Re: [Phys-l] Any teaching tips

[John Denker <jsd@av8n.com>]

On 01/26/2011 10:22 PM, William Robertson wrote:
> Well, if you are not interested in that game, I'm wondering why you  
> answered the question. If you wish to use the opportunity to argue for  
> a change in how intro physics is presented, then fine. But it's clear  
> that the question is predicated on standard types of problems  
> presented in standard types of textbooks.


There are some teachers who think that teaching is not 
a game, that it has a /purpose/, and the purpose has
something to do with solving real-world problems, not 
just textbook problems.


There are some teachers who are not robots performing the
script set forth in the text.  They teach what they think
is right, without waiting for somebody to change the text.


Do you really want to defend the alleged importance of 
"knowns vs unknowns"?  There's a lot more that could be
said about this, if anybody is interested.

Hint:
  http://www.mrao.cam.ac.uk/~steve/astrophysics/webpages/barometer_story.htm

Additional examples and discussion:
  http://www.av8n.com/physics/thinking.htm