s a way of introduction, I should say that this is my first attempt to start a blog. I have, generally, been a private person and I cannot imagine why anyone might be interested in the musings and ruminations of a person they have never met. However, I have developed attitudes, thoughts, reactions, etc. that pertain specifically to physics. By airing them in PF, I might elicit reactions and comments from like-minded individuals and perhaps resolve issues that I have never resolved, reach conclusions that I would have otherwise never reached, adopt new attitudes and so on. I intend to post on this blog material that will always have a physics angle and my personal take of it. Feel free, gentle reader, to comment if so inclined and, by the way, just so that I can be placed in the order of things, I earn my living teaching university physics in the US.
Next: Why the hatred?
Next: Why the hatred?
Physics and I
For thee I sing
Soon after I first met my wife, she told me that she likes to sing and would I sing with her? "I can't sing", I said. "Nonsense, everybody can sing", she replied. (This took place years before the advent of talent television shows wherein vocally challenged contenders are living proof that her hypothesis was unwarranted.) I said, "Well, maybe everybody can, but I can't. If I started to sing, all the dogs in the neighborhood would start howling with distress." She was not convinced, but she let it pass for the time being. She thought I was being bashful, but I knew I was realistic. Not satisfied, she kept bringing up the matter over the ensuing months and, one evening, I gave in and I sang with her. Well, the dogs in the neighborhood did not howl with distress, most likely because it was the middle of winter and all doors and windows were tightly shut. However, when the song was (mercifully) over, she looked at me with new understanding and said, "Please don't sing again!" My sentiment precisely.
I attribute my singing disability to poor or non-existent wiring in my brain. Although I can tell that I sing off-key, I cannot coordinate my voice with my ear to sing on key. Singing in harmony is a serious challenge. I have known this since my elementary school music education classes in grades 4-6 which consisted of group singing. I was usually rewarded with a "gentleman's C" for my efforts, a grade that I considered generous. So my brain isn't wired for singing; I will find something else to do with it. Is it possible for me to improve my singing abilities with private lessons and coaching? I doubt it, because as far as singing is concerned, I am a jackass. My grandfather used to say, "The jackass may have been forty times to Jerusalem, but he's still a jackass." The term is not meant to be derogatory. In this sense, a jackass is simply constitutionally unable to carry out certain tasks although he may very well be able to excel in other endeavors.
I have found that, unfortunately, there are students who are constitutionally unable to do physics. They are not stupid, they are not lazy, they are not incompetent, they do not have a learning disability. They are sincere in making an effort, they try hard, they come for help, but they just "don't get it" no matter what they do or what I do to help them. They are, what I call, the heartbreak kids. Doing physics is, for them, an insurmountable challenge. Teaching them leaves both student and instructor frustrated because no progress is made no matter what either one tries. Fortunately, these students are few and far between, I have seen few in my years of teaching. My best explanation for what's going on with them is that their brains are just not wired for doing physics as my brain is not wired for singing. It may be a faulty analogy, but I have none better. Their memory haunts me; accepting this explanation leaves us both off the hook. They are not to blame for not learning and I am not to blame for not teaching them.
Well, I have reached the end of my "doing physics" ruminations. Lighter stuff coming up.
Next: David's dictum.
Soon after I first met my wife, she told me that she likes to sing and would I sing with her? "I can't sing", I said. "Nonsense, everybody can sing", she replied. (This took place years before the advent of talent television shows wherein vocally challenged contenders are living proof that her hypothesis was unwarranted.) I said, "Well, maybe everybody can, but I can't. If I started to sing, all the dogs in the neighborhood would start howling with distress." She was not convinced, but she let it pass for the time being. She thought I was being bashful, but I knew I was realistic. Not satisfied, she kept bringing up the matter over the ensuing months and, one evening, I gave in and I sang with her. Well, the dogs in the neighborhood did not howl with distress, most likely because it was the middle of winter and all doors and windows were tightly shut. However, when the song was (mercifully) over, she looked at me with new understanding and said, "Please don't sing again!" My sentiment precisely.
I attribute my singing disability to poor or non-existent wiring in my brain. Although I can tell that I sing off-key, I cannot coordinate my voice with my ear to sing on key. Singing in harmony is a serious challenge. I have known this since my elementary school music education classes in grades 4-6 which consisted of group singing. I was usually rewarded with a "gentleman's C" for my efforts, a grade that I considered generous. So my brain isn't wired for singing; I will find something else to do with it. Is it possible for me to improve my singing abilities with private lessons and coaching? I doubt it, because as far as singing is concerned, I am a jackass. My grandfather used to say, "The jackass may have been forty times to Jerusalem, but he's still a jackass." The term is not meant to be derogatory. In this sense, a jackass is simply constitutionally unable to carry out certain tasks although he may very well be able to excel in other endeavors.
I have found that, unfortunately, there are students who are constitutionally unable to do physics. They are not stupid, they are not lazy, they are not incompetent, they do not have a learning disability. They are sincere in making an effort, they try hard, they come for help, but they just "don't get it" no matter what they do or what I do to help them. They are, what I call, the heartbreak kids. Doing physics is, for them, an insurmountable challenge. Teaching them leaves both student and instructor frustrated because no progress is made no matter what either one tries. Fortunately, these students are few and far between, I have seen few in my years of teaching. My best explanation for what's going on with them is that their brains are just not wired for doing physics as my brain is not wired for singing. It may be a faulty analogy, but I have none better. Their memory haunts me; accepting this explanation leaves us both off the hook. They are not to blame for not learning and I am not to blame for not teaching them.
Well, I have reached the end of my "doing physics" ruminations. Lighter stuff coming up.
Next: David's dictum.
Total Comments 6
Comments
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There may be other things that correlate with this difficulty. In my (albeit limited) experience tutoring physics, those who struggle the hardest in physics tended to do poorly in math, especially geometry. I think that people who are generally good in what I think of as "visual math" (such as geometry) tend to do better in physics.Posted Sep13-09 at 06:38 PM by lisab 
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Out of curiosity... are these students stuck with physics problems in the middle of their way for the Bachelor's, at start or advanced? Or at any stage?
Thanks.Posted Sep14-09 at 12:04 PM by fluidistic
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I would say they are students in introductory courses. After (at most) two semester of physics, they choose not to continue studying the subject, much like I chose not to pursue singing.Posted Sep14-09 at 02:03 PM by kuruman
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Ok thanks the response. I often lose confidence in myself regarding my grades... but I know I can do well because I indeed do well in some courses (unfortunately not all).
I guess I should study more.
If this matters, I'm in the end of my second year.Posted Sep14-09 at 02:52 PM by fluidistic
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Your blog is true indeed. I'd experienced teaching Physics with ages 16-17 years and they are already in 4th year high school here in my country. They tend not to appreciate Physics at all because it is been mark into their mind that Physics is difficult. They are getting bored all the time when I tried explaining a lot of concepts to them all the time but I noticed that when I started making them problem solving stuff they seemed to be interested on how to solve it even if it's too difficult for them. Teaching Physics is not easy you have to give your best and a 100% patience when it comes to the students. But if you'll know some strategies that would make your class interested to it, then exactly your a good physics teacher.
Posted Apr9-10 at 02:51 AM by angelie21
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i think i hav casual attitute regardng my studies....
hw do i chnge dat>.?????Posted May11-10 at 03:09 AM by gunners
