Paper Planes

Before you start imagining that all I do is lie around, unshowered, watching shows on my computer and pilfering tiny bites of chocolate – I do teach. 21 hours a week, thank you very much. Mostly, I teach computers (ICT we call it). Theory in the classroom, practice in the computer room that has about 1 working computer for every 5 students. And, as of February I am also teaching intro Physics to all the first years (about 90, split in two classes).

“What is physics?” was a baffling question to my students on their first day (I didn’t even get “a science” in response, then again blank stares can be the fault of my English as much as their conceptual confusion…) so we’re starting really, reeeeally, basic. We spent the first week and half making paper planes and flying them on the lawn in front of the classrooms (ensuring yet again, that I am seen as the crazy, undisciplined American who sings and dances and runs around like a kid and considers paper plane races a serious lesson plan). The idea was to teach the scientific method of observation, investigation and explanation through our design, testing and redesign of the planes. Was it successful? I have no idea. But you can judge from these pictures that at least the students enjoyed themselves.



After the planes we moved on to measurement – decidedly less exciting, though I’ve managed to incorporate markers and drawing as much as possible. The students love the markers and draw all over themselves (finger nails, hands, shirt collars) even when I try to explain that the markers are permanent! Making our curriculum fun and interactive is my biggest weekly challenge (ideas welcome!), especially since the lab only has materials for about one third of the students. For the past two weeks we’ve been doing mass, volume and density measuring my spare batteries with a tape measure from my emergency sewing kit. And now, just as I'm running out of ways to make measuring a battery seem worthy of 50 minutes - its exam time! Woohoo.