Feb 05
In my 5 years of teaching physics in elementary as well as in high school, I have come to realize a few important things. Here are 10 of them in no specific order:
- Physics is not a subject for those who lack creativity. No matter how real or tangible we make the concepts, there will always be parts of the concept that will remain in the realm of imagination.
- Physics is like math on steroids. For those who hate math, it’s like Godzilla, only angrier and more vicious. But for those who are good in math, it’s nothing more than an application.
- Interest in physics, just like imagination, is inversely proportional to age. The younger the students are, the more excited they are to learn about the subject.
- Conversely, fear of physics, unlike interest, increases with age. The older the students get, the more they fear they develop.
- A page of physics problems is more terrifying than several pages of assignment or exams in other subjects. Just ask the high school students.
- Games are integral in teaching physics concepts especially to kids in the lower levels. Concepts taught without them remain as just concepts. While those taught using games become habits.
- Physics ideas are harder to teach than physics inventions.
- Great men of physics are remembered only if they fit at least one of two things: either they have a very short name like Aristotle, or they’re tied up with funny or interesting stories like Isaac Newton and his apple or Benjamin Franklin and his kite.
- To older students, the computer and the cellular phone are far more important physics inventions than the light bulb.
- To students, especially in elementary, physics demonstrations are only exciting when there are explosions, collisions and loud bangs. The louder and the more destructive, the better.
In short, teaching physics is not a walk in the park. On the contrary, it’s always a challenge, a dynamic puzzle, and an ever-progressing experiment. So to all my fellow physics teachers out there… here’s one for you guys! Cheers!