learning physics

Teachers, like students, have preconceptions. Just as pupils ' learning of science is conceived of as conceptual, epistemological and attitudinal change, so should teachers ' learning of didactics. Teachers ' knowledge, like students', must build on the previous knowledge they have. There is a close parallel between how change occurs in conceptions of science and how it occurs in conceptions of teaching. When teachers have developed a conceptual understanding of the Physics content that they are expected to teach greatly increases their confidence in their ability to deal with un expected situations in the classroom. The assessment of the effectiveness of a physics program for the teacher training should focus on how well they understand the content and process of physics. A major incentive for conducting such a program is to improve student learning. Therefore, it is also important to assess the effect of the type of preparation that teachers have received on the intellectual development of their students. A preview of some researches shows: (1) Subject competence is essential to teacher effectiveness. (2) Proficiency in scientific inquiry is more important than specific content knowledge. (3) Managing the quality of classroom discourse is the single most important factor in teaching with interactive engagement methods. (4) Teachers create an environment where in students construct their own understanding of the subject. The quality of the constructions depends crucially on the conceptual tools available to the students and facilitation by the teacher. (5) Effective teaching requires complex skills which take years t