Jim has more than 25 years experience in secondary science education, both in private and public school systems. For six years he was the Coordinator of Investigative Studies at Nicholson Catholic College, Belleville, ON, where his portfolio included science, math, history, geography, and the social sciences. In 1991, Jim relocated to London, ON, to complete his Master of Education in curriculum, with a focus on cognitive structure of students' natural thinking about science. Jim is currently on secondment from the London Catholic District School Board to the Faculty of Education at the University of Western Ontario. His current assignment is teaching preservice chemistry and physics teachers. Jim Ross is also the senior author for Ross Lattner Inc.

The physics curriculum tends to conform to the historical development of the subject. We usually place the study of motion (kinematics) first in history, and quantum mechanics last. Since the 1960's, kinematics has dominated the curriculum, and pushed many other topics out of sight. Today, kinematics consumes about half of a high school student's instructional time, and many teachers believe that the kids still don't get it.

Must high schools recapitulate history? What if kid's brains just aren't organized to suit the kinematics curriculum? What if other topics in physics provide a more accessible starting point for young learners? In this session, Jim Ross will make a strong argument that we can take our grade 10 students farther, faster, if we start our instruction with momentum.