Blog 2-28-2012

Good morning NTSC'ers

I hope you are all well...

Our progress through physics has (hopefully) followed these steps:

Describing motion - Quantifying motion - Explaining motion

The explaining motion is embodied in Newton's Laws of Motion.  As indicated by the Khan videos - Newton's proposals were revolutionary and fundamentally changed how humans viewed and understood the natural world.  They seem so common sense but, when view in depth, are quite profound.  I hope you have gathered this as well.  I will be expanding on this during our class.

We will be exploring the next subject day - energy!  The connection to motion is what?  Well, in order to move you need energy, right.  So prior to motion there must be stored energy.  Therefore we can separate energy into two categories: what is stored (has potential) and that is used during motion (kinetic).  We will be exploring these in more detail today!  And may use more Khan videos...

I have been exploring the connection between learning and creativity some more.  Another blogger from Scientific American provided some details on how our society, although "supports" creativity is some ways, actually dissuades people from being too creative.  The argument is that creativity breeds a bit of dissonance in our society; breaking norms and challenging the status quo.  And perhaps, those creative types just don't really fit into our labeled and categorized society?  Is this true?  Sure, the Steve Jobs of the world are lionized because they find a way to maximize their creativity into something coveted by society (think iPads and iPhones) but not ever creative person is so "lucky".  Sir Isaac Newton was, to be blunt, a very strange, reclusive person who in the end was enshrined in Western civilization but certainly did not "fit" in to many cultural norms.  The blogger provided a link to an article that described a research project that looked at teachers' attitudes toward creative students.  In short, teachers tended to not favor those creative, disruptive types but rather the ones that towed the line - did what was asked with few questions.  I was one of the students.  Above all I wanted the teacher's approval and to be seen as "the good kid".  I remember those wise a.. kids in the back who were always in trouble.  Maybe they were the creative ones?  Now I do like to think of myself as a bit creative - or at least open to trying creative things in the classroom.  So, as with most research, there are exceptions.  Right.  You may have also been one of those "good students" but still have a creative flame.  Perhaps the take away message is to develop a lens (whether you are a teacher to be or not) that can modify our perspectives to be open to all types of learners.  Of course there are some norms that have to be rock solid - anarchy does not work in a 3rd grade class.  But we can develop skills and strategies that facilitate a more broad based educational and intellectual atmosphere.  A real challenge.

Gotta run

See you soon

Matt