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Brooke Woolman
Lecturer of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Chemistry and Biochemistry
[email protected]Office Hours
Monday and Wednesday from 9:00-11:00 am and by appointment
Biography
I have been teaching at Metropolitan State University of Denver since 2009.I grew up in Colorado Springs, but currently reside in Littleton with my husband, Doug, and my ten-year-old daughter, Jade. I have both my Bachelor's and my Master’s degrees from Denver University in Analytical Chemistry. Teaching is truly my passion. I love to share my love of Chemistry with others and I live for seeing students have those “ah-ha” moments when something clicks.Research Interests
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Clay minerals and explosives
Teaching Interests
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I love teaching: Principles of Chemistry (CHE 1100), Principles of Chemistry lab (CHE 1150), Chemistry and Society (CHE 1010), and General Chemistry I (CHE 1800) and II (CHE 1810), Analytical Chemistry lab (CHE 3010), General Chemistry 1 Lab ( CHE 1801) and General Chemistry II lab (CHE 1811)
Teaching Philosophy
Students are responsible for their own learning. I can help; I can show the way: I can make the learning easier, provide motivation and examples, but only the students can learn chemistry. I do not conduct review sessions for exams where I spoon-feed the information so that students will know exactly what is on the exam. Instead, I hold question-and-answer sessions and provide practice exams so that the students can see in advance the types of questions I ask and the caliber of answers I expect.
Students must be able to use what they learn. My primary goal is for them to apply what they have learned to their own real-life situations. Chemistry is not merely a collection of facts and techniques; it is a way of looking at the world. On tests, I formulate questions that encourage students to interpret everyday phenomenon in terms of what they have learned in class. I use real-life examples in class so that my students will be able to apply chemical concepts to practical situations. For example, why salt is used for road deicing or why it takes longer to cook spaghetti here in Denver.
Students must be able to contribute to a group to function in the modern job market. I ask my students to form laboratory groups. Students must function effectively within these groups, collecting data and writing formal laboratory reports every week. To further encourage group work, I use problem sets designed to promote collaboration. I stop short of group testing because each student must develop his or her own knowledge base and analytical skills. Working scientists must function as group members and must contribute individually to the final product.
Most importantly, students must have fun in class, although fun is not necessarily a word that springs to mind when one considers chemistry. The entertainment value in learning is sometimes overlooked. Students are always interested in demonstrations that offer a real possibility of the instructor being blown up, so I provide the occasional small explosion in addition to more sedate demonstrations. I use humor on exams in the belief that a relaxed student is a more successful test taker.
Students respond well to prompt feedback and rigorous academic standards. Therefore, all assignments are returned at the next class meeting with no exceptions. I will not lower the standards of a course to match perceived student abilities. Instead, I require students to set high standards for themselves. Performance tends to coincide with the level of teacher expectations.
Education
MS in Analytical Chemistry
University of Denver
BS in Chemistry
University of Denver