Physics 590 – Advice for New Physics TeachersSalvatore TattoThe first few years of teaching are a challenging time. There are many demands placed on a new teacher. New high school teachers need to learn the content of the classes they are teaching, learn how to control and motivate a group of teenagers in the classroom, deal with concerns from administrators and/or parents, and at the same time think about tenure. Teaching was a second career path for me. I went back to school for my secondary education certification so that I could teach physics. I learned a great deal about educational theory, but I was not taught physics content or how to specifically teach it. While I felt that I learned a lot as a student teacher, I had no idea how much was left to learn. I was excited when I was offered my first job teaching physics. As a beginning teacher, I was faced with the challenge that most new teachers are faced with. I had to independently learn the physics curriculum and determine the most effective method to teach it. I had a textbook and I knew what topics I needed to teach. However, I was at a loss on how to do it. I did not know how I would motivate my students and get them to love the subject as much as I do. I was also unsure of the labs I would have students do, and did not know what demonstrations I would or could do to help enhance their learning. I reflected back on my many years as a student. I remember how the teachers were the center of the classroom. It was their job to lecture and disseminate information. Since this was a model that worked for my whole education, I decided to use the same model now that I had my own classroom. While this method was straightforward and comfortable for me since it was how I learned, I began to realize that this was not the most effective way to teach. In my fourth year teaching, I am still learning a lot about what it means to be a good teacher and what good learning looks like in a physics classroom. Many authors have written advice for new teachers. It is important to continue sharing advice, since no two teachers are the same and new teachers are continually entering the field. Asa new teacher, it is important “to realize that your light is not unusual and that you are not alone.”1 So much happens during the first year of teaching that you tend to forget that many otherpeople are going through the same ups and downs as you are. Identifying a mentor can be an invaluable action for a new teacher. One of the best feelings I have is talking with colleagues about what I am doing in the classroom. Being able to bounce ideas off another physics teacher helps with planning and invariably gives you a fresh look at what you are doing in class. It is preferable to have a mentor in the same school. However, if you are the only physics teacher at your school, you will have to look elsewhere. A good place to look is “a colleague from another school or join a partnership with a physics department at a local university.”2 It is also important diverge from the traditional classroom routine and do a project with students. “The compelling and fun parts of physics are the hands-on activities that, when combined with student discussion of ideas, help you and your students make more sense of the everyday world.”1 I believe designing and implementing projects is extremely difficult for a new teacher. During the first year, a major concern is getting through all of the curricular material. A project can be seen as taking away valuable class time from learning. However, it can be one of the most rewarding parts of the class. When I think back to my high school physics class, the projects we did stick out clearly in my mind. I had to apply what I learned in class and learn how to apply problem-solving techniques when my projects were in the design phase. It is also important to have students become active participants in their learning. “The more your studentsbecome responsible partners in the learning process, the more they will learn and the more they (and you) will enjoy it.”3 As both an educator and student, I have learned that when students are able to participate in their learning, they have a much better chance of remembering what they learned. One of the most important pieces of advice that incorporates everything from above is to attend a summer physics academy. “Many colleges and universities nationwide offer formal coursework and institutes, as do U.S. national laboratories.”1 One of the most worthwhile endeavors I have made in my teaching career is attending a physics teaching methods course over the past two summers. At the summer sessions, I had the opportunity to interact with other physics teachers and learn what they were doing in their classrooms. I was exposed to Modeling Physics, an entire research-based introductory physics cirriculum1. I learned many different techniques on how to teach physics (some I had never seen before, while others I already do withmy students). I was also able to improve my physics content knowledge. Finally, I was able to find teachers “who not only get your nerdy jokes, but appreciate them.”4It is important to realize the learning process is ongoing. My experiences at Buffalo States summer program have taught me that the more I know about physics, the more I have to learn. The professors there say they “learn physics every semester by listening and reflecting upon student questions.”1 References:D. MacIssac, D. Henry, and J. Zawicki, “Physics Teacher by Choice or Chance?,” Phys. Teach, 42, 558-559 (December 2004).E. Legleiter, “Advice from an Out-of-Field Physics Teacher,” Phys. Teach, 43, 188-189 (March 2005).C. Wieman, “Minimize Your Mistakes by Learning From Those of Others,” Phys. Teach, 43, 252-258 (April, 2005).D. Riendeau, “Top 10 Reasons You Should Attend a National Meeting,” Phys. Teach, 44, 317-318 (May
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