TEACHERS'
E-MAILS OF APPRECIATION TO MICHAEL CROW,
PRESIDENT OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY (ASU),
and to other ASU Administrators,
for supporting the Modeling Instruction Program
(a sample collected
from 2005 to 2007)
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2005
From: Patricia MacEgan
Subject: Modeling Physics program
To: Michael.Crow@asu.edu
Gentlemen:
This letter is in support of the ASU
Modeling Physics program. I am a Physics teacher in Sacramento, CA, and I have
come down to ASU this summer because it is impossible to get Physics and
education method at home. It is impossible to get Physics content classes
unless I quit my job and take classes during the school year. Neither CSUS nor
UC-Davis offer these courses during the summer, and they do not have a
methods-type course in Physics. So I am very grateful for your program.
The Modeling Program is a very smart
program. When I see the depth that my students achieve in their understanding,
and I see that they continue in other courses to apply the skills they learned
in my class, I know that the method is effective. I am still a novice modeler,
but this is a program that makes sense to me. My students feel successful, and
learn to be active learners with this style of discourse. I hope that your
university continues to support this program, and provide this training. It is
hard for me to give up such a long time at my home, but this program is the
best thing going for Physics education, and it is worth the effort to come down
here.
The University of Washington also has
excellent Physics education research, which I pay attention to, because Lillian
McDermott and her group have shed light on students' misconceptions. Currently
ASU's program provides the tools to correct those misconceptions, and I don't
know of any other program this advanced to deal directly with Physics teaching
methods.
I urge you to continue your support for
this important and worthwhile program. Thank you!
Patricia MacEgan
Loretto High School, Sacramento, CA
------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2005
From: erica ponthieux
Subject: Physics Modeling Summer program
for teachers
To: Michael.Crow@asu.edu
Dr. Crow,
My name is Erica Ponthieux. I am a teacher of physics, among
other things. For four years I searched for a masters program that would make
me a better teacher and give me a deeper understanding of the subjects that I
love. I looked all over my home state of Arkansas and found nothing of
interest. Then I received a notice about the modeling program on a physics list
serve. I came last summer and this summer to work on a MNS degree. Without the
grant money and support of this university, I could not have afforded to do
this. This program revitalized my teaching. Instead of spending this year
thinking about changing professions after 14 years, I spent it watching
students learn to enjoy learning. I worked on an action research project,
collaborating with a teacher in Tempe. This year has been hard work, but I have
discovered a tremendous amount about how students learn, and I have just begun.
Please continue to offer and support this outstanding program so that other
teachers can receive this tremendous training.
Thank you,
Erica Ponthieux
--------------------
From: Yolanda Cox
To: Peter.Crouch@asu.edu
Sent: Thu, 21 Jul 2005
Subject: modeling program
My name is Yolanda Cox, a physics
instructor from Mississippi, and I want to say thanks. Thanks for supporting the Modeling
Program here at Arizona State University.
It is awesome. I have
learned so much and I look forward to sharing my new-found knowledge with my
students.
This program has given me new
determination to make a difference. Thanks again for all you do to help support
the program.
----------------------
From: Gheri Fouts
Sent: Wednesday, July 20,
2005
To: Barry Ritchie [Chairman,
Department of Physics]
Subject: Physics instruction
at ASU
Dear Dr. Ritchie,
MODELING INSTRUCTION IN HIGH
SCHOOL PHYSICS
As I prepare for yet another
year of teaching teachers the modeling method in a summer workshop here in
Honolulu, I think of the current directions in education with National
Standards and State Standards that have come out in the last couple of years,
and I am reminded that the Modeling Instruction Workshop I had back somewhere
in the 1990's was actually a step into the future. All that I learned and all that I contributed in writing the
curriculum as a Phase II modeler remains today as the hallmark in a paradigm
shift in not only Physics education but science education in general. It was easy to teach Physics using the
old lecture-problem-test method.
We all thought that only the truly bright students should be taking
Physics anyways. But actually,
survival was attained by only the special student who could withstand all those
boring lectures and hideous tests.
And as the numbers of students dwindled, we saw our jobs put into
jeopardy and our country complaining that students are not choosing Physics as
their major. So I signed up for
the workshop that Dr. Hestenes and Dr. Jackson offered through ASU at 3
campuses across the country, and it was the start of a revolution in Physics
education. It is evolving today
into a revolution in science teaching.
This model of teaching is being promoted at every level and is not
restricted to science teaching.
And I am proud to say that I was part of the movement at the start, and
I continue to help teachers transition into a modern student centered classroom
where scientific discourse and collaboration is part of everyday activities.
I am very grateful that ASU
offered the time and place for this happening. Sometimes, universities become so elite that the
communication between the university and the community, or university and high
school, becomes non-existent. Now
the government is promoting education k through 16, and is practically
insisting on communication between university and high school, and university
and elementary school. Grants
offered to secondary teachers stipulate the availability of university mentors,
not to mention including communication on the listserv level. All this we have already had in place
for almost ten years with the modeling program hosted at ASU. As I teach my course here in Hawaii, I
am also promoting the modeling listserv and the advanced degree program offered
for High School Physics teachers, all at ASU.
I am writing this because
sometimes something historically great happens at a university and the
university administration may not realize it has happened. ASU is known for many important
contributions to society, but the radical change in science education and the
models used to make changes in general education right now can be traced back
to Dr. Hestenes and his co-workers' efforts to change the way Physics was being
taught. And that is a credit to
ASU. I hope this fact is brought
to public attention. I would like
to see it all advertised, not for monetary gain, but for notoriety because I
think ASU is not recognizing the event that began in the nineties and continues
today to grow and become the accepted educational paradigm shift that we needed
so badly in education.
Geraldine Fouts
Science Department Head
Maryknoll High School
Honolulu, Hawaii
-------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2005
From: Nathan Justis
[sent to President Crow; Carol Switzer,
Director of Summer Sessions; Dean of the College of Liberal Arts]
Dear Sirs (or Madame):
I would like to express my gratitude to
you and the University for providing me with an outstanding
opportunity to attend graduate classes in
the Master of Natural Science program for physics and chemistry teachers this
summer. The instruction provided in the Modeling Instruction program here at
ASU is, to me and countless others, invaluable. I know of no other program in
the country that provides such crucial instruction as does this one. Research
is showing time and time again that traditional lecture-based instruction in
the sciences is not having its desired effects on the students. It is good to
know that
someone, namely ASU, is acting in view of
that research. The Modeling program here is showing
teachers how to teach students to think and retain knowledge instead of simply memorizing numerous facts temporarily. I am very grateful, once again, to have a chance to be a part of this grand institution, and specifically, to take part in the successes and progress brought about by the Modeling Instruction
program. Carol Switzer, I am especially
grateful to you for your assistance with tuition waivers. Many of us would not
be able to participate in such a program otherwise.
Sincerely,
Nathan Justis
--------------------------------------
From: David Coupland (a
teacher-leader, in his second career)
Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2006
To: Michael Crow
Cc: David Hestenes; Jane Jackson
Subject: Modeling Instruction Program at
ASU
Dear Dr. Crow,
I would like to express my thanks to
Arizona State University for the
Modeling Instruction Program, offered by
the ASU Department of Physics. The
Modeling Instruction Program is an
internationally recognized pedagogy for
teaching high school physics, led by Dr.
David Hestenes of ASU, a leading
physics education researcher. I just completed my first 3 week
workshop in
the Modeling Method at the Tempe campus,
and I can say without reservation
it was the most valuable professional
development I have received. My
classmates included teachers from
Singapore, Australia, Hawaii, and Canada,
as well as Arizona and across the U.S.,
which illustrates the esteem in
which this program is held. I was surprised to learn that the NSF
grant
supporting the program was not renewed,
given the current national emphasis
on science and math achievement in high
school. I hope a way can be found
to keep this important program alive in
future years.
Sincerely,
David Coupland
Physics Teacher
Kensington Woods High School
Howell, MI
----------------------
Date Mon, 3 Jul 2006
From Bud Nye
Subject Modeling Mechanics Workshop
Appreciation
Dear Dr. Crow,
A few days ago, I completed my first modeling workshop
at Arizona
State University: Modeling Mechanics. Even though my
district may
not pay for my trip and I may have to pay for part or
all of it
myself, I made the decision to attend. I want you to
know that it was
everything that I had hoped for, and more. I simply
cannot imagine a
better professional training program or one more
essential for
teaching physics or chemistry. I consider myself lucky
to have found
out about it and to have participated.
I want to express my most sincere appreciation for
whatever role you
may have played in managing this series of workshops.
If at all
possible, I definitely plan to attend more of these
workshops during
the next couple of years--yes, even at my personal
expense, if necessary.
Sincerely,
Bud Nye, R.N., M.S.
Teacher, Physics and Chemistry
---------------------
In February 2007, an ASU Insight article
featuring David Hestenes’ work was on the home page of the ASU website.
The article is at
http://www.asu.edu/news/stories/200702/20070228_Hestenes.htm
In response, several teachers e-mailed
the ASU Insight staff writer, Dan Jenks; or ASU President,, Michael Crow; or
Department of Physics chair, Robert Nemanich.
From: Jeff Steinert
Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007
To: Daniel Jenk
Subject: David Hestenes
Mr. Jenk,
Your article on David Hestenes was a fitting tribute to a man who
has
brought so many wonderful experiences to me and my students. Since
learning to teach physics using Modeling in 1998, I have used the
method
with great success with more than 500 of my own students and
influenced
the education of countless others by leading workshops for other
high
school and college instructors in Maine and Florida.
As I'm sure you will hear from many others, David's championing of
this
instructional approach has had a profound effect on my
professional and
even my personal life.
I am currently enjoying my 22nd year as a
physics and chemistry teacher at Arizona School for the Arts, a
small
charter school in Phoenix that recruited me for this position
because of
my close association with the Modeling Workshop project at Arizona
State. They were
particularly interested in hiring someone with
extensive experience using Modeling to teach both physics and
chemistry.
Last summer, I, along with my wife and sons, moved to Phoenix from
Maine. There were
many reasons we made the move, but very high on the
list was the fact that it brings me into close proximity to the
center
of the Modeling universe - a universe that has at its center David
Hestenes.
Yours,
Jeff Steinert
Physics and Chemistry Instructor
Arizona School for the Arts
Phoenix, AZ
-----------------
From: Christi Laudolff
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2007
To: Daniel Jenk
Subject: Hestenes article
Thank you for a wonderful tribute to Dr. Hestenes. As another "modeler"
I will also attest to how much better teaching physics has been
over the
last 8 years using the modeling method.
Christi Ann Laudolff, CSA
Bourgade Catholic High School
4602 N 31 Ave
Phoenix. AZ 85017
---------------------
From: Paul Bianchi
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2007
To: Daniel Jenk
Subject: Hestenes article
I'm glad to see that ASU recognizes the major contribution Dr.
David
Hestenes has brought to the teaching of Physics in the United
States.
After teaching Physics in high school for 15 years, I spent three
summers in the Modeling Physics program, and it changed the way I
teach
tremendously. No other professional training I received - not my
undergraduate education classes, not my Masters in education from
Columbia Teachers College, nor the many summer professional
development
courses - was nearly so useful or insightful. Given the state of
science
education around the country, David Hestenes and his program ought
to be
considered vital to the national interest. Modeling Physics simply
does
a better job of making kids think - and most of them actually
enjoy it!
Paul Bianchi
Horace Greeley High School
Chappaqua, NY
-----------------------------------------
From: Carmela Minaya (a Hawaii teacher – leader and NSTA
Shell Awardee)
To: <Michael.Crow@asu.edu>
Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2007
I am an Arizona State University graduate student procuring a
Master of
Natural Science in Physics degree. I have attended ASU during the summer
months from August 2002 until August 2005. I am in the process of filing
the paperwork to graduate in May 2007. I am also a high school chemistry
teacher at ------- Schools in Hawaii.
I was pleasantly surprised to recently read two well-written
articles about
Dr. Hestenes' work on Modeling Instruction and Geometric Algebra
on the
university website.
Dr. Hestenes has received a long list of accolades,
receiving the Oersted Medal from the American Association of
Physics
Teachers, as well as the program itself receiving the only
excellent
designation from the United States Department of Education for any
high
school program nationally, but I think the most precious was from
ASU
through these articles.
I'd like to commend Daniel Jenk for highlighting
Dr. Hestenes' contributions so eloquently and finally giving Dr.
Hestenes
long overdue praise from his own university.
My main purpose for composing this email was to thank you
personally for
allowing Dr. Hestenes to impact my own teaching practice through
the MNS in
physics program. You
have a stellar faculty and staff running the ASU
Physics & Astronomy Department. They helped me overcome some internal
obstacles within the university to finally see the silver lining
of my
graduation. Timothy
Newman, Department of Physics Director of Graduate
Studies, and Robert Culbertson, Co-Director of the Modeling
Instruction
Program, were both extremely helpful in assisting me despite the
hardships
that come for an individual participating in a large university
setting.
The bottom line is that I just wanted to express my gratitude to
you for
allowing this program to exist at ASU. Thank you for providing tuition
waivers for high school teachers through Carol Switzer. This program has
impacted students even thousands of miles away in a science
classroom in
Hawaii because of my summer participation.
----------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Mar 2007
From: James Vesenka (a young physics professor)
To: <Michael.Crow@asu.edu>
Dear President Michael Crow:
I am writing to thank ASU for the wonderful recognition given to
David Hestenes in the Department of Physics in an ASU news posting. At the urging of a colleague I applied
and was accepted into a "Phase III" modeling workshop David funded
through the NSF. The workshop made
an enormous impact in my teaching.
I adapted and implemented the high school modeling instruction for college
use at the University of New England and have taught over one thousand
undergraduates and trained over 200 teachers in modeling instruction in the
past six years. David definitely
deserves the kudos.
---------------------------
From: Mike Waters
Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007
To: Robert Nemanich
Subject: Thanks
Dr. Nemanich
As I sit in snowy Maine, I think about the impact that my modeling
experience at ASU has had on my teaching. I want to thank you for your
part in my getting to ASU and having my tuition paid. I had taught physics
for 20 plus years before adopting the modeling style. I do not think that
my teaching has reached the finished product stage, but I have
totally
switched to the modeling idea in the last four years. In fact I now teach three
different courses this semester and all three are based entirely
on my
ASU experience. I
would not have predicted this to be possible five years
ago.
I hope this summer or next to lead a modeling workshop for
teachers in
northern New England.
Thanks for your part.
Mike Waters
Messalonskee HS
Oakland, Maine
-------------------------
From: John Crookston
Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007
To: Robert Nemanich
Subject: Impact of Dr. Hestenes' research
Hi Dr. Nemanich,
As the new chair (congratulations!) of ASU's Dept. of Physics, I'm
sure
you're getting to know more about the department every day. I want to
briefly tell you about the personal impact Dr. Hestenes' research
in
physics education has had on me.
I am a high school physics teacher who probably would have left
teaching
had I not taken a modeling instruction workshop in the Summer of
1999.
For me, this workshop and the modeling method of instruction
became a
catalyst that completely changed my approach to teaching and my
attitude
about teaching. I was
transformed from a teacher who was constantly
frustrated with students who couldn't "get it" into a
teacher who better
understands students and guides them to make sense of physics by
giving
them the opportunity and the means to do so through modeling
instruction.
As a graduate (Summer 06) of the MNS program I want to let you
know how
grateful I am that ASU has this program for physics teachers and
supports the efforts of the ASU faculty who participate. I hope the MNS
program continues to flourish at ASU much the same way that Dr.
Hestenes' research in physics education has flourished at ASU over
many
years. As you know,
ASU is one of only a handful of higher education
institutions around the country that are interested enough in
physics
education at the pre-college level to have an innovative graduate
program for high school physics teachers.
As department chair
you have great influence over the direction physics
education research and PER-based programs like MNS take at
ASU. As
someone whose students have benefited from modeling instruction
and as a
graduate of the MNS program who knows many other teachers who have
also
benefited, I hope you will work to maintain a significant place
for PER
and the MNS program at ASU.
Regards,
John Crookston
Physics Teacher
Forest Hills High School
Sidman, PA 15955
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2007
To: Michael.Crow@asu.edu, robert.nemanich@asu.edu
From: Matt Watson (a modeling workshop leader)
Dr. Michael Crow--
In the summer of 2002 I was one of three teachers from my HS who
attended a Modeling Mechanics workshop at ASU. We arrived at ASU on
a mission -- to learn and adapt Modeling instruction for use in a
9th
grade physics classroom -- the workshop exceeded our expectations,
and
all three Physics teachers were compelled to come back to ASU in
the
next summer for a follow-up Modeling workshop.
The Modeling Workshops at ASU are far and above the best
professional
development I have found in 14 years of teaching in the HS
classroom. For the
last five summers I have been a part of a
Modeling Instruction workshop, either as a participant or as a
workshop leader. None
of this would have been possible w/o the
insight and leadership of David Hestenes and Jane Jackson.
Just wanted to offer my thanks and gratitude to ASU for continuing
to
support the Modeling Instruction program.
--------------------------
From: Richard Gosnell (a high school physics teacher in a
northeastern state)
Sent: Thursday, June
07, 2007
To: Michael Crow;
Robert Nemanich
Dr. Crow and Dr. Nemanich,
I am writing to acknowledge the work of David Hestenes and the
Modeling
Physics Project. I am a teacher at a small, rural high school in
western ------. I have been teaching for 12 years in both physics
and
general science. I have been involved with the Modeling Physics
Project for the last 5 years. While I received my training at
Appalachian State University, I consider Arizona State U. as the
source of my evolution into an effective teacher of physics and
science. The work done by David Hestenes in physics education has
truly reached beyond the boarders of ASU or even Arizona. At my
high
school we graduate an average of 100 students a year. I average 35
students in physics each year which is well ahead of the national
average of 25% of public school students taking a physics course.
I
attribute this success to my implementation of Modeling in
physics.
------------------------------