Failure is not optional « Physics! Blog!

Physics! Blog!

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. – Samuel Beckett

Failure is not optional

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Kelly O'Shea

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It’s time for the mindset talk in my physics classes. I’ve been trying to prime them for a while now. Honors Physics read part of Carol Dweck’s book as part of their summer homework and two chapters of The Talent Code during the year. The “regular” physics class has been talking about myelin and how feeling confused means you’re about to learn something. On the course evaluation in January, 36% of them agreed with “You can learn new things, but you can’t really change how intelligent you are.” while 38% agreed with “You can always substantially change how intelligent you are.” (it wasn’t either/or).

I’ve decided that the regular class is going to read a short part of Bounce aloud and discuss it on Monday. Honors Physics is going to read an abridged version of How Not to Talk to Your Kids (the parts about very young children are cut out) for homework and talk about it in class. We read it in Honors last year at this time, and it had a profound effect on many of my students. They start to recognize themselves as they read the article, and some start to recognize what has happened to them this year in physics. At this point in the year, almost all of them will have “hit the wall” in this class. They will have encountered something difficult enough that they couldn’t immediately understand how to do it. For the students who have always found easy success in math and science, they initially believe this means they’ve reached the end of their “potential” and are no longer as smart as they’d always known they were. Sure, they’ve earned A’s on every math test they’ve ever taken, even as they’ve watched their friends struggle, but 10th grade science is as far as they are going to get on their academic journey. This is the end of the road.

via kellyoshea.wordpress.com

Very interesting post by a Physics teacher Kelly Oshea. Students are required to do reading during the summer prior to the school year. He discusses students approach to the year and Project Based Grading.

He emphasizes the Failure is not an option if you want to be successful. It we want to get better at something, we must practice which involves practice.

I received a painting from my Aunt Kaki when I was young. It read " I am not judged by the number of times I fail but by the number of times I succeed, and the number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I can fail." Step forward, make yourself do something. If you fail, try again. If you succeed, step forward again.

Posted via email from Reflexions

Life lessons: Try, Failure, Try again.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better."
— Samuel Beckett

via goodreads.com

Great quote.

Key points are
-Try again
-Failure is not bad.

F

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Kitbot Presentation (Kitbot On Steroids) | Simbotics

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Posted 3 months ago

Team 1114 on Jan 8, 2011 at Don Mills Collegiate

Presenters: Karthik Kanagasabapathy and Todd Willick

via simbotics.org

Simibotics, Team 1114 video on Kitbot on Steroids.

Great video and example of a FIRST Robotics team sharing resources.

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"Quought for The Day" Not a misspelling.

Announcing "Quought for The Day" series

By Rajesh Setty on Thu 21 Dec 2006, 12:25 AM - 0 Comments and 0 Reactions

No, there was no spelling mistake.

Quought = Question that provokes thought. Questions are important. Thinking is important. Questions that make you think are very important!

Some background first – I have always believed that it is not always the answers but sometimes asking one good question is what is required to make a difference in a person’s life or business or both. So as we approach the new year, I thought posting a series of questions that people should consider asking themselves in 2007 to get more out of their life or business or both. Since there is only so much that I can do alone, I reached out to several influencers and thought leaders to get those questions. Here was the question I asked these thoughtful, kind and smart people:

     So, what is the ONE important question a person should ask himself or herself in 2007?

I have started receiving those questions. My goal was to post one of these questions everyday but it will take me a long while to post them that way. So I decided to post more than one “Quought for the Day” starting today.

Here is the link to all the Quoughts.
Life Beyond Code:: Quought for the Day

For more about questions, please visit my Squidoo lens on the same topic
Squidoo lens: The Power of Questions

Note: The word “Quought” was coined by my friend Ashwin Rangan, former CIO of Walmart.com. Special thanks to Ashwin for the suggestion

via rajeshsetty.com

Interesting concept: Quought for the Day. "A question that provokes thought". This sounds like a good idea for journaling or reflecting.

Asking questions is such an important skill each of us needs to develop. Often times we ask all different kinds of questions but do we ever compile those answers for ourselves or even for others to read. Rajesh has done just that. He asked the same question of many others whom he feels are successful and has compiled and posted the answers here. Most often these questions are to others. He feels we should be asking ourselves these questions as well.

So, what is the one important question a person should ask himself or herself?

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Quote: Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.

"Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us."

Author: Hal Borland

(Submitted by: RScrapIT)

via scrapbook.com

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Learn how to learn! Computer science teachers hopes.

Sem 3:  Learn a language (actually several) that we do not have a text book for.  Use an API, on-line resources and sample code to reach a fairly operational level in the language.  Hopefully learn how to learn.  I want them to be able to find and read the resources.

Kids hate to learn how to learn.  They want it handed to them in a nice package, hopefully in a step-by-step manner in a lecture.  (I kind of like it that way too but then I am also pretty lazy.)  For the Corona assignment I show them where to get the free download of Corona, how the website is laid out, which tutorials are halfway decent and some good sample code to look at.  At this stage I do not want to teach them to code, I want them to learn to code using the resources available.  The class becomes much more interactive.  The kids share the “how did you do that?” code.  They end up having to teach themselves to a large extent.  They learn how to learn.

via gflint.wordpress.com

Garth Flint shares in his "More on learning to learn" what he wants his kids to learn to to in his programming class. Semester 3, he wants to the students to "learn to learn". Many times, we as teachers give them each step of the procedure. We do not allow them to learn by learning itself. We as teachers need to move aside and be the guide. Let's provide resources and direct them in the right direction. This means we need to be prepared to allow them to struggle and sometimes even fail. Failure is a lesson learned as well. We are there ready to redirect and help them when they need it but not give them the answer.

Thank you to Garth for posting his thoughts for others to read.

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Magician? Jack of all trades? Mike Rowe Speaks To Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

Mike Rowe Speaks To Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

8:56 am | 5/12/11

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Mike speaks to the Senate and shares his views on jobs, the skills gap, manufacturing and he announces the “Discover Your Skills” initiative and more.

Click here to watch Mike’s speech.

Read Mike’s Oral Testimony here.

Locate links to more articles and videos here.
Read Mike’s article “Get Ready to Get Dirty” here.

via mikeroweworks.com

Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs speaks to Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and it rings a bell with me. He talks about his Granddad being a jack of all trades. I have a Dad, Uncles and Granddads and not to mention, a father in law, who all fit the same mold, A job needed to be done, and they did it. No instruction manual, no internet, just go out and get it done. The following are a few key points Mike makes in his brief testimony to the committee with my comments. I hope you had the privilege to have one of these "magicians" that Mike mentions in your life. I will be forever influenced by these magicians and I am very thankful for that.

• I am more of a guest. I am more of an apprentice.
Humble is the word that comes to mind in his reference here. Always willing to learn more and giving credit where credit is due.

• Tell you about my grandfather – Jack of all trades
Did you have someone like this is your life? I hope you did. I was very fortunate to have several people who I feel fall into this category. They had such knowledge about so many things. Where did this knowledge come from? Experience, plain and simple. They were what we want our students and children to be today: Life long learners. They learned each and every day of their lives. Days were not made up by watching TV, but by learning by doing and most often it was by helping others in a time of need.

• Remember him mostly as a magician
It was amazing to me watching these gentlemen in my life do their craft. How did they do that? It appears right before my eyes just like the bunny out of the hat.

• Invited to about 12 hours of forced labor
I remember those times when I was "invited" out to help. I would never have consider not to be involved much less challenged them not to help. Many times the job would extend into longs hours of work but the time together seems so precious now as I look back.

• One of my Favorite days ever
I can still remember working on the three wheeler in the drive of the house, putting in the basketball goal in the backyard, thawing the pipes in the dead of winter because we need to have running water for the house, working on the tractor or plow that had broken down, etc.
• I had been disconnected from what used to fascinate me.
Are you disconnected? Do you just leave a check on the counter for the plumber? Who is he or she? Do you know them? Would someone you love learn and cherish the time that it would take to fix the problem at hand?

• I believe we need a national PR campaign for skilled labor.
America needs to be fixed. Education needs to be fixed. Not everyone is going to go to University for a degree. Skilled labor is important and needs to be valued not by our pocketbook but by the schools, parents and legislatures.

• Reconnect the country
Let's go build some relationships. Build some memories. Create some magicians for the future.

• Skills gap is real and getting wider

• Progress often is slowed due to lack of skilled workers

• Vocational arts have been vanished

• How can high unemployment can exist at the same time as skill labor shortage.
Many people find this very surprising. Our skilled worker force continues to get older and decrease in size. Who will fill their shoes when they are no longer there?
• Vocational consolation prizes for those that are not cut out for four year college.
Many people, including administrators at our schools, feel that vocational school and skilled labor is settling for something less than what our children are cut out for. Skilled labor built this country and we continue to need skilled labor and will always need skilled labor. Students should be exposed informed and educated about the possibilities in these careers.

• Guys like my granddad are no less important today
In fact they are more important today than ever before.

• Close the skills gap
How do we go about doing this? Change our programs! Inform students! Demand changes to our programs for our students.

Ira Morgan, Jack Morgan, PK McPearson, John Bates, ________________

Can you fill in the blank with a name who was a magician?

I hope you had the privilege to have one of these "magicians" that Mike mentions in your life. I will be forever influenced by these magicians and I am very thankful for that.

Thank you to my magicians for being so passionate about learning as a life long passion. We need to take some lessons from the simpler days.

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Chap Robotics Cardboard Boat Regatta

The link for the registration your sponsors will be here (posted later).

 

Be sure you put your potential sponsors in the form.  Rembember first come first serve.  Check to make sure no other team has put your potential contact in.  If another team has that business/organization/individual down, you may not contact them.  You must have all the information to fill in before you may claim that potential sponsor as yours. 

You will need to inculde how you will contact your potential sponsor, but remember, face-to-face is the best method of contacting potential sponors. 

You will need to get at least $150 worth of sponsorship for your team.  This sponsorship will be companies, businesses, organizations, etc that are not your family and/or parents.  You

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Don't Fail Me Know - Must See TV. Sunday, May 21 at 8 pm EDT

Just wanted to give you a heads up on a special program that aired this
past Sunday night. Soledad O'Brien's latest CNN documentary, Don't Fail Me, will be
rebroadcast on May 21 at 8 EDT.
The special is part of the network's continuing "In America" series.
CNN Special Featuring FIRST, Sunday 5/15 - REBROADCAST ON May 21 at 8
EDT, (7 Central). In "Education in America: Don't Fail Me," we learn that at this very
moment, America's future is at stake.

"If we don't generate the next group of innovators, scientists,
engineers, and problem solvers," inventor Dean Kamen warns, "our
standard of living, our quality of life, our security, will plummet!"

American students rank 17th in science and 25th in math when compared
to other industrialized nations. They don't have the skills to take on
the high tech jobs of the future.

This is because of how and what we teach American kids. It is also
because of a culture that values sports and celebrities above all.

The United States needs to change the way students are taught math and
science, and children need to be encouraged and inspired to take the
toughest classes in those subjects.

There is a nationwide competition designed to motivate high school
students to take those classes, push themselves, and learn more (FIRST).
Students Maria Castro, Brian Whited, and Shaan Patel are actively
involved in it. But is it too late for them? Is it too late for us?

For Teachers and Others Who Want to Discuss the CNN Program... Pre and
Post Program Questions, Learning Activities and Curricula Connections
can be found at:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/studentne...ide/index.html
FIRST® Robotics Competition Teams featured in the CNN Special include:
FRC Team 842, Falcon Robotics, Carl Hayden High School, Phoenix, Ariz.
FRC Team 1403, Cougar Robotics, Montgomery High School, Skillman, N.J.
FRC Team 3675, Eagletrons, Seymour High School, Seymour, Tenn.

Twitter Hash Tag for "Education in America: Don't Fail Me":
#dontfailme

Norman Morgan
Robotics I and II
Room 149 - NGC
512.732.9280 ext. 33459
Team 2468 - Who do you Appreciate? www.chaprobotics.com

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Sphero Spirit! « Orbotix - Robotic Ball controlled with your Phone

via orbotix.com

Very interesting example of a simple looking device that attracts and inspires students. The truth behind the story is the device is quite complicated. The CTO, Adam Wilson and CEO, Ian Bernstein openly discuss the robotic sphere in this video: http://www.coloradotechtv.com/gearbox-demos-a-robotic-ball.

You can find out more about the device at the following link: http://www.gosphero.com/.>

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Tinkering School: learning through doing | JonJolly.com

The video below is from Gever Tulley’s presentation at Big Ideas Fest 2009.

Although the movie is a little slow in explaining the educational concepts, there is some real gems in there that apply to all forms of education.

“The best engagement we got was when they were forced to deviate from the materials list.”

Essentially Tulley found that the kids were more engaged and active when they didn’t know the outcome of a project. He articulates it like this:

The opportunities for engaged learning are inversely proportional to the knowability of the outcome

Another point he makes is about the experience of education:

Create a meaningful experience and the learning will follow.
“Our best outcomes were from projects where we focused on the quality of the experience first… and looked for learning inside those experiences.”

Personally, I love this engaging and lively approach to education. Some parents have even started a blog on their experiences of allowing their kids to do the fifty dangerous things in Tulley’s book! Maybe we all need to be a little bit more dangerous in our learning…

via jonjolly.com

Engaged learning
Meaningful experience
Both of these are outcomes all educators want in their classrooms and parents should expect.

We need to provide these opportunities to all children of all ages. I believe each of us, no matter the age want these as well but many times we get lost in the everyday life and do not pursue this.

Thank you Gever Tulley for your Tinkering School model.

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Why Robotics in the Classroom - VEX World Championships

via youtube.com

Penn Trafford Robotics team interview and news coverage regarding their participation in the VEX World Championships this year.

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6 Weeks, 1 Goal, #omgrobots, Soledad O'Brien: Don't Fail Me on CNN May 15

via soledadobrieninfo.blogspot.com

I am looking forward to Soledad O"Brien's Don't Fail Me which airs on CNN May 15th. Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST Robotics speaks candidly with her about the future of our country and how his robotics competition helps solve the problem.

6 Weeks - 1 Goal - What will be the outcome?

Give the following video a look to get a sneak peak of the program.

http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/05/soledad-o%E2%80%99brien-reports-...

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Seth's Blog: What's high school for?

« Seeing the truth when it might be invisible | Blog Home

What's high school for?

Perhaps we could endeavor to teach our future the following:

• How to focus intently on a problem until it's solved.
• The benefit of postponing short-term satisfaction in exchange for long-term success.
• How to read critically.
• The power of being able to lead groups of peers without receiving clear delegated authority.
• An understanding of the extraordinary power of the scientific method, in just about any situation or endeavor.
• How to persuasively present ideas in multiple forms, especially in writing and before a group.
• Project management. Self-management and the management of ideas, projects and people.
• Personal finance. Understanding the truth about money and debt and leverage.
• An insatiable desire (and the ability) to learn more. Forever.
• Most of all, the self-reliance that comes from understanding that relentless hard work can be applied to solve problems worth solving.

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Posted by Seth Godin on May 06, 2011 | Permalink

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via sethgodin.typepad.com

Seth hits the nail on the head here.

It is not about Standardized tests, it more about being able to function with others. Students do not need to memorize a set of how to's or details.

Learn more - Forever. We are in a continual learning cycle now in our modern day world. Students to know and embrace this fact.

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President Obama… Please Let Me Help You Make Science Cool | Steve Spangler's Blog

Mr. President, I would love to share what we’ve learned over the past 15 years of training nearly 30,000 teachers in ways to turn ordinary lessons into unforgettable learning experiences. I know that you’re serious about making science cool and I think that we can help. Honestly, I’ll share anything and everything we’ve learned about training an army of highly motivated teachers who are truly inspiring their students to look at STEM careers – science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

via stevespangler.com

Check out Steve's site for great videos and insights to how teachers are making science cool (already not again).

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Mr. McCluskey's Method — An Autodesk Film Preview

via youtube.com

Autodesk Film preview of Mr. Cluskey's Method. - Dead Poet's Society style.

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High school physics teacher has perfected the formula for inspiration

High school physics teacher perfects the formula for inspiring students

Amir Abo-Shaeer's successful combination includes founding a growing engineering academy and inspiring motivated, robot-building students. He is the first high school teacher to win a MacArthur Foundation 'genius' grant.

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Dos Pueblos High School physics teacher Amir Abo-Shaeer leads a high-achieving engineering academy at the Goleta, Calif., campus. Abo-Shaeer and his robot-building students are the subject of a new book, and a film is in the works. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times / March 1, 2011)

via latimes.com

Amir Abo-Shaeer is most definitely a model to follow. Check out the article above to gain a little insight to his program, beliefs and FIRST Robotics.

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