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In a message dated 8/11/01 5:00:38 AM, LISTSERV@lists.nau.edu writes:

ps- i came on this list to learn just a little more and to SHARE ideas,
and
to my dissapointment i have wasted my time. it seems that this list is
stagnate (by no means a personal attack on anyone) when it comes to
SHARING
*NEW* ideas. later...

Hi Justin,
This list is actually called "Forum For Physics Teachers" so most list
members expect posting members to share a vocabulary that is based (at
minimum) on a major in one of the physical sciences at a 4-year
post-secondary institution of some sort. Since your questions sound like
those of someone who has read some popular science books or even a curious
high school student, people are not necessarily expecting to "share ideas"
with you.

I also highly recommend the Feynman book section on energy...I read an
excerpt aloud to my high school classes every year. Energy is a really
tough, abstract concept, which I have struggled with even after getting my
degree in physics. It is not something I feel qualified to "share ideas"
about, unless I were actively doing some sort of energy-related research. I
might share ideas for energy metaphors, if I could think of one better than
Feynman's.

I'd also be very happy to share a lot of my ideas for teaching physics with
you, but most of them are not *NEW*, in fact I have stolen almost all of them
from other teachers. Some people will tell you that there are in fact no NEW
ideas in teaching physics at all. It is all a series of fads and we have
seen it all before. (I'm not one of those people.)

I'm sorry if we were not what you expected. There probably is a group out
there who would fit more with what you want. Good luck!

-Fran Poodry
Williamstown High School
Williamstown, NJ

PS Physicists are pretty nit-picky people about things like using words
correctly in regards to a very precise definition of the word, and are also
known to get sarcastic. it's not just you- we do it with everyone. ;-)