'You are smart enough to be here' and other physics lessons from the 2024 College of Science commencement speaker
As a kid, Alma Robinson decidedly did not want to be a teacher when she grew up.
Now an award-winning advanced physics instructor, Robinson has shaped her highly-acclaimed teaching career around lessons and experiences that challenge assumptions — her students’ and her own.
Robinson will be delivering the Virginia Tech College of Science commencement address on May 10.
Lesson 1: You are smart enough to be here
Throughout her decades of teaching, first at a high school in Northern Virginia and then later at Virginia Tech as part of a program to recruit and train future teachers, Robinson worked with many students who struggled with physics.
One student stands out in her memory.
“On paper, this student wasn’t as qualified as their peers,” Robinson said. “But they were willing to work, and that made all the difference.”
The student took Robinson’s First-Year Experience course, Seminar for Physics Majors, learning about the resources available in the physics department, including the Society for Physics Students, tutoring for physics majors, and the undergraduate learning assistant program. The student went further and started coming to office hours.
In the first year, the student built a physics foundation and the confidence to ask questions. At the end of the fourth year, the student was the physics valedictorian of the graduating class.
Robinson tells this story to all students who worry that they won’t be able to hack it.
“You are smart enough to be here because you are smart enough to get help,” Robinson said. “Struggling with a concept doesn’t mean you don’t belong here or won’t be successful.”
Lesson 2: Find your learning community
Over the years, many more students — sometimes alone, sometimes as a group — sought help during Robinson’s office hours.
During a particular group session, one student turned to another and said: “You know what I’ve learned this semester? Physics is a social endeavor.”
Robinson almost fell out of her chair: “I’ve done my job.”
The world of professional physics is an active, tight-knit community. Physicists talk to each other, learn from each other, and publish research together. Teaching is no different. Robinson, who collaborates with her colleagues when designing lessons, is still discovering new ways to engage physics students in active learning because of those collaborations.
“At some point, physics is going to challenge you, no matter how brilliant you are,” Robinson said. “If you have a good community, it becomes a communal effort instead of a competition.”
Lesson 3: Teach science, learn science
In Robinson’s Enriched Physics Outreach class, her students teach physics concepts to elementary students. One year, Robinson’s class prepped a demo that covered a complex concept called electromagnetic induction.
“They’re fifth graders. How are we supposed to teach them about this if we can’t use calculus?” one senior engineering major asked.
After developing the activities and delivering the lesson, the same student came back with a revelation: He himself didn’t truly understand the concept until he had to teach it to fifth graders.
“One of the most wonderful parts of physics is being able to explain phenomena,” Robinson said. “If you can’t explain your knowledge to your peers – or really anybody – then what is that knowledge, really?"
Lesson 4: Teach students, love your job
When Robinson, who didn’t want to be a teacher, actually tried teaching – she loved it. But within the first few weeks of teaching, she came to an even deeper epiphany. Teaching and learning are about connecting. Robinson uses physics to impart even more valuable lessons to her students, such as conceptual problem-solving, how to find community, and how to believe in themselves.
“I’ve been lucky enough to teach physics for over 20 years,” Robinson said. “But I’m not just teaching physics — I’m teaching students.”
