How can chemistry teachers learn from each other? (BCCE 2026)

Great teaching doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in community. In this bonus BCCE Community Conversation preview, Melissa talks with chemistry educator Dr. Joanne Stewart about communities of practice: groups of educators who come together to share ideas, solve problems, and help one another grow. They explore why teaching is hard to improve on your own, how these communities support both faculty and students, and why meaningful change in chemistry education depends on building relationships, not just sharing resources.   Important Links Submit a Question for Community Conversations bcce.divched.org/2026 YouTube.com/@chemforyourlife chemforyourlife.com   Timestamps 0:00 – Introducing the BCCE Community Conversation series 2:40 – Meet Joanne Stewart and her work in chemistry education 5:10 – What is a community of practice? 8:20 – How educators can get involved (even as a “lurker”) 11:50 – Sharing teaching resources and learning from one another 15:30 – Building a “community of communities” in chemistry 18:50 – What this year’s Community Conversation will explore 23:50 – Why lasting educational change requires strong networks 29:20 – BCCE events, communities to explore, and final invitations Support this podcast on Patreon  Buy Podcast Merch and Apparel Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com Watch our episodes on YouTube Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.