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Plenary III: The 2023 Paul Zitzewitz Excellence in K-12 Physics Teaching Award - Alice Flarend
7/18/2023 | 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Room: Ballroom A07
Moderator: / Co-Organizer:
Session Code: PL03A | Submitting Committee: / Co-Sponsoring Committee:
The Power of Words
We come to AAPT meetings to talk about physics. We share ideas and collaborate in order to find that perfect analogy to describe potential energy or how to setup a demo. Many conversations result in thought-provoking questions from peers about how or why we do certain things. These communications help us learn. We improve our understanding and, ultimately, our work.
I will argue language is an often overlooked but powerful pedagogical tool in the classroom. Of course, we all talk to our students, but do we talk with our students? Are we the only ones talking? Using language for learning means not only the language a teacher uses in explaining ideas, but also the opportunities the student has to communicate. Students have different experiences that influence their path to building an interconnected model of the world of physics. In building a more robust and nuanced model, they need to share their understandings, explain their unique connections and evaluate the ideas of others. Physics classroom should be filled with student voices and student ideas.
We come to AAPT meetings to talk about physics. We share ideas and collaborate in order to find that perfect analogy to describe potential energy or how to setup a demo. Many conversations result in thought-provoking questions from peers about how or why we do certain things. These communications help us learn. We improve our understanding and, ultimately, our work.
I will argue language is an often overlooked but powerful pedagogical tool in the classroom. Of course, we all talk to our students, but do we talk with our students? Are we the only ones talking? Using language for learning means not only the language a teacher uses in explaining ideas, but also the opportunities the student has to communicate. Students have different experiences that influence their path to building an interconnected model of the world of physics. In building a more robust and nuanced model, they need to share their understandings, explain their unique connections and evaluate the ideas of others. Physics classroom should be filled with student voices and student ideas.