here i am, rock you like a hurricane
So I'm finally in Austin, settled in my apartment in a very hipster part of town. I'm also fairly close to my school.
One thing: I found out yesterday I'm no longer teaching AP physics. I was very upset, especially since I was told I only got the class because I have my masters in physics. This was emphasized, because they made it clear I didn't have enough experience to teach AP, and that they were only trusting me with it because of my degrees and research only. The person who is teaching instead is 23, majored in geophysics, and does not have a graduate degree. Plus she is still working on her certification and only has one year of teaching experience, and has not taught physics before. I felt really cheated and hurt, because the whole point of me changing districts was to finally work in a district where my teaching assignments were being randomly switched around on me behind my back. I mean, the least someone could have done is called me and told me when it happened. They all have my number. Their reasoning was is that because they're going to have one less AP section than they thought, so if they left me with it I would have three preps, 2 astro, 1 regular physics, and 2 AP physics classes so that I could teach a full course load. And I don't mean to talk bad about the other teacher, because she's really nice and I actually really like her. Since she's going to have 3 regular physics sections as well, we're going to be working a lot together. She had nothing to do with the decision. I think I'm just distrustful because of how bad I was treated at my old district.
I still feel kind of hurt, but I'm feeling better about it. It just really took me by surprise yesterday, because I got this oh-shit-it's-happening-again feeling. But the more I think about it, it's for the best. First of all, in AP physics I'd be forced to teach to the test, I'd have absolutely no creative freedom. The regular class I'm teaching is actually not considered "regular" like in my old district, it's actually supposed to be pre-AP level physics, so I can make it rigorous instead of dumbing it down like I was constantly forced to do at my old school. There's going to be a team of 3 regular physics teachers (the aforementioned and a more experienced teacher, but it'll be his first time teaching physics.) The science department is hoping that we're going to revamp the old way of teaching it, so that it can be a more rigorous course again. Since they don't offer pre-AP at my school, they want this to be a class to encourage students to take AP the next year. The whole teaching to the test thing was kind of bothering me all summer anyway, I really am going to enjoy having a lot of freedom with the regular physics class.
Plus I hate thinking that it's a step up or a promotion to teach to the over-achieving kids. I really love teaching kids who didn't think they'd like physics or would be good at it. Or just never thought about the world in that way before. I mean, just because you're not a super over-achiever or super brilliant doesn't mean you're any less fun to teach. In that sense, I feel it's wrong to think of it as a demotion. And if I do turn them on to physics, they won't have too much less of an opportunity as an AP kid would to make up for it in college. I didn't take any AP tests in high school. I was a total minimal amount achiever then. Granted, I only went to state schools, but I don't like cutthroat and super competitive. I just like physics, and that's what I got.
On a separate note, after working in the UH physics department all summer, I kind of am glad I'm not in grad school. I didn't notice this so much at CSU, but UH physics totally has this publish-or-perish mentality. I mean, all anyone you meet there does is gloat over how many publications they have, and how many citations each publication has. They even set up their undergraduates to have this mentality. To me, this egotistical approach to science kind of takes away the point of what science is supposed to be, which is learning about our universe. And maybe I'm just saying that, because my one measly publication has zero citations, but so what. Contribute to knowledge for the sake of knowledge, not just to expand your CV. Cheezus. I guess it just depends on what your definition of success is. I have just always liked learning. Recognition and esteem are nice, but they've never been motivating factors for me. I'm successful because I gave myself the opportunity to learn a lot about really cool things, and now I get to pass that knowledge on.
I guess I have the finger ramble, this is quite long. But yeah, aside from a momentary freak out inside my own head, everything's been going really well so far. This district already seems so much better than my old one. All of the teachers seem genuinely happy, and not this fake, campy, slightly psychotic version of happy they had in my old district. The emphasis truly seems to be on bringing kids up and getting them to meet high expectations. And I get to teach astronomy, which they told me is going to be my baby. Mine, all mine. And I get a free telescope, to boot!
One thing: I found out yesterday I'm no longer teaching AP physics. I was very upset, especially since I was told I only got the class because I have my masters in physics. This was emphasized, because they made it clear I didn't have enough experience to teach AP, and that they were only trusting me with it because of my degrees and research only. The person who is teaching instead is 23, majored in geophysics, and does not have a graduate degree. Plus she is still working on her certification and only has one year of teaching experience, and has not taught physics before. I felt really cheated and hurt, because the whole point of me changing districts was to finally work in a district where my teaching assignments were being randomly switched around on me behind my back. I mean, the least someone could have done is called me and told me when it happened. They all have my number. Their reasoning was is that because they're going to have one less AP section than they thought, so if they left me with it I would have three preps, 2 astro, 1 regular physics, and 2 AP physics classes so that I could teach a full course load. And I don't mean to talk bad about the other teacher, because she's really nice and I actually really like her. Since she's going to have 3 regular physics sections as well, we're going to be working a lot together. She had nothing to do with the decision. I think I'm just distrustful because of how bad I was treated at my old district.
I still feel kind of hurt, but I'm feeling better about it. It just really took me by surprise yesterday, because I got this oh-shit-it's-happening-again feeling. But the more I think about it, it's for the best. First of all, in AP physics I'd be forced to teach to the test, I'd have absolutely no creative freedom. The regular class I'm teaching is actually not considered "regular" like in my old district, it's actually supposed to be pre-AP level physics, so I can make it rigorous instead of dumbing it down like I was constantly forced to do at my old school. There's going to be a team of 3 regular physics teachers (the aforementioned and a more experienced teacher, but it'll be his first time teaching physics.) The science department is hoping that we're going to revamp the old way of teaching it, so that it can be a more rigorous course again. Since they don't offer pre-AP at my school, they want this to be a class to encourage students to take AP the next year. The whole teaching to the test thing was kind of bothering me all summer anyway, I really am going to enjoy having a lot of freedom with the regular physics class.
Plus I hate thinking that it's a step up or a promotion to teach to the over-achieving kids. I really love teaching kids who didn't think they'd like physics or would be good at it. Or just never thought about the world in that way before. I mean, just because you're not a super over-achiever or super brilliant doesn't mean you're any less fun to teach. In that sense, I feel it's wrong to think of it as a demotion. And if I do turn them on to physics, they won't have too much less of an opportunity as an AP kid would to make up for it in college. I didn't take any AP tests in high school. I was a total minimal amount achiever then. Granted, I only went to state schools, but I don't like cutthroat and super competitive. I just like physics, and that's what I got.
On a separate note, after working in the UH physics department all summer, I kind of am glad I'm not in grad school. I didn't notice this so much at CSU, but UH physics totally has this publish-or-perish mentality. I mean, all anyone you meet there does is gloat over how many publications they have, and how many citations each publication has. They even set up their undergraduates to have this mentality. To me, this egotistical approach to science kind of takes away the point of what science is supposed to be, which is learning about our universe. And maybe I'm just saying that, because my one measly publication has zero citations, but so what. Contribute to knowledge for the sake of knowledge, not just to expand your CV. Cheezus. I guess it just depends on what your definition of success is. I have just always liked learning. Recognition and esteem are nice, but they've never been motivating factors for me. I'm successful because I gave myself the opportunity to learn a lot about really cool things, and now I get to pass that knowledge on.
I guess I have the finger ramble, this is quite long. But yeah, aside from a momentary freak out inside my own head, everything's been going really well so far. This district already seems so much better than my old one. All of the teachers seem genuinely happy, and not this fake, campy, slightly psychotic version of happy they had in my old district. The emphasis truly seems to be on bringing kids up and getting them to meet high expectations. And I get to teach astronomy, which they told me is going to be my baby. Mine, all mine. And I get a free telescope, to boot!