The Heisenberg Principle of Education

One of my biggest pet peeves is when scientific principles are co-opted for other purposes.  "Social Darwinism," for example, bears little resemblance to Darwin's observations.  Einstein's theory of relativity is not meant for you to have whatever opinion you want and then say, "It's all relative."  However, I am about to use Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle as a means of explaining a teaching phenomenon.

First, the science.  Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle states that the more precisely the position of some particle is determined, the less precisely its momentum can be known, and vice versa.  In other words, if I know the location of an electron with certainty, I cannot know it's velocity.  If I know its precise velocity, I cannot know its location.  The reason this is true is that in order to measure a precise location, one must use some kind of measuring device that will affect the velocity of the particle.  The same is true for measuring the velocity.  In the time it takes to measure velocity, the location of the particle will have changed.  Electrons even have the weird habit of behaving differently when we measure them than they do when we aren't.  The act of measuring (or even observing) a thing changes it.  

What, you may ask, does this have to do with education?  I'm glad you asked.  Teachers spend most of our year just doing our thing in our classes with our students.  Every once in a while, however, we are observed.  It could be a prospective student; it could be our administrator.  This week, GRACE is being visited by a team for the purposes of accreditation.  We will have people in and out of our classrooms for a couple of days.  

I have told my kids that I have no intent of showing off or faking anything for anyone, and I don't.  The lesson plan I have set for tomorrow is the same as it would have been whether the team was coming to visit or not.  I printed it out in a bit more detail because I tend to leave out the parts that only I need.  No matter how much I intend to be myself, however, I know that there will be some differences.  I have been observed enough times to know that I will probably talk a little faster than usual and second guess everything I say.  Students, if your other teachers are doing that too, please don't hold it against us.  It isn't our intent to lie; it's just that the act of observing something changes it.  If you believe I have actually put on a false show, tell me.  Be respectful and private about it, but please tell me.  I want to know if I am giving you that impression.