Physics in the Pool

I was able to stop by the pool last night after class to observe Tom's students as they tried to float the boats they created. My understanding was that they were studying buoyancy and where asked to use what they learned to create a boat that would float. What I can say from my observation was that students where into what they were doing. I witnessed Tom in an environment with his students where they were doing something creative and novel and really enjoying themselves. My own experiences like these with students taught me that bonds, trust, and relationships were often born or strengthened when I went out of my way like this to make learning meaningful and to engage students beyond the boundaries of the classroom walls.