvisualstuff
inthebackisawesome,andweusethewhiteboardsandchalkboardsalot.Yeah,Iwouldalso
saythatwiththeearlymorningclasseswakingupanddoingsomephysicalactivitieshelps,and
changingpartners,andkeepingthingsinteresting.Sometimesitishardspendingenoughtimeon
somethingsowereallygetitsoyoukindofrealizeitsyourownresponsibility.

R&V:Wetakenotes,doactivitiesingroupsorontheboard's,practice,andwedoalotmore
standingupmorethaninotherclasses.Itkeepsmemorefocused,sittinginmyotherclasslast
yearandlisteningtowhattheteachersayswashard.Ithelpskeepmeengagedwithwhatweare
doing.

4. Doyoufeelthattheclassformathelpsyoulearnmoreorgainnewskills?What?

N&A:Both,welearnalotofchemskills,butwearenotstickingwiththesamepeople,sowe
learntointeractwithothersintheclassroom.IfindthatIlearnalotwithapartner,andsee
differentperspectives.

R&V:Writingthingsdownhelpsalot,andorganizingthenotes.Ithinkstandinguphashelped
melearnsomethingthathelpsmefocus,andnowIknowthat.IknewIwasavisualperson
before,likeIlikeseeingthingsanddrawingthem,andnowIknowforsurewithhowItake

notes.Ialsofindthatcolorcodinghelpseverythingingeneral,Idoitformyoutlinesandclass
notes,andnowIfindIuseitinthewayItakemynotesinotherclassestoo.

5. Doestheclassformatengageyouwiththematerial?Bespecific.

N&A:Yesitisengaging,thevideoscanbereallyhelpful,thecrashcoursevideosinparticular,
thehistorycrashcourseonesaregreat,reallyclear,funny.Groupworkingeneralcanusually
helpansweranyquestions.Ifinditeasiertogetworkdoneintheclassroom.Itscoolbecauseit
correlateswithourmathclasstoo,wedoasimilararrayofstufftheretoowithpeople
collaboratingonworkandproblems.

R&V:Changingitupfromalecturetoanactivitybacktolecturebacktodemoorsomething
helpsmetostayfocusedonthechangesandhelpsmestayengaged.Overallitcanshowyou
differentwaystostudytoo,readingdoesntreallyhelpstudy,practiceproblems,anddoingan
outlinedoes.

6. Whatimpactsyourengagementinclass?(Startingwithsleep,food,etc.)

N&A:Notgettingenoughsleep.Beinghungry.Sometimesafterschooltherealotofactivitiesto
focusonandthatcantakesomementalspace.Ifwhatwelearnishardatfirst,sometimesits
reallyhardtostickwithsomething.Askingquestionshelpswhenyoureallydontreally
understandwhatsgoingon.

7. Whatwouldhelpyoubemoreengagedinclass?

N&A:Notmuch,maybejusttrytokeepeverythingdifferent.Trysomethingnew.

R&V:Morefood,andthelightcanbereallybrightsometimes,butmaybethatagoodthing.

8. Whathelpskeepyouengagedwhenlearningthroughalecture,ornewmaterial?

N&A:Havingnotesinfrontofyouonthepowerpointhandout,andthesamethingontheboard.
Sowingavideointhemiddlecanhelpmestayengaged.Wecanrecapasectionwejustlearned,
ordoingproblemsonaslide.

R&V:Whenweareinvolved.Whenweareaskedwhatwethink.Likegoodquestions.NowI
havetothinkinsteadofjustwritingwhatIsee.Thedogvideoreallyhelped.Thememeshelp,
havingalittleminibreak.

9. Howwouldyouchangetheinstructionofnewmaterialifyoucould?

N&A:Notesontheboardarenecessary,butthehardestpart.Stayingfocusedtherearetough,
butthenotestowriteinourselvesreallyhelp.

R&V:Aphysicalrepresentationofsomethingcanhelp,likehavingusdosomethingthatcan
introducethetopic.Ithinksometimeswestartanewthinganddontalwayshaveagood
introduction.Takingnotesinthebackoftheclassandchanginguptheplaceofnotescouldbe
good.Maybehavepeoplegolookoutthewindowfor5minutesifyouaredone,ortakeabreak.

10. Doyoufeelapartoftheclassroomcommunity?Howdoesitimpactyour
engagement?

N&A:Yeah,wehaveaveryvocalclass,itskindaoutofthebox.Itkeepsahumorous
environment,anditseasytoaskquestions.YeahIdontfeelweirdaskingquestions.

R&V:Ilikethepeopleintheclass,noproblems.Iamcomfortablegroupingwithanyone.
Changeupseatingmore

11. Doyouhaveafavoriteactivitytype?

N&A:Worksheetswithapartneraregreatbecausewecanfigureitoutandthetimetojustsit
downanddoexactlywhatwehavebeenlearningandyoureheretoanswerquestions.
Partnerquizzesbuildingoneachotherconnectinganddoingreallywellandbothlearning.

R&V:Thingsthatyoucandoonyourownandhandsonandfireisawesome.

12. Doyouhaveafavoritedayoractivityyouwillrememberforever?

N&A:Burningcompoundsandflametestlab,Iwasexcitedtoseethecolors,anditwaslotof
fun.Labsareallreallycoolandfun,butsometimesifIdontreallygetwhatthepointofalabis.
Labreportscansometimesbeconfusing,likeweknowthemath,butapplyingitcanbeunclear.

R&V:Lightspectrometersandthefireactivity

13. Describehowyourengagementinclasshaschangedoverthesemester?

N&A:Variesonthedayanddependsonthetopic,buttheconstantmovingaroundishelpingme
keepfocused.Classenvironmentdefinitelyhelpswiththatbecausewearesolovely.

R&V:Improvedtowardstheend,andIunderstandthematerialmorenow,soIammorefocused
andmorewillingtolearnandactuallywantingtolearn.FormeitskindalikeIalways
understoodstuff,butstoppedpayingattention,andthenitwasonthequiz,sopayingattentionall
thetimehelps.