<p>To understand this post it is imperative to watch a classic The Big Bang Theory scene, where <em>Sheldon teaches physics to Penny</em>.</p>

<p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEIn3T6nDAo</p>

<p><strong>Sheldon starts great</strong>, since he admits that <strong>teaching her physics would become something really stressing</strong> (unless he's actually referring to "teaching to Penny" and not "teaching physics"), this is, he openly states that teaching physics is not easy, much less to someone that starts from scratch as Penny does. <strong>He also inquires about how much does Penny know about it</strong> so, even if it is not an exhaustive test about Penny's scientific knowledge it is still a good start. But, he should have asked about "physics" and not sciences, since botanics and baryons have little to do, and each science has a different teaching method. After that, Sheldon starts doing everything a good professor should never do!!!</p>

<blockquote>https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sjHRdMCvUMA/maxresdefault.jpg<br />
  Source: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjHRdMCvUMA" target="_blank">Youtube</a>
  </blockquote>

<ul>
<li>In the first place, <strong>he treats Penny as someone that will hardly learn anything about physics</strong>, therefore, it will be practically impossible to teach her anything. <strong>A good way to boost a pupil's motivation is increasing the success expectations over tasks</strong>. With no motivation there's no learning and with no learning there's no motivation. Yes, despite putting the best of them, pupils can have the expectation of not passing the tests, so s/he will hardly put any effort into the task!!! <strong>Sheldon openly compares her with Koko the Gorilla...</strong>, that is not a good way of enhancing a pupil's morale.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Sheldon uses extrinsic motivation, totally alien to scientific knowledge, the exams, and does not attempt to wake an intrinsic motivation</strong>; that leads to, Penny puts efforts in understanding what she studies and give it a meaning. The really good motivation, at least in physics, would be the one that would make Penny want to find it out herself, discover the value that  knowledge has; find joy in the mere fact of knowing, and explore and experiment things to reply to the questions she will ask herself. Sheldon is not hindering Penny's disgust for physics he's actually feeding it.</li>
</ul>
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2014/02/23/09/17/man-272676_960_720.jpg

<ul><br />
<li><strong>Sheldon dictates notes</strong>, Penny "unplugs" because there's no interaction, no dialog. Sheldon <strong>is playing a storytelling role</strong>, that is a way in which <strong>science is told as a story. Where the knowledge is transmitted effortlessly</strong>, pupils learn by just listening NOT asking questions, <strong>Taking the notes the professor deems necessary</strong>. Sheldon is taking for a fact that learning is just like copying previously prepared files from one computer disk to another one.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Sheldon does not offer Penny what She is interested about, instead he gives her what He considers important. He does not feed Penny's interest (Leonard's work)</strong>, he is not seeking for a connection, a root with everyday life to link and root other teachings from.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>He does not make any smart statement! He never states a sentence that lead Penny into asking a question</strong>, something that would make her doubt of her previous knowledge, to research and find new explanations.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>He does not tell Penny about how sketchy her responses are and that she needs to deepen a bit more on that</strong>; introducing, that way, a new tool (not an explanation) that would serve Penny for that problem and many others.</li>
</ul>
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/10/30/05/43/aec-1782427_960_720.jpg
<ul><br />
<li><strong>Sheldon pretends to teach Penny under a bulimic regime.</strong> Forces her to feed in a feast of data that she has to memorize and use in very specific tasks. Tasks that lead into a unique and only "true answer" previously defined by Sheldon <strong>(NOTHING, is further away from sciences than this!)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Sheldon thinks that Penny should learn by faith/authority, that she must believe with no proof or evidence of any kind</strong>, edging religions here!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Sheldon only looks at how he is teaching, and not at how is Penny learning. Penny is having classic difficulties that are seen at many physics classes every year</strong>. To be "teaching" you need your pupil to "learn" otherwise, we all should record videos and send them to our pupils. The relevance professors have is the skill of adapting what and how we teach to every pupil. <strong>Reinforcing weak spots and polishing the rough ones.</strong>
<br />Sheldon believes that "teaching" defaults into "learning":</li></ul>
<blockquote>
<p>How can you not know? I just told you! (3:50)</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li><strong>If the pupils fail it is their fault:</strong> lack of level, lack of capacity...:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>Have you suffered a recent blow to the head? (3:54)</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>In the end, <strong>Penny opts for the memory learning with no comprehension.</strong> Penny, after demonstrating that she has memorized everything she had to tell to Leonard, without understanding it, <strong>Sheldon congratulates her, evaluating that as something positive</strong>. He just conditioned her to be a failure in sciences.</li>
</ul>
<p>Being a professor requires something more than "just knowing" it requires patience, charisma and a special undefined skill that allows people to dump knowledge into others. That is why: those "good teachers" that came your life will remain in your memory for the rest of your existence!</p>
https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/03/26/17/45/female-1280967_960_720.jpg

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<blockquote>
<p>If you liked this post and its informal way of talking about sciences, please, follow me for more!</p>
<p>Leave a comment either for good or for bad reviews. I take everything as constructive, and I really appreciate the feedback, even from trolls (at least a troll read it before being himself!).</p>
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<h3>Copyrights:</h3>
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<blockquote>
<p>All the previously used images are of my authory or under a CC0 license (Source: pixabay), unless openly stated.</p>
<p>All the Images created by me possess a WTFPL licencing and they are free to redistribute, share, copy, paste, modify, sell, crop, paste, clone in whatever way you want.</p>
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