It's complicated

By Paul MacLellan2015-09-10T00:00:00

What do you do when chemistry doesn’t match your concepts?

Perhaps my favourite phrase in the English language is ‘... but it’s a bit more complicated than that’. Anyone using this phrase is demonstrating their willingness to be clear and, most importantly, avoiding reductionism.

But what excites me most about hearing this phrase while I’m learning about a topic is that it hints at deeper knowledge. More complicated? How? Why? What am I missing? It’s like catnip to a curious mind.

Paul MacLellan explains why chemistry teachers everywhere should be unafraid of the limitations of simplified models - in fact they should point these limitations out!

Thanks for using Education in Chemistry. You can view one Education in Chemistry article per month as a visitor.

A photograph of a teacher standing in a white lab coat, speaking with a class of children in a laboratory, is superimposed on a colourful background. Text reads "Teach Chemistry means support for classroom and staff room".

Register for Teach Chemistry for free, unlimited access

Registration is open to all teachers and technicians at secondary schools, colleges and teacher training institutions in the UK and Ireland.

Get all this, plus much more:

unlimited access to resources, core practical videos and Education in Chemistry articles
teacher well-being toolkit, personal development resources and online assessments
applications for funding to support your lessons

Set up your Teach Chemistry account

Already a Teach Chemistry member? Sign in now.

Not eligible for Teach Chemistry? Sign up for a personal account instead, or you can also access all our resources with Royal Society of Chemistry membership.