Standard 1: Content Pedagogy
Description
The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.
Reflection
Knowledge in ones own content area is crucial aspect of teaching for many different reasons. First for effective learning to take place the teacher must have a solid grasp on the central concepts of a subject. The knowledge on these central concepts should allow for the teacher to expand into debate, current examples, assumptions, tools of inquiry, and ways to relate them to the students lives. For learning to be meaningful, which is one of a teachers main goals, the students must possess some kind of ownership over what is being taught. By having an understanding that includes the aspects mentioned, a teacher can show students how to take a scientific, inquiry based approach to learning. This includes asking questions, making hypotheses, doing research, and performing experiments. By doing this the students will not only be constructing their own knowledge, but also becoming independent learners.
It is the teachers responsibility to constantly evaluate the curriculum and make sure the content is always relevant, accurate, and meaningful to the students. This can not be done without an extensive knowledge of the subject matter.
Evidence
Undergraduate course work:
- General Physics I,II, and III
- Modern Physics
- Astronomy
- Einstein’s Relativity
- Mathematical Physics
- Optics
- Electromagnetic Theory
- Statics
- Strength of Materials
Graduate course work:
- Content Methods: Science
CST Exam Physics:
