For more information, contact Cindy Young, (937) 775-3232.

October 29, 1997

WRIGHT STATE SCIENCE GRADUATE
CHOOSES TEACHING OVER RESEARCH


The next year will be very busy for William Richey. Along with his duties as a chemistry teacher at Xenia High School, he'll be traveling the state representing Ohio teachers after being named the Ohio Teacher of the Year.

Richey earned bachelors' degrees from Wright State University in both biology and chemistry in 1984 and then earned a master's degree in chemistry in 1986. That same year he began teaching chemistry to 11th and 12th graders.

It was while working on a master's degree in parasitic biology that Richey decided on a teaching career. Like other graduate students, Richey had responsibilities as a teaching assistant.

"While the other assistants were into their research 100 percent, I found myself working hours to prepare for my teaching duty while finding research limiting," he explains. "Teaching is a special responsibility with extraordinary rewards. It is an art that must be continually practiced and renewed. Good teaching is using one's talent in communication to convey information that is interesting and that sparks curiosity in the learner."

"Bill is one of the finest students ever to come from this department," said James Amon, Ph.D., associate professor of biological sciences. "(He) easily distinguished himself as an excellent student, but his greatest attribute was his outstanding interaction with his peers and his professors." Richey was in Amon's classes and eventually taught labs.

"Students loved him and he took the job of teaching very seriously," Amon adds. "I could always trust that he would do his very best. I'm constantly impressed by the kinds of things he is teaching his students ... and I'm not really surprised to hear of his award."

Richey's academic path of a B.S. in biology followed by a teacher's certification at the master's degree level are producing more skilled teachers, believes Gregory Bernhardt, Ph.D., dean of the College of Education and Human Services.

"This approach ... is a direction that the college is now pursuing with partners in the arts and sciences," said Bernhardt. "Many of our teacher preparation programs are now designed to teach the pedological skills of teaching at the master's degree level, after a bachelor's degree in one of the disciplines (such as) English, math, biology, or history."

What makes Richey unique? Maybe it's when he encourages his students to play with toys in class, or when he uses magic tricks or sets up an indoor pyrotechnics display. These are just some of the tools he uses to help his students understand chemistry.

"I believe students are more motivated to learn and are actually more excited about science when they see practical applications of the skills they are learning," says Richey. He believes he received the Ohio Teacher of the Year award as much for what he does outside the classroom as inside.

Richey is the founder and director of a week-long summer science program for Xenia's fourth through sixth graders known as the "Science is Fun! Camp." Since 1995, he has coordinated the Rowan County, Ky., Schools Science Day.

"Teaching Solutions with Toys," authored by Richey, is currently being printed. Another book he coauthored, "Teaching Science with Magic," is under development for McGraw Hill. The books are filled with activities for young scientific minds, such as removing the coloring from M&Ms and dissolving Life Savers.

He works with primary education teachers because he believes students need to strengthen their interest and skills in science at a young age. "I do a lot of workshops for elementary teachers and junior high teachers," Richey says. "I love to work with elementary teachers and try to teach them lots of hands-on science experiments that they can do."

A room full of beakers, test tubes and flasks isn't required to teach chemistry the Richey way. "Most science can be done with cheap things you can get at the Dollar Tree," Richey says. "I think we're losing kids in the fact that at a young age they don't realize how fun science can be and how science affects every part of our life."

Part of Richey's job is demonstrating that science is fun. In his classes, Richey conducts experiments for his junior and senior students using plastic pop bottles, windup toys and other props. By reeling students in with such creativity, he creates an interest in chemistry.

Richey was chosen from among 16,000 teachers in Ohio. He recalls that being asked why he wanted to win the award. With thoughts of another pending school levy vote in the community, he answered, "I can represent all the other excellent teachers in the Xenia City School System. Maybe education in Xenia, Ohio, will be elevated to the level it deserves."

One of Richey's future goals is to become a science coordinator for elementary schools. He sees himself preparing activities and packets for elementary teachers, who Richey says have so much to cover in their classes that science education sometimes comes up short.

Richey hopes to spread the word that "As teachers we have the ability and the job to open kids' eyes up to the wonders and amazement of our life around us." To him, teaching is "the best profession in the world," because a teacher can "wake up each day and make a difference in people's lives."