Sylviane Duval
André Beauchemin, who has received an Award for Excellence in Teaching from the University, goes to great lengths to make his organic chemistry courses interesting. One of the ways he does this is by creating positive and warm relationships with his students. “This is good news,” he said of the award. “I want a genuine and authentic contact with my students.”
Perhaps it is because Beauchemin is so passionate about organic chemistry that he is able to create enthusiasm in his students for a field that took hold of him at the beginning of his university studies. Since 2004, he has been living his dream of teaching at university and bringing together his two main interests – teaching and research – for the benefit of students.
“I talk about chemical reactions that are relevant in everyday life. Take Tylenol for example. In class, we look at some of the reactions used to produce Tylenol, as well as the way it interacts with the human body. When I can show students the link between what they are studying and everyday life, they listen with both ears.”
Beauchemin tells stories in an attempt to get his students to enjoy organic chemistry. He tells his students about leading experts recognized around the world for their discoveries and about his colleagues at the Université de Montréal and Harvard. Sometimes he warns students about dangerous reactions.
“If I tell them, for example, that a reaction is fast – well, what exactly does ‘fast’ mean? But if I talk about safety and the risk of explosion, that gets their imagination going!”
When he wants to highlight something particularly important, Beauchemin sometimes uses unconventional methods.
“Once I was stressing the importance of remembering something in particular for the exam. I told them it was a must – even if they had to write it in lipstick on the mirror or write it out and hang it up in their bathroom! A few days later, I received an email from a student with a photo of the student’s shower. And there it was in plain view, a memory aid covered in plastic. I like this kind of feedback!”
By conveying his passion, Beauchemin can influence his students at a time in their lives when they are choosing their paths, a responsibility he finds fulfilling. “When a course leads to something productive, when we go beyond simply communicating course material, that’s when we are really a teacher.”
