"She blows things up," says a colleague about the hands-on activities that teacher Marie Wenzke uses to make chemistry fun and interesting for her students. An innovative educator who is always trying new teaching techniques, methods and styles, Ms. Wenzke helps students navigate their way through the challenging subject of chemistry. In fact, some students go on to take Chemistry II, an elective, which is almost unheard of at a career and technical school such as South-Western. Underneath all the fun is expert pedagogy. Ms. Wenzke works with colleagues to rewrite the school's science curriculum to align with state standards. She examines student data to evaluate what is being done right and what needs improving. If her instructional approach is not working, says one colleague, she teaches it differently. She often gives up lunch periods, comes early, stays late. Her teaching methods have helped students pass their science proficiency tests and meet Ohio Science Standards. Ms. Wenzke says she was inspired to enter the teaching profession because of an amazing chemistry teacher she had in the tenth grade. How many future science teachers Ms. Wenzke is inspiring today, only time will tell.
