In this article we present some of the modern trends in the teaching of chemistry, involving teaching in context, training of professional skills and development of citizenship. We also discuss some problems with the content of chemistry, mainly as found in science textbooks for 8th-level students. There are parts of the content that deal with issues inappropriate for the age of the students, while others require merely memorization, thus turning students away from science. Finally, we point out several conceptual mistakes, commonly found in textbooks and which make learning even more difficult.
Teaching in context; professional skills; citizenship; conceptual mistakes in textbooks