Alumni Profile

Teaching science: Enthusiasm, hands-on experience make Honolulu school a paradise

There is a lot of hand-wringing about science education in U.S. schools, but not in the classrooms of Iolani School in Honolulu. There the students are eager to learn and teacher and science department chair Frederick Heyler (BAS 1988 CEE, MS 1989 CEE) is happy to teach. About two in five of Hawaii’s National Merit semifinalists come from the independent school, which supplements teaching science theory with ample hands-on lab and project experiences.

Heyler’s enthusiasm for teaching is sustained by the commitment of his students but was kindled partly by the outstanding teaching he saw in Stanford’s civil and environmental engineering department. The lectures and labs he took at Stanford remain fond memories as he teaches science to new generations.

In the decade you’ve been teaching, has the attitude of students toward science and math changed much?

The interest in science has increased: both the pressure from parents for their children to have the opportunity to take more science classes, as well as a desire from the students to take more science classes has grown.

Many universities like to see more science during their applicants' high school years. Some of the state universities have increased their requirements for the requisite number of science courses for admission. Additionally, I think there is an increasing desire by parents for their kids to be technically literate, something that they see as a key to vocational success in the future. Many of our parents desire careers in engineering or medicine for their children. 

It must be great to have motivated kids.

That’s what’s makes teaching so rewarding—the incredible motivation of these kids.

Of course engineering is not taught at the high school level, typically. Does it find its way into science classes?

There are the three basic science classes: biology, chemistry and physics. We offer different levels of first year chemistry and physics, including AP Physics. After that there is the option of a fourth year in science, whether it be Advanced Placement (AP) Biology, AP Chemistry or AP Physics. Many students who have an interest in engineering express a desire to take the second AP Physics course—since engineering typically involves the application of physics principles.

What do the kids respond to most in the classroom?

What they often respond to the best is where the concept is introduced and then they have to work with it in the form of a laboratory. For instance, today I am introducing the theory of electrical resistance and resistivity using a Power Point presentation, demonstrations, and analogies with water flow. Following this, students will do a laboratory where they design an actual circuit and incorporate ammeters and voltmeters. They will then use their results to calculate the resistivity of both Play-Doh and the graphite in pencil leads. The students must think and apply the material just learned using common every-day objects. They are generally impressed with the accuracy of their results.

It sounds like you offer a lot of hands on experience for students.

It helps greatly with their retention of the material to actually work through and apply concepts in the laboratory. Additionally, the Advanced Placement Physics exams will typically incorporate one to two questions that directly relate to hands-on laboratories.

Does this hands on approach occur in other science classes?

Although Iolani enrolls students from Kindergarten, our Upper School division has students from 7th grade to 12th grade. We have a 7th grade Earth Sciences class and an 8th grade Physical Science course prior to students beginning the high school sequence of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Other faculty members share the philosophy of first introducing scientific theory with academic rigor and then giving students the opportunity to apply that theory in laboratories. Altogether, there are 19 full-time faculty members in Iolani's Upper School Science Department.

When you talk to other teachers, do you find there is a similar rise in interest in science?

Hawaii has the highest percentage of students in private schools of any state in the nation with approximately one quarter of the students enrolled in private schools. Conversations with teachers at other independent schools in Honolulu, indicate that they too have seen student interest in science increase. The four largest private schools in Honolulu have made substantial investments to improve their science educational facilities. Each of the three other large independent schools in Honolulu has built a new science complex within the last decade. Four years ago, Iolani substantially expanded and completely renovated the physics, 7th grade earth science, and 8th grade physical science laboratories and classrooms. Additionally, our AP Biology program has received a dedicated suite with office, laboratory, and lecture room.

At Stanford you majored in civil engineering. How did you eventually become a teacher?

I came to Stanford thinking I wanted to major in physics. But then when I actually experienced civil engineering and hydraulics —the very nature of things you could see, feel, touch, apply —it fascinated me. I decided to major in civil engineering and concentrate in hydraulics. In the back of my mind I had always thought I would teach on the university level, but after my Masters degree I decided to spend a couple of years working before making the investment in a doctoral program lasting several years. I was thinking I’d better make sure I knew what I wanted to study. So I went to work for Bechtel in their hydraulics research group for five years. I enjoyed the work and never got around to going back to school.

What do you like so much about teaching?

The resources here, the support, and the students are all outstanding. In some ways the material is comparatively basic but the challenge becomes figuring out ways to effectively communicate it to students in the form that they will grasp.

What projects are the most fun?

Some of the mechanics projects. In some years our regular physics classes build mousetrap cars. After racing them, they use a few simple distance and time measurements to determine the acceleration, accelerating forces, retarding forces, energy of forward motion, rotational energy of the wheels, etc. They also assess the net efficiency based on total output energy versus input energy. It is rewarding for them to actually build the cars, to see them work, and to apply concepts learned. It’s both good-natured fun and a wonderful review of the concepts of mechanics—how and why objects move.

When you look back on Stanford, what do you think had lasting value in your career?

The teaching at Stanford was outstanding, particularly in civil engineering. Indeed, the fun, interesting classes taught by outstanding, committed professors attracted me to major in civil engineering. I had many outstanding teachers including Jeff Kosseff, Anne Kiremidjian, James Gere, and Ronaldo Borja, to name just a few. Additionally in many civil engineering courses, labs provided a practical application of what was being learned in class. I am grateful for my Stanford education both in terms of the fundamental grasp of the concepts that I obtained and the fun, interesting, rewarding manner in which they were taught.