Ozolnieki secondary school graduate returns as chemistry teacher
Evelīna Meijere, a graduate of Ozolnieki Secondary School, is now teaching chemistry there to 8th and 9th graders while pursuing a master's degree in food science. She believes anyone can grasp the basics of chemistry with the right attitude.
Evelīna Meijere, who graduated from Ozolnieki Secondary School, has returned there this September as a chemistry teacher for 8th and 9th grade students. She actually started the job in July, spending the summer preparing teaching materials and test templates. At school she is supported by Lolita Meihnarde, the school's longtime chemistry teacher and now her mentor, who no longer teaches full-time but still substitutes, supervises project work, and offers guidance.
Alongside her teaching job, Evelīna is enrolled in a two-year master's program in Food Science at the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies. She previously earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Latvia, though she initially studied financial technology before realizing it wasn't the right fit. Her decision to switch fields was influenced by her own high school chemistry teacher, whose working style and attitude inspired her. Her first teaching experience came at a Riga extracurricular education school, where she taught chemistry and physics.
First lessons and teaching approach
Although 8th and 9th grade are considered a more challenging age group, Evelīna's first lessons went better than she expected. She emphasizes that any student can master the basics of chemistry as long as they remain open and willing to listen, though some independent study at home is still needed, particularly for memorizing formulas and lists of substances.
Practical work and safety
The curriculum includes laboratory work, which can be carried out without expensive equipment. Drawing on her experience in Riga, the teacher plans extensive hands-on activities, since experiments are what most engage students' interest in chemistry. Lab sessions use safe, diluted substances, and safety rules are reviewed before each experiment.
Her main goals this school year are balancing teaching with her studies and preparing 9th graders for their natural sciences exam, which includes a chemistry component.
