Teaching Philosophy:
I was recently reading a translation of a Taoist story and realized that it had a lot to say about my beliefs about learning and teaching. You may expect that each year I will be experimenting with new ideas and techniques that are intended to foster more successful learning experiences on your part. Work hard and keep a good attitude and all will be well.
For the last decade or more my teaching has been strongly influenced by the work of Eugenia Etkina and Alan Van Heuvelan and their approach to physics called ISLE. You will undoubtedly see and hear many references to their work throughout this course as I work to move it more and more in the ISLE direction. Thank you Eugenia and Alan!!
A class is also a community. The values we share and the way we act have a remarkable impact on our experiences within the community. A number of years ago someone shared with me the 10 Principles that govern Burning Man. With very small changes they describe beautifully the kind of learning community I strive to create and foster in our classes. I hope you find these principles as empowering and positive as I do. These principles represent my desires/expectations for all of us in this community.
