Jacobson, Marcy

Name: Marcy Jacobson
Subjects: Chemistry and Honors Chemistry
Education: Master of Arts in Chemistry, Graduate Degree in Teaching
Years at Blair: 3
Hobbies: Traveling, taking walks, solving puzzles
Extracurricular activities: IMPACT Blair

With her arms folded in front of her, Marcy Jacobson leans forward against the cold black stone chemistry desk. All her students have left for the day and for a second she looks as if she wishes she had joined them. But when she speaks, there is an enthusiasm in her voice that says her work with students is not a chore - it's a passion.

Jacobson comes from a family of scientists. Her father was a chemist, but he hated it and became a lawyer. Jacobson does more than just making up for her father's chemistry aversion, however, as you can hear her excitement when she discusses the subject.

She explains the chemistry that she has with the subject. "Chemistry is a cross between physics and biology," she says. "It is a physical and a conceptual science."

Jacobson has been teaching chemistry at Blair for three years now. Prior to her experience at Blair, she worked as a researcher. She considers her practical scientific background to be the most important experience in shaping her life. "Working in a lab gave me the opportunity to apply the knowledge I learned in college," she says.

Jacobson acknowledges that her students probably don't appreciate chemistry to the extent that she does. To solve this problem, Jacobson plans to spend more time doing experiments in class. Once, she mixed sodium with water so her students could see the sparks. It was another opportunity for her to apply practical knowledge in the classroom.

Teaching is much more fun for Jacobson than working in a lab. "Kids are different than adults," she says. Her one dislike about Blair is its large student population, since she unfortunately doesn't get to know all the kids.

The thing that struck Jacobson most when she came to Blair was the diversity. She says that she likes the people, and she enjoys teaching here.

Jacobson is the sponsor of IMPACT Blair, a club designed to help minimize the achievement gap that between Asians and whites, and African Americans and Hispanics. The club is planning a culture night when people can come and discuss any thoughts they have on what should be done about the underachievement of some minorities. IMPACT Blair is also holding study circles where students can come for academic support.

Jacobson is a native New Yorker. She compares her high school experiences in New York to her teaching experiences here at Blair. She says that here the people are friendlier, but that discipline is more of a problem. Both her honors and regular level classes are talkative.

Teaching honors classes can be difficult, says Jacobson, because the students are at varied levels. She is glad that her students are eager to take chemistry and believes that everyone should take it, but she feels that kids should be placed where they belong. "Not everyone should be in honors," she says. She thinks that honors and regular chemistry are both good courses, but just slightly different.

When Jacobson has free time outside of school she spends it doing puzzles, walking, and traveling. She recently returned from a trip to San Francisco with her husband. She saw all the sites, including the golden gate bridge. "It's such a beautiful city," she remembers.

This summer Jacobson also went on a trip to Canada. She visited Vancouver, National Parks, and the Canadian Rockies where she enjoyed site seeing, boating, and horseback riding. "God, it seems like so long ago," she says, fondly recalling her vacation.