Al Toots

I graduated from SFU with a BSc in Chemistry back in 1973 with no intention of going into teaching but my fellow classmates kept telling me I should be a teacher because I explained things so well.  I thought I would give it a try and have been at it ever since.  I taught junior high school science for about 6 years before coming to Okanagan College in Penticton to teach adults Chemistry and Physics at night school.  Presently, I teach Chemistry 011 & 012 and Math from 50 to 011.  I am probably more concerned with helping students learn how to think and discover rather than memorize facts.  I try to make the learning experience as enjoyable as hard work can be by relating topics to everyday situations which students will be familiar with.  My teaching style is a fairly traditional lecture approach although I am generally quite animated and I make good use of humour (so I’ve been told) to keep everyone awake.  My students also tell me that I am a hard but fair marker.  If you take a course from me, be prepared to work hard, learn lots and have fun doing it.