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Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 22 Jan 2010, 23:24
by ArchMagosAlchemys
Had a local TV crew in class yesterday and this was the result.

http://www.11alive.com/rss/rss_story.as ... yid=140025

Video of AMA interrogating innocent children.

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 23 Jan 2010, 20:42
by Herald
Nice seeing you at work, AMA! Good job ignoring those cameras... :) Warhol was so right, btw, it's crazy. I don't get why people are so eager to show their faces on the screen (they literally do anything...).
To return the compliment, here's a sneak peak from my 'job' (except I'm not really in the video, having a break from the band at the time. Ah, you wouldn't have noticed if I were, that's what singers are for...):
böyen beng - Svart gull, svart jævel

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 23 Jan 2010, 22:01
by ArchMagosAlchemys
I spent a while working in Hollywood in a previous life, and at another time made videos myself to help with a book I wrote, so it was all a bit ho-hum.

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 24 Jan 2010, 03:40
by Minsc
First time I see you in-real-life AMA, I knew you were a teacher but had no idéa you looked like the perfect science teacher - that haircut suits you and your job perfectly! (crazy and witty professor with an IQ of 150 ;) )

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 24 Jan 2010, 06:12
by ArchMagosAlchemys
I do 'stand-up Science' and the look is a calculated part of the effect, and 150 is a bit low. :D :D

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 25 Jan 2010, 16:19
by Beithir Seun
AMA's five minutes of fame :D

How do the kids react to your 'stand-up Science'? I can see it working in some environments, but if you tried that in some schools over here it just wouldn't get through. I imagine it your style works better with younger kids; do you change your teaching style for older classes?

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 25 Jan 2010, 18:38
by ArchMagosAlchemys
The style does not change, but the 'in-jokes', innuendo, and examples do change, as does the language and complexity. It has worked well from undergraduate level down.

It does depend on the audience. Things are lively, but very different for, say, learning assistance classes. I keep things 'intense', dynamic, relevant, and as interesting as I can. I also bring in as much news, other subjects, and popular culture as I can.

I have been surprised a the response I have gotten. I have some newspaper interviews organized over the next week or so and have been contacted about filming a series of short pieces on science topics for local TV plus a 'retainer' to shoot pieces to respond to specific things, like the Haiti earthquake. I don't expect anything to actually happen; my life tends not to have worked out that way, but I am pleased at least to have been mentioned.

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 27 Jan 2010, 23:45
by Herald
All my best teachers have been stand-up scientists, all the way through uni. One of the noble arts. ;) The attention you got is evidence you're doing something right, even if nothing comes out of it.

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 28 Jan 2010, 17:28
by Naggie
One of my goals as a techer-to-be is to show kids that science does not need to be boring thick books and text and old people with grey hair. Science can be fun, colourful and important. I am aiming to be just like AMA showed here.

~ Naggie

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 29 Jan 2010, 02:35
by ArchMagosAlchemys
Well, I am a fairly old person and a lot of my little remaining hair is gray. :D

However, I taught this way at Uni in the 70's. The keys for me are great enthusiasm and complete mastery of the material, combined with the chops to be safe saying I don't know something, so let's look it up.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Nagathi.

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 04 Feb 2010, 08:57
by Joelatron
Good to hear that you've kept true to your Kiwi twang roots :D

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 05 Feb 2010, 21:24
by Kyure
I. Want. That. Tie.

haha. You do look like the classic science teacher! Science was my favorite subject in school. Even went into college as a Ocean and Marine Biologist Major but ended up switching to Maritime Administration. Either way. If I were to teach a class in Middle School or Highschool, it would be biology or earth science. (I love biology)

Props AMA! Knowing you were to be on camera, you should have slipped in a Warhammer innuendo for us "fans" lolol

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 06 Feb 2010, 16:16
by ArchMagosAlchemys
Kyure The references to Dwarfs WHFB/LotR ended up on the cutting room floor.

Joelatron. I have been living mostly in the USA since '83 and my accent has not changed much, to everyone's surprise. Funny thing is, most Kiwis think I'm from the UK.

The accent is part of what works. Americans have a lot of respect for the 'right' foreigner in the right place.

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 10 Feb 2010, 04:21
by t12161991
You remind me quite a bit of my science teacher, who, funnily enough, decided to teach us about earthquakes around the same time...

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 05 May 2010, 00:41
by ArchMagosAlchemys
Foot note.

The follow-up was cancelled because I was deemed too 'traditional' Too old, white, straight, male. I need to be at least not two of those four things.

There were a couple of newspaper interviews on the CSI course I run. They turned out very well.

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 05 May 2010, 00:55
by Beithir Seun
I don't know, I'm sure we can change three of those things with time. Not sure what we'll do about the ageing though :D


Seriously though, it's a shame the follow-up was cancelled. Glad the interviews proved more fruitful

Re: Used up two of my fifteen minutes.

Posted: 06 May 2010, 00:16
by ArchMagosAlchemys
I'm not interested at all in te other three either! :D