<p>So I am studying chemistry at my undergraduate school right now and I like it very much. Until yesterday I was certain that I would go to graduate school so as to pursue chemical research. The idea of it didn't make me happy in any sense, but I thought that it would contribute to my interest and curiosity of chemistry. The change yesterday occurred when I thought of being a H.S. teacher, and to put it in the only way I can express it, it made me feel happy. I imagined myself in front of a bunch of curious minds who would learn some subject matter in a way that moves beyond the traditional rote learning that occurs in h.s. . I know it is very ideal, but what do you expect. The problem is I have yet to do research in chemistry, I just kind of really like organic chemistry right now (the onlllyyy chem course besides gen i have taken), and I'm not sure if it is this I would like to study. I might prefer mphysical or inorganic chem, heck I have not even taken a biology course yet (though I'm scarcely moved to, which might be a sign)...As you can see any decision is probably premature. I feel inadequate to join a lab since I have so little theoretical (as in not alot of courses) and practical chemistry. Hey, maybe research will make me happy. I wish someone would give me advice in what direction to move, I just want to tell myself I have a plan that stays true to me. Honestly, teaching feels honest to myself but I'm scared that I have more potential than just teaching (I know this is a pretty lame thing to think). As I put it to myself yesterday I'll end up either a miserable and mediocre researcher or a content teacher alwasy wondering if I could have been a successful chem researcher.</p>
<p>Well you can do both. You can go onto graduate school and decide you want to become a researcher. Then if you get tired of that, you can go get your teaching credential and become a high school teacher. School districts are always looking for science teachers not necessarily the same with becoming a researcher.</p>
<p>Lots of undergrads do research and TA on the side -- try both out and see if both appeal to you. :) I did both, and loved teaching much more than research ... but now I'm in grad school and had to reverse my priorities a bit. My reasoning for this path was that I enjoyed both, and while I could teach/TA on the side as a graduate student researcher, it would be near-impossible for me to do any significant research while being a full-time teacher.</p>
<p>Alternatively, you could always go research in chemical education -- best of both worlds?</p>
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I imagined myself in front of a bunch of curious minds who would learn some subject matter in a way that moves beyond the traditional rote learning that occurs in h.s.
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<p>That does sound great, but you might want to run it by a few actual HS teachers. The reason rote learning is so prevalent there isn't that nobody ever thought of doing something else. There are tremendous pressures on HS teachers to "teach the test" (standardized achievement tests). What if you had to teach that way? Would you be happy?</p>
<p>That's the thought process I went through when I had first planned to be a HS math teacher. Now I'm applying to PhD programs so I can teach at a university, where I'll have some academic freedom.</p>
<p>If you haven't taken any chemistry courses other than general chem and haven't done any research, it's too early to decide whether you will go to graduate school or not.</p>
<p>My advice is to get a job in a lab and see if it's something you enjoy. If it's not, you should not go to graduate school -- you should only go to graduate school if you can see yourself being happy about doing research full-time for five+ years.</p>
<p>But if you're early in your college years, this is not a decision you need to make right now.</p>
<p>Are you a freshman in college? If you have only taken gen chem and are in the middle of organic chemistry then you don't really have a basis to decide if you like teaching or research in chemistry. Try both. Also keep in mind that if you want to be a high school teacher, you may need a masters depending on which state you want to be a teacher in. Despite the perception that more chemistry teachers are needed in high school, the standards and competition to get a position are rigorous. It's not the easy out that so many people imagine.</p>