A better way to learn chemistry

Who am I?

Former Assistant Prof who's taught:

  • Gen Chem I & II
  • Organic Chem I & II
  • Introductory Organic Chem
  • Organic Chem Lab

I truly believe that every chemistry student can get the grade he/she wants, here's why...

First, some background

After teaching chemistry, I came to an important realization: an instructor has a relatively small (yet significant!) role in a student getting the grade he/she wants in chemistry. In general, each class contains 5-10% that are exceptional students; they just get it. Likewise, there are 5-10% that either don't care or just don't have the aptitude for chemistry. It is that 80% that most instructors attempt to design their material around...

From the most seasoned to the newly appointed, Chemistry instructors do a fine job of creating material that works for the "80%." What students don't get is how big their own role is in getting their desired grade.

Okay, so what?

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

(...or at least try!)

I know this isn't something you want to hear, BUT homework is the single biggest factor with students achieving grades that they desire. I've seen grades jump on average 20 percentage points (i.e., two letter grades) between tests solely because a student decided to do the homework.

I will not do your homework for you.

To get the most out of Organic Live, I expect you to have attempted AND struggled with your questions ( this mostly pertains to Homework Help sessions). This ensures that I am not wasting my time, and you are getting the most out of me.

Where do I come in?

When a student is not just attempting the homework, but struggling with it--that is where the instructor role is best fulfilled. A good instructor will guide the struggling student to the right answer.

This is what I want to do for you.

For free.

Organic Live is a platform for struggling chemistry students that cannot access a professor's office hours (for whatever reason) and/or are tired of the lack of live interaction that a YouTube video just doesn't provide.

I get it, you're an athlete that has practice or maybe you have a job and are barely making tuition payments; you can't make it to office hours, and you damn sure can't afford a private tutor. YouTube videos are great, but sometimes you have questions that go beyond the presented material (you feel like you may as well try reading the textbook again). You're motivated, but you're struggling.

That's where I come in.

I want to provide a stream that helps people in your situation--that educates (and hell, maybe even entertains) motivated students as much as possible.

I do not know all of chemistry.

(If I did, I would be making a lot more money that I do now.)

Translation: you are going to ask questions that might will stump me.

That doesn't mean I won't answer--it does mean that I will probably give you the boilerplate "Let me get back to you," and I will do my best to follow through using the resources available to me.