geometry of the building will allow this.
SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 10
Do you store both small and large size apparatus together in your school
physics laboratory?
120
The apparatus to be stored in the store room vary in sizes and in shapes,
the small pieces of apparatus, magnets, polythene rods etc. can
conveniently be stored in shallow drawers and other sets of apparatus of
slightly larger sizes such as ray-boxes requires rather deeper drawers. It
is suggested that one wall of the storeroom should have cupboards
containing trays of three different depths. Such trays enable the whole
volume of a cupboard to be utilized, whereas the conventional cupboard
with a shelf uses only a fraction of the total volume for actual storage.
3.4
Physics laboratory management
The physics laboratory is usually a center of physics activities where
physics teachers, laboratory staff, students and materials are always in a
dynamic interaction.
The physics teacher as the sole administrator of a physics laboratory has
the responsibility of managing these interacting factors, in such a way
that accidents are reduced to the barest minimum level.
The physics
teacher must ensure that all those who use the physics
laboratory
perform their work as directed.
SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 11
What do you think should be the major concern of head of physics in the
management of the physics unit in your school?
3.4.1 The Head of Physics Unit
The task of managing the affairs of the physics unit is the sole
responsibility of the head of physics and other support staff in the unit.
This includes the physics teaching staff and physics laboratory
technicians/attendants.
The head of the unit, who is one of the human
resources in the unit has three major areas to be concerned about.
These are:
*
Organisation
and coordination of duties
:
As the head of
physics unit, you should as much as possible, open and maintain
effective communication
channel between yourself and other
staff members. This invariably means that you should operate an
open door policy for corrections, advice and suggestions towards
the progress of the unit.
*
Delegation of responsibilities
: As the head of physics unit, you
should identify staff members with their talents and capabilities
and delegate the unit duties to them.
121
*
Training of personnel in the unit
:
This should be one of the
major concerns of physics unit head. You should make sure that
the staff members both teaching and non-teaching in the unit are
recommended for promotions, attend conferences, workshops and
seminars and are also given study leave when appropriate.
SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 12
What should be the major responsibilities of head of physics unit in a
school set up?
3.4.2 Some roles of the Head of physics unit
*
Formation of Unit timetable
–
The head of physics unit joins
his/her colleagues in other science units to work on the general
school timetable and come up with their different
unit’s
timetable
to be display it in their different unit laboratory.
