Introduction

Hi, I'm Joseph McCormack. I come from Price, Utah in Carbon County. Price is a rather small town and jobs are centered around mining (hence the name "Carbon" County). Among our numerous coal mines, there are three power plants in Carbon County and the surrounding areas. Price is also the home of USU Eastern, or, formally, the College of Eastern Utah. Price's main tourist attractions are the USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum, located in downtown Price, and Nine Mile Canyon. Nine Mile Canyon is located south of Price and is home to various Native American hieroglyphs.

I am currently enrolled at USU in the Secondary Teacher Education Program. I plan to become a high school physics and chemistry teacher. For the Fall 2011 semester I will be completing Level 2 of the program. I am currently finished with all of my major and minor coursework and I am concentrating on my teaching coursework. I am hoping to be admitted into student teaching this Spring and to be be finished with all of my coursework at the end of this school year.

My interests include physics, math, and some of the other sciences. I really enjoy thinking and reading about philosophy (especially philosohpy of science). My past times include reading, seeing movies, and bike riding.

To me, physics is everything. Any of the hard sciences can be derived from physics. The first thinkers thought about physics and great mathematical achievements were brought about to solve problems in physics. In order for Newton to further his work on gravitation, it was necessarily for the development of calculus (Which is attributed to Newton but highly disputed). Physics is the study of all things physical, in motion or standing still. From the smallest for of matter to the largest galaxies and the universe at whole.

I was drawn towards teaching students physics because I knew that I wanted to do something with physics. After attempting research, I realized that it was not for me, so I decided to try teaching it. I became a TA in the physics department and found that I enjoy teaching and helping the students learn the subject that I find so fascinating and influential. To me, literacy is ability to interact, comprehend, participate in, function efficiently, and adapt to new information in your ever changing culture and society. I hope to help my students on their goal to literacy in this new informational world.