Re: Physics first

[Herbert H Gottlieb <herbgottlieb@JUNO.COM>]

Please  see my response at the end of Ray's message.

Herb

On Tue, 27 Jun 2000 23:37:16 -0700 "Raymond A. Rogoway"
<rogoway@SJM.INFI.NET> writes:
> You need to first define what is the goal for your physics students?
> a. A broad spectrum, shallow knowledge of the physical world.
> b. The ability to solve problem by bringing in a wide range of
> approaches.
> c. Preparation for college.
> d. Preparation for biology or chemistry.
> e. A rigourous, in depth, knowledge of physics.
> f. A course that teaches them to think. (Thanks Herb)
> g. etc., etc., etc.
>
> Our school has placed Physics second, after Biology. We've tried
> this
> approach for 24 years.
> We use Conceptual Physics for the general population and AP (juniors
> and
> seniors) for the Science/Math College bound students.
>
> Our rationale is (1) since biology is more of a qualitative course
> Physics makes a good transition to the heavily math oriented
> Chemistry.
> We augment Conceptual with more mathematics than is in the book and
> stress structured problem solving. (2) If you collect enough data
> you
> find that the greatest drop off in science enrollments is between
> the
> Junior and Senior year. By placing Physics 1st or 2nd you sort of
> guarantee that your students will have received a broader view of
> the
> physical world than if they had just taken Chem and then dropped
> science
> in the senior year.
>
> So bottom line is...what do you want for your students who take
> physics?
> There is no one right answer. It totally depends upon your school
> population, the philosophy of your
> school/principal/district/superintendant/you.
>
> I agree with Herb that if you go Physics first you will have trouble
> finding qualified teachers which might reduce the effectiveness of
> giving all student a broad exposure to the physical world. However,
> our
> school in a lower-middle income area with a primarily minority
> population. We have 4400 students and 16 sections of physics/AP
> physics
> with 5 well qualified teachers. However we are in the Silicon
> Valley.
>
> A final caveat. It is demonstratable that a student's first
> experiences
> in High School set the tone for the remain years. If you have a good
> Physics program with good Physics teachers then you will see an
> increase
> in enrollment in Bio/Chem and Advanced Sciences. If you have a
> program with unqualified teachers you will turn off students to
Science. I
> think  that this is a major consideration in deciding about Physics
First.

Ray is indeed lucky to have five qualified physics teachers in his
school.  I doubt that there are many other schools in the country
that can boast of having so many  physics teachers on their staff.
In fact. I doubt that there are five qualified physics teachers left
in all of the non-specialized schools of  New York City at the
present time ..... and the number goes down and down and
down each summer as more physics teachers retire and others
leave for the sububurbs where salaries are higher.

Herb