Getting a Bang Out of Chemistry

By Jamie Muehring- 10/12
More by Jamie Muehring

NEIRAD enilno edition

Hometown: Queens, NY
Family: Two sons, two cats, two naked guinea pigs, one husband
Education: Undergrad – Western Connecticut State University (double major in Biochemistry and Secondary Education)
Associate: Electronics degree from Nassau Community College
Masters: Completed grad degree in Educational Technology at WCSU
Favorite Part of Job: Experiments  
Favorite Food: Chocolate chip cookies
Favorite Movie: “Duck Soup” by the Marx Brothers   
Favorite TV Show:  “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart and “The Big Bang Theory.”
Favorite Activity: Hiking

Have you ever split water into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas and then lit it with a match? Most people haven’t, but some have seen chemistry teacher Catherine Ermann conduct this very experiment. The result is a minor explosion that could turn into a disaster if used disproportionately Mrs. Ermann said. “I don’t like explosions that much, but the students sure do,” Mrs. Ermann said.

This combustible experiment is one of the key aspects that drove Mrs. Ermann to love teaching: student reactions. Mrs. Ermann has taught Honors Chemistry as well as Authentic Science Research (ASR), but for now she is teaching 300-level chemistry.  “My favorite part of the job is doing the lab experiments,” Mrs. Ermann said. While students have to take notes and tests, Mrs. Ermann finds that the best part of the lab experiments is when students get to see chemistry in action instead of just copying things from a white board. “The students really get a sense of chemistry” and “their facial reactions are my favorite”.  

Mrs. Ermann began to get interested in chemistry when at college; her professor began experiments that showed chemistry at its best; blowing things up.  “I wanted to learn how that works, I thought it was the best thing in the world,” said Mrs. Ermann. She has been teaching at DHS since the fall of 2009 and has made the science department that much more exciting. Mrs. Ermann went part time to Western Connecticut State University in Danbury while she was raising her two sons, 20-year-old Kenny who attends Roger Williams University and 16-year-old Greg who is a junior at Brewster High School in N.Y.

Mrs. Ermann startedperformed Chemistry Wizard Demonstrations at her children’s schools, then began performing them at Scout groups and libraries all over Connecticut and New York. “I did over 100 demonstrations all over Connecticut and New York” Mrs. Ermann said. Before she arrived at DHS two years ago, she worked in Mahopac, N.Y., and heard from a good friend of hers, Maura Brown, who was a chemistry teacher at DHS four years ago. Ms. Brown told Mrs. Ermann of a position available at DHS. “I was told it was a wonderful place to work, and she was right!” Mrs. Ermann said.

Compared to other positions that she has had, Mrs Ermann finds DHS to be a wonderful place to work. “My co-workers and students are so nice and welcoming, and the school even has air conditioning!” Mrs. Ermann said. Another part of the job she loves is how students say “thank you” every time they leave the classroom. “That is really special, I’ve never had students in any other school do this,” Mrs. Ermann said.

Junior Caity Dee had Mrs. Ermann last year for chemistry. It is her humor and kindness that brings fond memories, “She makes everything interesting and she never gets boring,” Dee said. “She is kind of goofy and funny, which I like and is always there for extra help.”

While Mrs. Ermann does love teaching at DHS, she hopefully one day want to visit Italy, but for now she is solely focusing on teaching. “I just really love teaching, I like being around my students,” she says. Junior Jesse Hodges says that Mrs. Ermann is “the most approachable person and is always there for extra help, and she always puts her students first”. From what it seems, Jesse is one of many students who have been enthused by this wonderful teacher.