Advice for teaching high school kids

[plarq]

I got an offer from UNSW for teaching pre-tertiary physics (They call it UNSW Foundation Year) to high school students. Any good advice? The course is preparatory to college physics, including mechanics, geometric optics, electric circuits, magnetism and electromagnetism induction.

 

[thonet]

if your a girl..short skirts and low cut shirts might be a good trick...

 

[Narz]

Grade harshly but fairly. Be funny & likable. Help the kids understand using anedotes & explain real-world applications (rather than pure theory) as much as possible.

That's what works for me anyway. I need to see the value of something demonstrated again & again to be inspired. Good luck!

 

[Mowque]

as a student...be a good lecturer..i know some of that is just natural talent..but please try and be a good speaker! Also, with what Narz said, give examples of everything...

Edit after seeing plarq's post- Sorry, i'm not a instructor, feel free to ignore!

 

[plarq]

if your a girl..short skirts and low cut shirts might be a good trick...

No distraction... it is my first time teaching physics, so I need some good orientational remarks from experienced instructors.

There's some lab equipment missing, BTW. I need some substitution of the experiments.

EDIT:
Course Content

Classical mechanics: motion, vectors, Newton's laws, universal gravitation, momentum, work, energy, power, conservation laws, motion of rigid bodies, statics, rotational and vibratory motion.

Wave motion and optics: the nature of waves, sound, light, geometrical optics, image formation, optical instruments, interference.

Electricity and magnetism: electrostatics, direct currents, magnetism, electromagnetic induction, electromagnetic waves.

Laboratory techniques: measurement and error, data analysis and recording, electric circuits, optical systems.

 

[Fifty]

just memorize what Michelle Pfeifer does in Dangerous Minds and do that.

 

[Narz]

just memorize what Michelle Pfeifer does in Dangerous Minds and do that.

I suspect he's dealing with a slightly different demographic based on what he's teaching.

Spoiler :

I know, I know rasism, but I didn't say race, did I?

 

[plarq]

I think he's dealing with a slightly different demographic based on what he's teaching.

Spoiler :

I know, I know rasism, but I didn't say race, did I?

Let's be rasist and laugh!

Personally I quite doubt the ability of those prospective students--the best part of high school kids goes US anyway.

 

[Perfection]

dude, make all kinds of cool physics stuff for the kiddies to play with. Physics teachers get the ability to shock students, race toy hot wheels down tracks, perform other crazy experiments and still call it a respectable class.

Physics teachers are the coolest teachers ever.

 

[choxorn]

Let them do cool physics stuff, and make silly jokes as often as possible.

 

[CCRunner]

Making the kids like you: Only be funny if you are. Nobody likes an unfunny teacher that makes jokes anyway. Tease the loud kids once you get to know them a little and tell humorous anecdotes. Playing games are good too, just be creative (Everybody has played classroom Jeopardy a ton)

Teaching them: For gods sake, don't just put up an overhead and tell them to write it down. Very few learn well that way. Set up experiments; interested kids are learning kids. And don't assign any busywork at all. It's horrible and promotes cheating and resent for the class.

This is from a current High School student, not an instructor though.

 

[Integral]

No distraction... it is my first time teaching physics, so I need some good orientational remarks from experienced instructors.

There's some lab equipment missing, BTW. I need some substitution of the experiments.

I can only make the most general remarks, but for what it's worth:

- To start with a very practical note, learn every student's name as soon as possible. You'd be amazed at how this improves the class atmosphere.
- Applications, applications, applications. You mentioned that there's some lab equipment missing, but use labs as frequently as practicable. Integrate lectures with labs; use labs to reinforce the content of the lectures.
- As best as you can, make every assignment meaningful
- Set out clear grading standards early on and stick to them

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

With high school kids, only two things. Be awesome and likable.

 

[Elta]

- To start with a very practical note, learn every student's name as soon as possible.

Forget that give them all nick names, the worse they perform the worse they get. When they earn your respect you can call them by their first name.

And always demand DAP from every kid in the class when you enter! It's a matter of respect!


Okay the last part sounds a little impractical, but I only tutor 7 high school kids at a time for 6 hours a week. And I am only 4 years older than them. Still I DEMAND RESPECT!!!!!

 

[Sidhe]

Don't they're bastards.

 

[Shaihulud]

UNSW is that the University of New South Wales?

Personally I quite doubt the ability of those prospective students--the best part of high school kids goes US anyway.

If you think that, you have failed already as an educator. Do not pre-judge students, you are there to arm them with the necessary knowledge to bring to their University.

You would be most likely handed a syllabus and timetable, so what you want to teach is limited. Your most pressing problems are classroom management and yourself, do be an interesting personable person, admit your mistakes and conduct interesting activities.

 

[azzaman333]

dude, make all kinds of cool physics stuff for the kiddies to play with. Physics teachers get the ability to shock students, race toy hot wheels down tracks, perform other crazy experiments and still call it a respectable class.

Physics teachers are the coolest teachers ever.

Perf is right. You can find plenty of fun things to relate to physics, so make the class interesting and fun and they'll care more.

 

[Riffraff]

Are you comfortable writing on a blackboard?

I found that in my first classes (excersise class at uni) I had to concentrate myself way too much on the actual writing. If you have little/no experience maybe some practice beforehand would be good.

 

[Sidhe]

Take 'em out in the sun and test the speed of sound.

 

[J-man]

Read this thread and know what to do and not to do;
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=305752