Aha Moments

As I am getting more and more familiar with modeling, I am starting to see how I might be able to implement modeling my classroom.  Don't get me wrong... I'm still scared and uneasy about it.   But, as I have learned, being uncomfortable is good.  It will contribute to my learning and my growth as a teacher!

There have been two specific aha moments in this workshop where I have seen that modeling will significantly benefit my student's concept understanding.

Aha Moment #1
It has not been a secret that I was the teacher who gave equations and had my students "plug and chug,"  Of course, I "told" my students where the equations come from, why they work... yada... yada.  I thought I was doing a good job and my students were successful.  There performance on tests was validation that I was doing my job.

However, this workshop has convinced me that maybe my students did not fully understand physics (even though they were successful at solving problems).   BUT, I was still struggling with "when are student going to practice solving problems".   Laura told me to be patient and I would see.  I was trying to be patient :-).  I was thinking that my students (in honors physics) would need much more equation practice than what I was seeing in the workshop (after all we have barely touched the equations).

My Aha moment came with Unit 3 Worksheet 4.

It was very clear to me with this worksheet how the model really comes together and provides students with multiple methods to solve  problems.   I realized that the lack of "plug and chug" practice would not an issue because they now had such a deeper understanding of the concepts and many methods.  I will need to follow this worksheet with some more multi-step honors physics problems, but I can now clearly see how the model works and my worries over lack of equation practice is no longer a concern. My students will have a deeper and clearer understanding using modeling over only "plug and chug" equations.  I now see the benefit in delaying equation introduction.

Aha Moment #2
Today we developed Free- Body - Diagrams (FBD).  Contrary to modeling (concept before vocabulary), I have always taught vocabulary first.   I have introduced the term "normal force" and "applied force" before my students understood them.  I have found that my students put an "applied force" everywhere on their free body diagrams!  Whenever they could not explain something, they just added an applied force.  I would ask them what's causing the force and they would say ... "it's applied."

I believe I made two critical teaching mistakes. Concept before vocabulary and Agent- Object notation will resolve my issue with applied force on a free body diagram.    In fact, I will never again
label an applied force on a free body diagram!

It's going to be hard to change my notation.  I repeatedly labeled a normal force today.  I expect I will need to continue to  correct my notation next year.  Though as I stated earlier, things that are hard are essential for growth.   I can do it!  The benefit of Agent- Object Notation is clear.