I am deeply troubled by the teaching methods praised in your article of Feb. 23 on Professor Jearl Walker!
Serious physics teachers consistently find that excessive use of theatrics leads to reduced levels of understanding and critical thinking skills. For example, no real physics teacher would state that a centrifugal force was the cause of the motion of the tea leaves in the demonstration to which your article refers. The real force, which can be viewed by the observer of the demonstration, is called a centripetal force. However, the term centrifugal force is called a fictitious force by real physics teachers because it is not capable of moving even a mere tea leaf.
While the occasional student does cut my class, this teacher stresses safety in methods and materials. In my opinion, a better picture would be one of this teacher placing his hand in a jar of liquid nitrogen, approximately 360 degrees Fahrenheit below zero, while wearing a lab coat, cryogenic gloves and a face shield.
As for the “big picture,” why don’t Professor Walker’s students cut class? The answer is simple. They all want to be there when he does himself in.
