2015 Master Teachers: Marina Pavlić

Marina Pavlić    
Prirodoslovna i grafička škola Rijeka  
Rijeka 
Croatia

"My school is a multidisciplinary secondary school located the county of Primorje-Gorski Kotar. Our students can choose one of our many programs like gymnasium,chemical and ecological technicians,web designers,photographers, media technicians and graphics technician. After regular classes we have the same classes for adults .

For four years I was a headmistress of the same school and for ten years I had a part  job at a Faculty of Maritime Studies teaching Chemistry, Corrosion, Controlling and protecting the materials and conducting laboratory exercises in all of the mentioned subjects.

I teach all kind of scientific subjects like Physical chemistry,Analytical chemistry, Instrumental methods of analysis, Chemistry and nutrition, Analysis and control of  the waste materials, to 11th and 12th grade students and the adults too.

Most of our students have trouble learning because they have to be skilled in math, physics and computer science and sometimes it is too much for them.They learn only one subject and forget to connect it to the other subjects. I am a chemical engineer with a MSc degree.The first time I saw an equation in 5th grade I didn't want to do anything else.I wanted to work in the lab but was offered a job in the school. I wasn't very happy at the beginning but after a short time I learned how to stimulate my students beginning with short walks in the school neighborhood, putting reagents on trees to see how much sulphur and nitrogen oxides were in the air. 15 years ago I joined GLOBE, and together with my friend ,also chemistry teacher decided to try project teaching.

For the last five,six  years students from various classes ask to work with us even if they are not in our classes. So every year we come up with standard three or four ecological projects.  Some students have rosemary, laurel or lavender in their gardens and with them we make essential oils and various products like face and hand creams, lip balms , soaps and aromatic candles and we even do dry shampoo,  tick repellents and deodorants for the dogs.We help our students with projects about healthy eating and diets too. We use all our activities to talk about environment, the need for clean air,soil and water and after one or two years of this way of learning we see that most of the students end the year with better grades, better understanding and more speculate learning.

So now I am happy teaching because it is not a standard way of teaching, I am in the lab every day thinking, analysing and cooking, talking to my students. They like our projects and work Saturdays and even during holidays. I am trilled to have this  opportunity to work and cooperate with teachers from other schools,share our experiences and learn how to upgrade my way of teaching and maybe help someone with my ideas.  "