For the past nine years I have been implementing a new approach to teaching sophomore Organic Chemistry at Wisconsin. I find that, even in a class of 350 students, it is possible to involve the students in their own learning. The result is very satisfying for me and more importantly for my students. The interactive activities include participation of students in group problem-solving at the blackboard; calling on individual students in class to answer questions on subject material under discussion; learning the names of the students; and giving weekly quizzes, half of which I grade myself, to monitor student progress and my teaching. Success in the organic chemistry course can only be achieved with consistency and hard work. I believe that my personal interactive connection with the students serves as a motivating factor that engages them and makes them more eager to learn. They enjoy the course and think of the mechanistic and synthetic problems as challenging puzzles which when solved lead to a feeling of accomplishment. The organic chemistry classes usually have women in the majority (53-57%). Women are more likely to attend office hours and discussions. They respond more than men to connection and engagement, being in general more socially orientated. I am sure my interactive activities benefit women far more than men. Women also are more successful in the organic chemistry class than men. The very top students tend to be women. The grade-point for women can exceed that of men by 0.31.