Re: [Phys-l] football orientation in flight ERRATUM

[Marty Weiss <martweiss@comcast.net>]

coaches, couches...  whatever;  funny how some principals don't know  
what we do, maybe they are former *couches* also.  ;->
Anyway, sorry for going way off topic but I've been waiting years to  
tell this tale from the inner city.  The opportunity never came up  
earlier but this off-topic reply from Chuck seems the perfect time.
Back when I first started teaching physics in the late 80's I was  
telling the students about the jobs available to those who studied  
physics in college.  Engineering was one of those professions.  Well,  
during parent conference night a few months later an irate parent came  
to me and angrily asked me why I was telling her son he should drive a  
train for a living!  I had no idea what she was talking about until I  
asked her what she was referring to.  She replied,  "You told him he  
could study for a job as an engineer.  My son can do better than be a  
train driver."   After doing all I could do to avoid cracking up with  
laughter, it only took a second to educate this woman about a  
profession evidently she and her son had never encountered before.   
She seemed pleased and asked what it paid.  "More than a teacher,"  I  
replied.  She went away happy.   (I have no clue what this student  
ended up doing, sorry for the loose end.)

Marty



On May 22, 2008, at 11:42 AM, chuck britton wrote:

> Spinning balls are indeed easy to get 'wrong'.
>
> I learned an important 'rule of thumb' from a group of couches who
> were attending a summer physics workshop.
>
> 	Couches are often put in the physics classroom (at least - here in
> the south) since their certification is in 'Physic (al Education)'
> 	and most principals are doing well to read the first two syllables
> correctly
>
> Spinning balls 'follow their nose'.
>
> 	Easy to remember and it works - about as good as a 'rule of thumb'
> can get.