Elizabeth (Liz) Woolard
W G Enloe High School
Years ago, one teacher made a difference in my life. A second
grader, I was still unable to read. My teacher believed in
me! By the end of that year, I-- the non-reader--became the
class "bookworm" reading at fifth-grade level. She
instilled in me a dream -- become a teacher!
That personal experience is the foundation for my philosophy
about how students learn and teachers teach. Establishing
contact and a high level of mutual respect with each individual
student is a critical first step. I phone the parents of each
student to commend extra effort or good progress. My own website
at www.home.nc.rr.com/enloephysics/physics.htm has many resources.
Communicating well with each student creates the motivation
to learn. Making the connections to a student's life motivates.
My physics lessons start with real life questions such as
"How do microwaves work?" Discussions/labs on physics
of dance, sports, art, music and literature create personal
incentives for learning.
My own talent is analyzing a complex concept, breaking it
into simple parts and then putting it back together again
with increased understanding. I believe I teach that skill
to students. I use students-led classroom demonstrations as
we have a vector tug-of-war or make a human wave chain. Students
create activities for "Vector Day" (food items illustrate
vector concepts) or "Air Rockets" (a study of trajectories).
Visual learning -- computer simulations, my physics website,
student-made videos -- provokes understanding on a conceptual
level.
All of us need science and we all can learn science. I structure my class to reach a diverse group of individuals with many different abilities and different learning styles. Enthusiasm for teaching and the power of knowledge change lives! Teaching physics is my chance to encourage others to try something hard and to succeed through effort. A teacher makes a difference. I live that difference each day of my life!
-wcpss-