Modeling Method for Physics Teachers

SOCS-P
"You got to do inquiry, You got to do inquiry, You got to do inquiry."  This was preached to us, (Utica Teachers) at the beginning of this past year.  Not one damn example, lesson, methodology, or instructional practice was givin.  It was the "here's the theory, do it!" plan.  Skip ahead to today, as I walk off Mount Sinai with my two David Hestenes articles in my arms, which will require many rereads.  Ok, more like me walking out of the Oakland Schools center with my whiteboard stand and a new lease on teaching.  Oh, no, I've misplaced my metaphors.

"Modeling Methodology For Physics Teachers",  by David Hestenes, Proceedings of the International Conference on Undergraduate Physics, College Park, August 1996.

Quick Before It Dries

I decided a last year to actively engage my students on the very first day.  Students where presented with a question regarding the speed of a hot wheels car (at the time I had no lab equipment).  We discussed what could be measured, data to be collected, and factors that could affect its speed.  They were in shock,  "a lab on the first day," "this is going to be fun" we're a few of the remarks I remembered.  The students had to collect data from 10 other students and make a data table.  I've never had a better opening day.  For the first time, I didn't pass out once I got home from exhaustion.

SOCS #10 Arons 3.1-3.12

SOCS-I

If feel as if Arons has been my observing administrator for the past 22 years.  He has repeatedly entered my classroom, sat quietly in the back and tenaciously scribbled into his little yellow pad of paper, nodding and shaking his head.  June 20th he hands me my evaluation, Teaching Introductory Physics.  The reoccurring observation is the fact my students have no assurance of understanding, regardless of test scores.  Which is an absolute joke based upon our current teacher assessments, the fact that I can be a highly effective as a teacher because of high test scores, even though they still don't understand.  Even though the content of this material is a bit over my kids, I have confidence in my knowledge of the content to help bridge contextual gaps in their learning.  Newton's laws of motion have not been treated with enough context, with that, I know my students didn't get it.

SOCS #9. Unit 1 Normal forces

SOCS-I
It's easy to say that students have preconceptions, let alone misconceptions.  The difficulty I will have is determining to what depth are their preconceptions.  I believe that my students preconceptions at the 8th grade level are more rooted in a lack of depth of content.  I truly believe that by building the cases between the anchor and target will be exciting journey.

"Preconceptions in Mechanics" by Charles W. Camp and John J. Clement, pp. 11-42.

SOCS #8 Explaining the "At Rest" Condition of an Object

I was quite surprised at the depth of the misconceptions of the concept of simply being "at rest".   Recognizing students need for clarification might take more than one class period and pushing on books.  

Explaining the "at rest" condition of an object,  by:  Jim Minstrell, The Physics Teacher, Jan. 1982, pp. 10-14

SOCS #7 Two Approaches to Learning Physics

SOCS-I:  It bothers me to think that I may have been doing a disservice to my students.  At the same time, I am excited to make a dramatic change in my instructional practices.  I fear what my former students would have said if they where interviewed about my course.  I must master content also.

"Two Approaches to Learning Physics" by David Hammer, The Physics Teacher, Dec. 1989, pp. 664-670.

SOCS #6 Learning and Instruction In Pre-college Physical Science

SOCS - Philosophy

I get it!  I am more cognizant of my students misconceptions.  Just because I'm teaching, no matter how fabulous the instruction, or how cool the activity,  does not necessarily guarantee my students are learning.  They have to be mentally engauged in the construction of their learning.  Yeah, you can solve the equation and get the answer by plugging in the numbers.  So what, I can teach a monkey to put an apple in a hole, doesn't mean that he knows he's about to make applesauce.

"Learning and Instruction in Pre-college Physcial Science",  Jose P. Mestre, Physics Today, Sept. 1991, pp 56-62.

SOCS #5 2.1-2.7

SOCS I:

The ideas that "idea first and name afterwards" resonates the strongest with this passage.  Only after the utility and meaning of the number are firmly established is it convenient to give it a name.  Establishing the use of clock time vs time interval develops the term instant.

"Teaching Introductory Physics", Arnold B. Arons, p. 23-32.

SOCS #4. Teaching Introductory Physics 1.1-1.12, 1.17-1.18

SOCS-I:

I have always known that one of the most difficult concepts for students to comprehend was density.  Understanding the their difficulties with area, volume, and especially ratios and division, would make verbalizing the relationship between mass and volume exceedingly difficult.

"Teaching Introductory Physics", Arnold B. Arons, p. 1-15, 20-22.

SOCS #3 How we teach and how students learn.

SOCS-P:

I've decided to change the way I teach and this article confirms why, what I was doing wasn't working.  There's got to be a better way to get students to become better thinkers.  Oh yeah, it's called modeling.

"How we teach and how students learn - A mismatch!"  By  Lillian C. McDermott, American Journal of Physics, Vol. 61, No. 4, April 1993. pp 295-298.

SOCS #2 FCI

SOCS-C:

The Force Concept Inventory was enlightening as to my awareness of students potential misconceptions as well as my own.  I plan on using it as a diagnostic tool and for evaluating instruction. 

"Force Concept Inventory" by David Hestenes, Malcom Wells, and Gregg Swackhammer in:  The Physics Teacher, Vol. 30, March 1992, pp 141-158.

SOCS #1 Art of Science Teaching

SOCS-I:  

Good teaching is an art as long as you understand the science of cognitive development.  Understanding that my students my not have acquired the necessary schemes will require more analysis on my behalf.   

"Wherefore a science of teaching" by David Hestenes in:  The Physics Teacher, April 1979, pp 235-242.

FCI

Just took the FCI and I feel excited and a bit overwhelmed.  I didn't realize how simple force and motion questions could be so highly critical.  It's important in learn if I'm going to get my kids thinking this way.