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Familiar faces
Clarke County High School teacher Aitken dedicated to chemistry students
In Kelley Aitken's Clarke County High School classroom, the chalkboard is adorned with a drawing of Aitken in a white lab coat and goggles, with the caption "Mrs Aitken, the Queen of Chem."
The drawing was done by students last year, and Aitken hasn't had the heart to erase it yet. Her classroom walls are also adorned with notes and drawings from students, in addition to the usual classroom decorations.
"When students give me things, I put them up, and the drawings and notes are reminders of why I teach," Aitken said.
Aitken, who is in her fifth year of teaching at Clarke County High School, teaches chemistry and is the science department chair.
"The kids love her, and she relates to them," said Clarke County High School Assistant Principal and Dean Stacy Sefton.
At the high school, Aitken teaches four honors chemistry classes and two International Baccalaureate chemistry classes, in which students can dual enroll with Lord Fairfax Community College to earn college credit.
"At least two of my students will graduate high school with [the equivalent of] an associate's degree," Aitken said. "Isn't that amazing?"
In addition, she teaches one period of high school level biology to 8th-graders at Johnson-Williams Middle School, and is an adjunct professor at Lord Fairfax.
Recently, Aitken helped coordinate a science fair in which 170 Clarke County High School students competed.
Sefton praised Aitken for her work with the science fair and said that Aitken has gone above and beyond the call of duty.
Aitken said she loves chemistry, but does not assume everyone shares her love when she is teaching.
"Not everyone loves science," she explained. "Students don't always come in thinking 'I'm going to have a fun year,' so I try to turn it around so they can enjoy it."
"The challenge is keeping it interesting and making sure everyone has the chance for success."
Aitken said she did not have a good experience learning chemistry as a student, but she had great professors in college who inspired her to change her major.
"I had a professor who would sit down with students and explain things if they didn't understand them," Aitken said. "Now I tell my students, 'If you have a question, ask me, because I probably have 10 ways of answering it, so we'll make sure you can get this."
Recently, Aitken attended the National Science Teachers Association's national conference, to present her philosophy of teaching science.
"My philosophy is 'chemistry for all,'" Aitken said. "The old style of standing at the front of the classroom and teaching doesn't work, so I try to make my teaching engaging."
Her philosophy received positive feedback from her colleagues at the conference, she said, and a teacher from the conference is going to come and spend a day in her classroom to observe her in action.
She accomplishes her goal of engaging students by incorporating items like puppets and balloons into her curriculum – items the students can see and touch.
"It removes the fear factor and releases the students' anxiety," Aitken said. "Little things like this can help the subject matter be fun and interesting."
As Aitken talked in her classroom, some students entered and attempted to turn in an assignment. Without raising her voice, she told the students that the work was not acceptable and needed to be redone.
"I don't accept substandard work," she explained.
While her work keeps her busy, Aitken said she thoroughly enjoys her work and students at Clarke County High School.
"Teaching is definitely a calling," Aitken said. "My biggest joy is getting a student who believed they couldn't be successful, and them finding out that they can be."
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