Teaching Physical Sciences

Dear Physical Science Teaching Colleagues,

Have you had those times when you were expected to begin a lesson for your students on a science topic and you felt unprepared, incompetent, and just praying you would be able to stay a few text pages or terms ahead of your class?

Are you technically "certified" to teach physical sciences, but in your heart, you know you are not truly "qualified"?

Did you take just enough college credits to put science on your preparation resume' as a teaching field only because you wanted to be more "marketable" in your job search?

Have you basically avoided the fields of science and/or mathematics throughout your career preparation because you never had a really good science teacher and have never felt close to or motivated by science topics?

Have you been so stressed by your lack of confidence in these subjects that you have failed to be able to relax and even have fun learning and teaching these critical subject areas to yourself and your students?

Does your school system "dictate" what materials, concepts, methods, and outcomes you need to present, with little or no guidance on how, who, when, where or why certain things need to be done?

Are you afraid to stray too far from the published text materials, mainly because of your lack of comfort and confidence to be creative?

If any of these or similar negative motivators have crept into your teaching philosophy and held you back from learning to love science and actually look forward to your lessons with your students, this may be a great resource for you. After 43 years of teaching at levels from junior high to university, and helping elementary teachers adapt lessons for their student levels as well, I am confident I can help you in teaching a particular topic or concept or even for a unit or course in the physical science areas.

I am retiring from Fort Hays State University (a 10,000 student, public university, in northwestern Kansas) in June of 2010. Many of my students, colleagues, family and friends have coaxed me to try a website which may allow me to share my ideas, experiences, humorous and life-related approach to the physical sciences. This is my initial effort. I am testing the waters! Based on feedback from you, I will continue to develop this site and expand its offerings, or I will shut it down with the conclusion that

1) there is no need for such a site,

2) there is a need, but I cannot adequately fill it, or

3) I am not in tune with science education in our country.

PLEASE email me with comments, questions, suggestions, etc., which may make this a more valuable tool for many physical science teachers at all grade levels.

William (BILL) Scott

www.donnabayes.com