This week I was working with two really good physics teachers (now retired) leading a workshop called "The Science of Cell Phones and Wireless Communication". This is a piece of curriculum the three of us wrote about 7 years ago that puts high school students in the position to learn how cell phones work. And I mean more than turn it on and download apps - I mean how are the signals sent, how are the signals converted to digital, what is a "cell", why are calls dropped and much more. It is awesome.
During the first day of this two day workshop we were brainstorming devices in their every day lives that use wireless communication. One of the participants shouted out RFID chips. Mark, the lead facilitator, asked him how they worked.
The participant stated that the RFID chip is, "magnetically charged" and sends out a radio signal. At that very moment I wasn't really paying attention but my head went up so fast I think I pulled a muscle in my neck! Many of the other participants were nodding along as if that made perfect sense. Mark just nodded along - because he didn't want to tell the participant that he wasn't making any sense. And the conversation continued...
I kind of wanted to say something at that point but I knew that we would talk so much wireless communication over the next two days that I hoped that he would get his issues cleared up.
But it made me consider how important the language we use is to teaching and learning. Let's focus on the terminology that he used, "magnetically charged". This really highlights some common misconceptions that we know exist in our students and apparently in teachers!
How often have our students confused the complicated ideas involved in the interaction between electricity and magnetism? Too often!
Let's consider the forces we call Gravitation, Electrostatics and Magnetism. We call these "spooky forces" more specifically called "field forces" which I like to call "non-contact forces". Do any of these names give us a clue as to the nature of these forces? My question is; how are they the same, How are they different?
We know from middle school that if you wrap a piece of wire around a metal nail and connect it to a battery it will turn into a magnet! There is a relationship between magnetism and electricity but do you think kids might be confused?
Do you think this confusion leads to kids using terms like "magnetically charged"?
My point is that the language we use in the classroom matters to the understanding that we'd like our students to develop. It is important for us to be cognizant of this and help our students to use the language that is appropriate for student conceptual development.
Good Luck,
DP
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Picnic with the DMAPT
Yesterday we held the first "annual" DMAPT picnic. The DMAPT (Detroit Metro Area Physics Teachers) is our local group of physics teachers. During the school year we meet 4 or 5 times and share physics teaching ideas and strategies.
This group has been around for over 50 years! Personally I've been attending meetings regularly since 2000. I've gotten to know and work with some of the best physics teachers in Michigan (and the country) while working with this group. Mostly our meeting center around content, demos, new teaching techniques and technology. Occasionally we get together for a social event; like yesterday's picnic.
I was there with my wife and two kids. Bryan Battaglia was there with his three kids (show off!). SteveDickie was there with his son who was shooting off air powered rockets and throwing spears with an atl atl all afternoon! It was truly a family affair in more ways that one. It gave all of a us a sense of how different the group is from any other professional organization.
At the picnic they honored my PAEMST win with a little celebration (Jim brought his delicious home brewed beer)! I am, of course, honored but this gave me a great opportunity to tell the group how much their impact has made on me personally and professionally.
Below is the statement that I made for the PAEMST win: http://bit.ly/LiPZny
/
The award is a way for me to honor and celebrate all of the wonderful teachers who inspired me. Education is a legacy and it is our mission to inspire students as well as other teachers toward quality education on all levels. Good teachers are continually developing and sharing quality practice. In this service we dedicate so much time and energy, and this award is an affirmation that there are tangible rewards for all of our hard work and dedication.
I truly believe that teaching is more than just the classroom. It is what we share and gain from each other that gives the job meaning. My PAEMST win is as much a reflection on the hard work and talent of the group as it is on me personally.
Thank you DMAPT
DP
This group has been around for over 50 years! Personally I've been attending meetings regularly since 2000. I've gotten to know and work with some of the best physics teachers in Michigan (and the country) while working with this group. Mostly our meeting center around content, demos, new teaching techniques and technology. Occasionally we get together for a social event; like yesterday's picnic.
I was there with my wife and two kids. Bryan Battaglia was there with his three kids (show off!). SteveDickie was there with his son who was shooting off air powered rockets and throwing spears with an atl atl all afternoon! It was truly a family affair in more ways that one. It gave all of a us a sense of how different the group is from any other professional organization.
At the picnic they honored my PAEMST win with a little celebration (Jim brought his delicious home brewed beer)! I am, of course, honored but this gave me a great opportunity to tell the group how much their impact has made on me personally and professionally.
Below is the statement that I made for the PAEMST win: http://bit.ly/LiPZny
/
I truly believe that teaching is more than just the classroom. It is what we share and gain from each other that gives the job meaning. My PAEMST win is as much a reflection on the hard work and talent of the group as it is on me personally.
Thank you DMAPT
DP
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Modeling Workshop: An Emotional Roller Coaster
As we approach the last couple of days of our modeling workshop I have a bit of time to reflect on what a crazy ride it is for every one. I remember back to the summer of 2000 and my own mechanics workshop. I am still friends with more than a couple of the participants. How does this happen?
First; a story.
Yesterday the funniest thing happened. The participants were practicing facilitating a white boarding session. They are really getting quite good at the questioning techniques. But it is still uncomfortable for everyone involved. There has to be a good deal of trust between all of the participants and the leaders of the workshop for this practice to be effective.
After one really good practice session we were debriefing the actual white board. It related to a roller coaster going through a loop. As an add on, I asked one of the white boarders "How do you feel?" I meant, at the top of the loop, how would the rider feel.
He responded with, "Well, I was really confused and uncomfortable at first but I'm starting to feel better about the content and the methodology."
At that point we were all a bit confused and he caught himself and started laughing. "Oh, you meant if I was the rider!" He was a bit embarrassed but we all had a really good laugh.
This reminded me how emotional these workshops can be. For many teachers it is tough to confront all of the ingrained ideas about teaching. Often you have to admit to yourself that you've been less than effective in the past. Also many teachers confront their lack of solid content knowledge.
These are difficult and take a real commitment and emotional investment. I love that!
This is why we grow together as a group. And this is what we want for our students and our classes! The bonds formed during this emotional roller coaster can be very lasting. I encourage everyone to be aware of this and cultivate these experiences in your workshops and classrooms.
First; a story.
Yesterday the funniest thing happened. The participants were practicing facilitating a white boarding session. They are really getting quite good at the questioning techniques. But it is still uncomfortable for everyone involved. There has to be a good deal of trust between all of the participants and the leaders of the workshop for this practice to be effective.
After one really good practice session we were debriefing the actual white board. It related to a roller coaster going through a loop. As an add on, I asked one of the white boarders "How do you feel?" I meant, at the top of the loop, how would the rider feel.
He responded with, "Well, I was really confused and uncomfortable at first but I'm starting to feel better about the content and the methodology."
At that point we were all a bit confused and he caught himself and started laughing. "Oh, you meant if I was the rider!" He was a bit embarrassed but we all had a really good laugh.
This reminded me how emotional these workshops can be. For many teachers it is tough to confront all of the ingrained ideas about teaching. Often you have to admit to yourself that you've been less than effective in the past. Also many teachers confront their lack of solid content knowledge.
These are difficult and take a real commitment and emotional investment. I love that!
This is why we grow together as a group. And this is what we want for our students and our classes! The bonds formed during this emotional roller coaster can be very lasting. I encourage everyone to be aware of this and cultivate these experiences in your workshops and classrooms.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Nobody Likes a Know-It-All
"Nobody likes a know-it-all and no one knows this more than me, a recovering know-it-all. I used to think that people would like you more if you told them all of the answers; it turns out they like you less!"
I have started the last couple of school years with this statement and I have begun using it in the modeling workshop.
Why? Mostly because it is true - nobody likes a know-it-all.
Telling your neighbors the answers doesn't promote learning.
And it is very annoying.
Being a participant in a modeling workshop is very challenging. We ask the participants to put themselves in "student mode". That is, we want them to think like their students. This is challenging for the best of teachers and very difficult for teachers who haven't really thought about what their students are thinking.
How do you go back to a time before you understood something? We call this "retrograde amnesia" and it is a necessity for getting the most out of a modeling workshop.
A problem arises in that know-it-alls are often also "explainers". We have preached from day one of the workshop that "telling is NOT teaching!" However, there are still a couple of participants who's first instinct when someone asks them a question is to launch into a long verbal explanation. What's up with that? This becomes a big issue when participants with limited content knowledge enable this behavior because "listening" has been their main learning strategy. We need to break this vicious cycle!
Another type of know-it-all is the "quipper". This is the participant with a ton of obscure content knowledge that thinks that the more random facts he can interject into a discussion the smarter he will seem. For example, the other day we were making observations about a buggy car. I asked about the mass and the participants told me that the mass was constant. This quipper responded with, "Not as it approaches the speed of light!" I almost threw the buggy at him!
One of the central tenets of the method is dialogue. How can you have a constructive dialogue if you feel the need to tell everyone around you the answers or show them how to do the problem or show them how smart you are?
I want the participants to grow out of that paradigm and embrace the questioning techniques that we've been practicing and modeling from the very first day of the workshop.
I have started the last couple of school years with this statement and I have begun using it in the modeling workshop.
Why? Mostly because it is true - nobody likes a know-it-all.
Telling your neighbors the answers doesn't promote learning.
And it is very annoying.
Being a participant in a modeling workshop is very challenging. We ask the participants to put themselves in "student mode". That is, we want them to think like their students. This is challenging for the best of teachers and very difficult for teachers who haven't really thought about what their students are thinking.
How do you go back to a time before you understood something? We call this "retrograde amnesia" and it is a necessity for getting the most out of a modeling workshop.
A problem arises in that know-it-alls are often also "explainers". We have preached from day one of the workshop that "telling is NOT teaching!" However, there are still a couple of participants who's first instinct when someone asks them a question is to launch into a long verbal explanation. What's up with that? This becomes a big issue when participants with limited content knowledge enable this behavior because "listening" has been their main learning strategy. We need to break this vicious cycle!
Another type of know-it-all is the "quipper". This is the participant with a ton of obscure content knowledge that thinks that the more random facts he can interject into a discussion the smarter he will seem. For example, the other day we were making observations about a buggy car. I asked about the mass and the participants told me that the mass was constant. This quipper responded with, "Not as it approaches the speed of light!" I almost threw the buggy at him!
One of the central tenets of the method is dialogue. How can you have a constructive dialogue if you feel the need to tell everyone around you the answers or show them how to do the problem or show them how smart you are?
I want the participants to grow out of that paradigm and embrace the questioning techniques that we've been practicing and modeling from the very first day of the workshop.
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