Re: [Phys-l] Physics job opening in Texas for 2008-09

[Jack Uretsky <jlu@hep.anl.gov>]

My goodness, how little room for individuatlity.  Is this predestination 
run rampant?  See below:

On Sun, 11 May 2008, John Clement wrote:

> Of course most PhDs are not trained to teach, except for ones that
> specialize in PER.
		How coudt you possibly know this?

  I happen to be one who went to RPI because it had a
> reputation for good teaching, and I came to PER naturally, but when I left
> research, I also studied PER.
>
> In defense of PhDs, they should understand physics better than the average
> teacher going into HS, and they have the research skills to become better.
> The big problem is that they have paradigms that may prevent them from
> becoming better.
		Every Ph D has such a paradigm?  Maybe there are a couple
	who sneak off on the side and get washed in the blood of the PER
	lamb?

  But traditional HS teachers also have paradigms that
> prevent them from becoming better.  Traditionally trained teachers tend to
> use traditional methods no matter the level of education.

		And traditional methods are per se wrong?  Sommerfeld, 
Pauli, and Feynman never saw the light of PER?  There is only 1 
effective way to teach?  How could anyone possibly know this?  It sounds 
to me like faith-based educational theory.
				Regards,
					Jack

> As to using interactive techniques, I would recommend the teacher evaluation
> form which correlates well with the ability to use inquiry.
>
> John M. Clement
> Houston, TX
>
> > I can't speak for TVS but I have been on the hiring committee for several
> > independent schools, and we have this to say about Ph.D.'s: they don't
> > teach very well.
> >
> > Of course, most other people don't teach very well either, but Ph.D.'s
> > don't show any particular ability to teach over regular hires, probably
> > because most PhD programs spend little time teaching their students how to
> > teach and what they do teach is horribly inappropriate for the high school
> > setting. I am not saying that PhD's are necessarily worse, I'm just saying
> > that they are not necessarily better.
> >
> > The increased knowledge from from a PhD is rarely if ever useful for a
> > high school teacher.
> >
> > Thus, PhD want more money and often get it, their contribution to a school
> > is often small compared to a teacher who has spent the same time to get
> > more experience teaching. While some schools are currently pushing for
> > more advanced degrees among their teachers, it is really a response to
> > some colleges who have programs, especially in the humanities, that
> > require surprisingly few classes to get a degree.
> >
> > To make a new hire, my current school talks with the teacher severals
> > times, speaks to his or her colleagues, and has them audition through a
> > sample lesson in front of students. And, yes, Mr. Clement, we check to see
> > if they are using interactive techniques.
> >
> > Marc "Zeke" Kossover
> > The Jewish Community High School of the Bay
>
>
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