[Physltest] [Phys-L] Re: Math and Physics Teacher partnership?

["Daryl L. Taylor" <Daryl@DARYLSCIENCE.COM>]

Jack, in your previous post, you stated

<<So, please explain.  How does all that differ from anything that I
said?>>

A few posts ago, you stated

<<Well, that's great for you, at your institution.  But for Hoi
Polloi, such as I was at College of DuPage, Illinois, that's a great way
to stimulate the Dean's desire to have you go elsewhere.>>

I addressed that directly. If your Dean, or in my case Principal and/or
Headmaster, has his/her head so far up a politician's  behind, or his own or
that matter, that s/he can't see the big picture AND causes trouble when an
instructor actually follows standards and job description, leave. There are
plenty of schools looking for educators who follow codes of excellence. I've
left schools over less.

Also, you stated

<<I conclude that he must have been living in a teacher's paradise.
The Dean's I have known expect that you will deal with whatever you get in
the classroom, exactly as your fellow, perhaps not very scrupulous
teachers, have done.  Your job is to process students according to
schedule, and not make waves.  Many of us have taught in tax-supported
schools where the overpriced administrators are primarily concerned with
getting along with the politicians.
        So, Daryl, I'd like to hear more about the Utopia where you work
and how you deal with any conflicts arising from your standards of
excellence.>>

I repeat, I have no conflicts. Period. I'm sure a few of my Administrators,
past as well as present, may have minor conflicts, but I don't. I am sorta
in a 'teacher's paradise'. Have been in 3 of my 6 teaching posts. I was
hired by competent/excellent leaders and they have the faith in my teaching
to let me handle it the way I see fit. Further, I can't disagree more with
your assertion that my "job is to process students according to schedule,
and not make waves." My job is to cause the learning of physics, not process
students. I've been in tax-supported public education for 28 years. Everyone
'demands' excellence. It's only those in the trenches who can supply it.

I'm not advocating a lack of assistance to students who need it. In ANY
field. Far from it. However, the reason I jumped into this thread was to
address a statement by Scott Goelzer who writes:

> I spend 30% of my curriculum time teaching and reteaching algebra to
> juniors and seniors anyway.

My solution is simple. Don't. If 30% of your Physics time is spent on Math,
how much of the Physics curriculum can be covered? 70%? Heck, some of us
have trouble teaching 70% of our curriculum without spending class time on
other things. Kids have a plethora of 'help lines' available to them. My
kids are told repeatedly to get help in the Maths if it is causing trouble.
Some get it from me. Some get it from their favorite Math teacher. Some
don't get it. However, I'll be dag-gummed if I'll spend more than a minute
of my valuable Physics time teaching something a kid should already know. I
just don't do it. Now, if the kid comes in OUTSIDE of class, yes. I'll help
my butt off.

And believe it or not, my kids accept that. Because I simply expect them to
do it, most do.


Daryl

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-----Original Message-----
From: Forum for Physics Educators [mailto:PHYS-L@list1.ucc.nau.edu]On
Behalf Of Jack Uretsky
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2004 12:51 PM
To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
Subject: Re: Math and Physics Teacher partnership?


On Mon, 8 Nov 2004, Daryl L. Taylor wrote:

> Joel & Jack;
>
> Joel, thanks for letting me come up for air. By the responses I've
received
> off-list, I've apparently performed some hideous unprofessional act that
> deserves my immediate self-punishment to atone for my educational sins.
> Maybe tonight I'll drink some BAD beer as punishment...
>
> Jack, all I said, and I'll repeat, is to "teach physics"! That's my job!
As
> I clearly stated, I will do everything I can to help a kid. If that
includes
> tutoring him/her on the intricacies of Algebra I so he/she can grasp the
> nuances of Physics a little better, fine! But NEVER during class. Stop in
> before school, after school, during my 20 minute lunch period. Heck, I'll
> even carry on a chat while walking quickly to the potty. (Maybe not
> coherently, but...) It is my belief, thru 28 years of mediocre class room
> combat, that as soon as you take class time away from your prime focus to
> "fill in the blanks" of some student's shortcomings, you've lost the game.
> We have to start realizing that the kids do not dictate the pace of the
> course, WE do. As Bernard states, "The vast majority of students have too
> little life experience to know
> what they want and what is necessary, and parents too ignorant or
otherwise
> unwilling to give direction." I have squelched many students from causing
> digressions into realms of Math, History, Science Fiction. Don't get me
> wrong, digressions are good. However, constant digressions by a Physics
> Instructor to catch up Math skills defeats the purpose of being in
Physics.
> In fact, just today I reminded all my classes that if they still have
> difficulty solving vector triangles, get help NOW, because we will be
using
> them all year. I won't teach it again. I will help kids who come in for
> added help. But, no more class time for it. They are now expected to
> demonstrate mastery.

        So, please explain.  How does all that differ from anything that I
said?
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