Re: What to do now

[Vic Decarlo <vdecarlo@DEPAUW.EDU>]

Rather than you asking students if they have any questions
(and getting dead silence), turn it around - you ask them
questions, and from their responses, get some sense of what
it is they do and don't understand.   Use this information as
a framework for further class discussion.
    As for the kinds of questions to ask, use the "two-minute"
problems popularized by Eric Mazur in his book "Peer Instruction"
and also used by Thomas Moore in his "Six Ideas That Shaped
Physics" textbooks.  If anything, it'll get your students more
involved in the class activities.

Vic DeCarlo
Dept. of Physics & Astronomy
DePauw University

Tina Fanetti wrote:

> Hello all
> And now for something completely different.
>
> I was called into my supervisor's office yesterday.  My physics stude=
> nts think I am a bad teacher and accuse me of not answering questions=
>  etc etc.
>
> I am like they don't ask questions.  I ask them if they are getting i=
> t and I get no response. =20
> They just had their first test.  They did horrible.  This is a calc b=
> ased class and they are all going to be engineers at a much tougher s=
> chool than this.
>
> I don't know what to do.  I can't slow down anymore.  I have to do so=
> mething.
>
> I also have a problem relating to some of the foreign students.  I wo=
> uld like some advice regarding this too.
>
> I had a long talk with my students today begging them to ask question=
> s telling them I can't help you if I don't know what you don't get.  =
> It makes perfect sense to me and if you don't tell me that it doesnt'=
>  make sense to you...I assume you got it.
>
> Tina
>
> Tina Fanetti
> Physics Instructor
> Western Iowa Technical Community College
> 4647 Stone Ave
> Sioux City IA 51102
> 712-274-8733 ext 1429