I’m a physics teacher AMA

[TheletterZ]

Not brave enough to post on the main AMA board so posting here. Just for a bit of fun, while I’m spring cleaning my kitchen floor.

What qualifications do you have?

Degree 1st class Natural science (specialising in physics) from Uni of Bath and PhD in solar physics.

Will physics be much harder than other subjects to learn at home? I’m not scientifically minded and Ds starts GCSEs in September. Physics is the one that worries me most if school isn’t back as normal!

I don’t think so, there are some bits that are a bit conceptually challenging but mostly learn the rules and patterns and then apply them.

GCSEphysicsonline is a great website and YouTube channel.

How long do you spend marking in an average, non-lockdown, week?

About 2 hours marking and checking I would say, more after exams and end of topic tests.

How do you manage practical work in lockdown? Will students be disadvantaged?

What’s the proportion of girls doing physics at A-level?

So far practicals have been using simulations, either phet or sunflower learning. I have managed to cobble together a few they can do at home - creating the visible spectrum using sunlight and glass of water, radioactive decay using skittles and for my A-level students, calculating the speed of light with a microwave.

As for being disadvantaged, yes, as the work is easier to understand with the correct practicals, but we are planning them when we return.

Very few girls at A-level, the percentages haven’t changed much since I was at school, still around 20%. This is an area of focus with the institute of physics but slow going.

TheletterZ thanks I will have a look at that.

Do you have to teach biology? And how do you feel about that if you do?

Is GCSE astronomy an interesting choice? Is it lots of maths? DD has chosen it as an option

@SansaSnark I am very lucky that I only teach physics (I am in a independent where everyone teaches is specialism). I really don’t want to teach biology as it has been a very long time since I did it and I am just not as passionate about it.

@WisestIsShe I also teach gcse astronomy but as an optional extra, there aren’t many schools who teach it as an option, your daughter is lucky. I think it is a really interesting course - it covered a lot. There is so maths, less than physics but there is some 3D stuff that can be hard to get your head around. I still have to think really carefully about declination, right ascension, azimuth etc... but I am not great at visualisation.

Why did you become a teacher?

What did your fellow undergrads do? (Trying to get Phys UG ds to think about his future...)

@TheletterZ Thank you for your reply! Very lucky to only teach in specialism in science!

I became a teacher as I thought I would really enjoy it (I was right). I really like the interaction with the students - missing that at the moment. Getting that lightbulb moment is worth it.

@titchy A complete mix of things, lots went on to further study, some into medical physics, some to defence, some into finance and management a really big mix. Best thing about a physics degree you can do practically anything with it!

If you set the toaster to, like, 5, but then when the toast just starts to go a bit golden you change the setting to 1... what happens?

I am in my early 30s and have recently found myself being interested in physics. I flunked at GCSE even though I did well in other subjects. I just didn't understand sciences. I have a degree in psychology and forensic psychology. I have been reading about things such as gravitational lensing, astronomy, relativity etc. It's fascinating but I am finding it hard to understand because I don't have a basic understanding of physics. Where would you suggest someone like me starts to gain a better understanding and really educate myself in the field of physics?

@TheletterZ thanks for the reply. You've reassured me that it's a proper subject
She's a maths/science brain so it sounds like she'll love it.

Have a look at the OpenLearn courses from the OU. The introductory level ones start from assuming pretty much no prior knowledge and build to more interesting material quite quickly.

My dd is planning to take a physics A level next year, any advice for her?

heat and light
are they the same sort of thing or not?
the heat from a flame can heat up another thing, so the heat energy is transforming that object (it's hotter)
but the light from the flame doesn't cause anything else to change...so where does that energy go?

@StripeyLurcher, keep up with her gcse stuff, so if she hasn’t finished the course then do so. Have a look at www.npl.co.uk/measurement-at-home for weekly practicals to complete and warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/physics/outreach/journalclub/ has been designed for this age group. Also as the poster above said - open learn and future learn have some great courses that can be really interesting.

@StillWeRise Heat is a type of energy store yes, light is considered a transfer that moves the energy from one store to another. This explanation from the institute of physics should help. spark.iop.org/collections/energy-guidance-notes#gref

@ShambalaHambala as physicscat said, openlearn has some great courses that explain the fundamentals really well. Also futurelearn covers a lot and doesn’t rely on previous knowledge.

thanks OP I will look (and have shared with DP as we were both puzzling over this)