Re: Physics--Honing the Intellect

[Jim Green <JMGreen@SISNA.COM>]

> I assume this means Jim is in the position to flunk half his class if they
> refuse to enter into the discussions.  Jim, is that the case??
>
> Joel

Joel, I have not had to face this problem -- I have been (moderately)
successful. but I am now retired and do not now face the same dumbing of
America that you younger people face.  (May I immodestly say that I also
had a proportionately greater number of graduating seniors tell me that
they considered my classes to be the most worthwhile.  The object is to
make the students _want_ to participate, not punish them if they don't.

Again I strongly recommend that physics teachers move away from straight
lectures.  Students come to class with a blank mind and sit in standard
student position and copy everything from the board to paper -- with their
minds still blank -- all the while carrying the ridiculous idea that they
can cram this stuff in the night before the tests.  Students should come to
class with questions and get them answered in class.

But "prepared" to flunk half the class??  Maybe not; the political
pressures would be too great.  My last experience in the regard was with a
fellow who came to my home and pleaded for a higher grade (There are no
letter grades here.)  He said that I _had_ to do it because he was on the
football team.  His mother by and by wrote a letter to the dean and I did
catch hell.  I was a very unhappy camper.

OTOH at a previous school -- a real school --  I routinely failed 10% of
the class (including drops).  But there only the science division
considered a "C" to be an average grade -- for the school a "B" was the
modal grade.  (At Stanford "C"s are not given at all I understand.)

We all are facing the dumbing of classes and a consequent decrease of
pleasure in teaching.

Just me over here in my little corner.

Jim Green
mailto:JMGreen@sisna.com
http://users.sisna.com/jmgreen