Students Need Scientific Habits and Basic Concepts

As a recently retired high-school teacher—my second career after decades in industry—I read Jerry Gollub and Robin Spital’s excellent article ( Physics Today, May 2002, page 48 ) with great interest. I agree completely that “the promotion of scientific habits of mind is more important than particular choices concerning [course] content.” In that regard, I have two comments, directed to teachers of high-school physics.

The advice advanced by the authors is equally applicable to non-AP high-school physics courses. The acquisition of scientific habits of mind is just as important to the fledgling arts major as it is to the science-oriented student. The reduction of junk science used by our next generation of political, social, and environmental leaders would be a welcomed consequence.

A trimming of course content to focus on depth of understanding provides opportunity for a “habits of mind” unit, about two weeks in length, to start the first semester. I found that a stimulating and mind-opening unit can be built around the principles espoused by Arnold Arons in the “Underpinnings” chapter of his classic book, A Guide to Introductory Physics Teaching (Wiley, 1990). An underpinnings unit prepares students for an insightful year of physics by shoring up their generally weak understanding of ratios, scaling, operational definitions, and even the meaning of “because”!