Physics for primary school teachers – some practical experiences

Abstract

Physics as a teaching subject starts usually in the sixth year of the school attendance in the Czech Republic. It means that pupils meet physics in the age of eleven or twelve. On the other hand, some basic physics phenomena are included in the primary school teaching subjects. It is mainly school subject "Natural Science" in which the basic knowledge about water, air, electricity, heat, magnetism, optics and others are introduced to little pupils. The above mentioned contradiction represents relevant problem with significant influence on the tuition at the primary school. The authors of this contribution report how they deal with this problem. They developed a new seminar for future primary school teachers. The seminar is still in developing stage, but an important feedback was obtained during last years. There is a very important aspect in the developing of this new university subject, which is reported in present contribution. By this aspect the authors mean the fact, that the seminar was created on request of students themselves. It was great challenge as well as great chance for them to do something for future primary school teachers and offer them a new opportunity how to learn something from physics. The seminar is organized every semester and the authors were obtaining many useful experiences within the tuition of the one. Such a feedback represents a new basis for present modifications of the seminar.