New(er) Kids on the Block – Voices of Junior FUN Faculty

How do good teachers get that way? While practice is certainly important, good ideas are essential. The first goal of the “New(er) Kids on the Block” plenary session at the 2008 PKAL/FUN Workshop was to highlight the notable things junior FUN faculty are doing in the classroom and the lab. Happily, both younger and more seasoned faculty colleagues shared a multitude of pedagogical ideas, many of which are briefly described here. The second goal of the session was to provide a place for junior faculty to ask questions of senior faculty. This broader goal was less directly met, possibly because of time constraints, possibly because of the nature of the group setting. In future workshops, arranging a large session for the exchange of ideas and a smaller session for mentoring type activities might be advisable.