
This workshop was led by the amusing and energetic author of the Stop Faking It! materials, Bill Robertson. Bill took the 40 of us K-12 educators through force and motion concepts using the learning cycle model. We had a great time playing with chairs, ping pong balls, and balloon rockets; but the real fun was the audible "ah-ha" moments when the science behind these (sometimes commonly used) activities sunk into our brains for the first time.
Most of the sessions at the meeting were aimed at helping teachers teach science concepts to students, but Bill's workshops (and books) focus on helping teachers better understand concepts. See, he believes that teachers with a deep understanding of the science behind textbook claims will be more effective, confident teachers.
I studied physics for a long time, but this 4 hour workshop exposed the sloppy thinking that I've fallen into and my tendency to look to equations to solve problems instead of concepts. What a great reminder of why physics is so cool!
Comments
Post a Comment