AACT Member Spotlight: Mark Hackbarth



Every month AACT spotlights a passionate member who is dedicated to enhancing chemistry inside and outside the classroom. This month, we spotlight Mark Hackbarth. He is a science teacher at Jefferson Middle School in Midland, MI.

Tell us about yourself.

I have been a middle school teacher for over 30 years. I am also the president of our local teacher union. I have a wife who is a literacy coach and three adult children. In my spare time, I enjoy fishing, reading, and going to concerts.

Why did you become a teacher? Did you always want to teach?

I became a teacher because I enjoy working with young people and helping them to learn.

Share a story from your past that led to your choosing your field of work.

I originally wanted to become a wildlife biologist. While in high school, I worked at a summer camp at a local nature center and found that I really enjoyed working with students. I then decided to become a teacher.

What are you most proud of in your work?

I most proud of helping to develop a sense of curiosity and interest in science in my students. I am also proud of teaching them how to argue effectively from evidence.

Why did you become involved with AACT? What are the benefits of being involved?

I was invited to be a part of the inaugural Science Coaches program. I live in the home town of Dow Chemical, and  they partnered with AACT to create the program. I had not heard of AACT before then, though I had heard of the American Chemical Society.

What is your approach to building a meaningful relationship with your students and their parents?

First, I try to get to know them first and find out their interests. I also great them at the classroom door each day and try to have conversations with each student each day. We also do classroom circles periodicaly.

What topic do you find hardest for students? How do you teach it?

One of the more difficult topics is the scale of the solar system and universe in our astronomy unit. It's mainly due to the math that is involved. We do a lot of hands-on activities with Play-Doh, various spherical objects, and scale models. It is much easier to see relative sizes and distances that way.

How do you monitor the progress of your students? How do you ensure underperformers excel?

I use lots of formative assessments. I also look at the students' answers as they do their work. Most importantly, I have many conversations with the students to gauge their understanding.

What do you do to remain current and bring the latest science into the classroom?

I read the Science Scope magazine from NSTA. I also track online science news sites and follow various feeds on Twitter.

What fuels your passion for science and teaching?

The energy that I get from my students. I love their curiosity and desire to understand the world around them. Middle school students also like to argue and discuss, so I am passionate about the idea of arguing from evidence.

How do you monitor the progress of your students?

How do you ensure under-performers excel? I use lots of formative assessments. I also look at the students' answers as they do their work. Most importantly, I have many conversations with the students to gauge their understanding.

In three words, what would your students say they learned from you?

Importance of evidence

If you could pass on one word of wisdom to other chemists what would it be?

Stay curious and have fun!