Re: Is competence in physics as a requirement for teachers of physics?

[Tim Burgess <tburgess@jaguar1.usouthal.edu>]

On Sat, 8 Nov 1997, Hugh Haskell wrote:

> BTW, while I agree that we act as coaches or mentors to our students, I
> have a problem with "cheerleaders." We encourage the students and support
> them when they need it, but it seems that that is a far cry from
> cheerleading, which, at least in my mind, is more of a mindless urging of
> the spectators than the students, and that has no place in teaching.

What do you mean by support?  Correctly stated definitions, appropriate 
methods, effective demos, clarity of thought, proper presentation, systematic
approaches, rigorours mathematical reasoning and a content mastery ranging 
through all of physics seem like reasonable expectations for the 10th grade 
Physics teacher. We should help a student "feel good" while learning 
physics too?


Tim 

;->