3
One of the greatest assets any teacher
needs, other than an on-site mentor, is a
research resource from which to draw. For
science teachers, particularly the teachers
of physics, this is fulfilled in
The Physics
Teacher
. Fifty years ago, there were scientific
journals available for college professors and
researchers, but nothing for high school
teachers. In 1963, J.W. Buchta had a desire to
fill that need and produced the first edition
of
TPT
. Over the last 50 years,
TPT
has
grown and developed into one of the premier
scientific journals available today.
TPT
was first designed for high school
teachers, but it currently serves teachers of all
levels from elementary to college. My first year
of teaching high school physics, I floundered
because I had no real resource until I found
TPT
.
The articles opened up a new world of physics to
me and provided many creative teaching ideas
for my students to enjoy. Over time I even built
up the confidence to submit articles to
TPT
for
others to enjoy.
TPT
is a highly respected peer-reviewed
journal. The editorial board consists of a variety
of physics teachers and researchers, each with his/
her own special area of expertise.This is necessary
because of the diverse nature of the submissions.
Currently cutting-edge research and lab-oriented
articles can be found alongside papers onmodern
media like YouTube and iPhone technology, as
well as Fermi questions, book reviews, physics
challenges, new teacher hints, and many other
unique sections. There is also a variety of levels
at which the articles are written. Some are
acceptable for elementary students, while others
are best suited for college. There is something for
everybody with an interest in physics, and the
highly qualified editorial board takes the job of
reviewing potential articles seriously.
Every five years the AAPT journals undergo a
comprehensive review. In its recent review
TPT
was thoroughly studied and found to be highly
praised by readers, published authors, and
even those whose articles had been rejected.
The editor and staff received high ratings for
their professionalism in dealing with potential
authors and advertisers. Readers enjoyed the
variety of the articles and the fact that they
could easily be adapted for many levels. Overall
teachers were pleased with the ease at which
they could use the articles in their classrooms.
Over the years, more papers have begun to
appear from authors from countries outside
of the United States. This demonstrates the
prestige and acceptability of
TPT
to our physics
friends around the world.
Personally I have had the opportunity to
serve
TPT
as a contributor and editorial board
member, as well as serving on the last Five-Year
Review Committee. After reading thousands
of interviews, surveys, and comments, I was
thrilled to see the level of respect for
TPT
from
the physics community. It is being used as a
research journal, a physics classroom resource,
a reference for pre-service teacher candidates,
and even for staff development of veteran
teachers of all levels. It is indeed a brilliant jewel
in the crown of AAPT.
I was blessed to have worked closely with
editors Cliff Swartz, Don Kirwan, and Karl
Mamola as they led the development of
TPT
through my career. They and their articles
have inspired me, made me a better teacher,
and helped those around me to improve their
teaching skills. Happy 50th anniversary,
TPT
, and thank you to the editors, staff,
authors, and readers of the journal for your
contributions to physics.
Lila Adair retired from teaching physics at Central Gwinnett High School
in 2002 and currently teaches science methods and supervises student
teachers at Piedmont College in Athens, GA. Lila has been an active
member of AAPT for nearly 40 years, was highly involved in the early
PTRA program, and has served on numerous committees and on the
editorial board of
TPT
three times. Lila was President of AAPT in 2008.
Lila Adair
