My name is Samia El-Ali.
I am a head of chemistry at the Claremont High School Academy.
I'm also senior subject leader in science.
I have been teaching here for over 10 years now.
I teach chemistry mainly from year 7 right up to year 13.
I'm also a sixth form academic mentor,
which means I work with the students in preparation for university.
We need to keep developing and inspiring the next generation of chemists,
we need to have a continuous supply of really, really good chemists.
So we have a duty of care
for future generations to keep producing
excellent chemistry students, excellent chemistry researchers,
excellent chemistry teachers.
A good teacher can be the turning point in a student's life.
A good teacher can
tap in to the good qualities that some people may not see in a child.
Having a really good, inspiring teacher
would actually make - change the future - of that child in ways
that no one would imagine.
- My teacher, Mrs El-Ali was just so enthusiastic
that it was impossible not to enjoy learning the subject,
and she really just brought chemistry to life
So I'd often read up on a topic at home,
and then come to learn it in the lesson,
and the difference between reading it and being taught it
with Mrs El-Ali and then actually performing an experiment for example
it was just - bringing it to life made it so much more interesting,
and it was my favorite lesson of the day, for sure.
- The Royal Society of Chemistry is integral in the advancement of the chemical sciences.
From a teaching point of view,
it is a very important resource, a very important organisation to have
to support teachers and learners at whatever stage of their education they are at.
Twelve years ago I attended the Salters Festival of Chemistry at UCL,
and one of the members who is a head of chemistry at a local school where I used to teach
invited me to one of the lectures that they were hosting
by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
It was 'The Year of Chemistry' so I took some of my students down there
and I absolutely loved it.
I have since become even more involved with the Royal Society of Chemistry
I became a member about five years ago,
and I wanted to be a member because I wanted to show that
I am involved, I am interested, and I do want to make a difference.
- The knowledge that a teacher being part of such a society,
brings to the table, is just so invaluable really because
they know things that are so helpful to students who want to go into that kind of field.
Mrs El-Ali was always really knowledgeable about jobs and prospects for careers in chemistry.
- Being a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry has benefited my students hugely
It has benefited them because of my own development
and the professional development I get from them in terms of
keeping me in touch with what is going on in higher education,
what's going on in industry,
what's going on in the various chemical communities.
- One word I'd use to describe Mrs El-Ali would be
'irreplaceable'.