I realized after doing this for awhile, that even though a student can give an acceptable explanation, that the student may well not understand the concept at all. Careful questioning brings much of this out. Under previous practice I had little opportunity to observe this. Also I am more attuned to the student as a person as well. However, modeling has shown me how to make the labs a significant part of the students learning experience.
Labs are first rather than an add-on at the end of a chapter to verify what was told in lecture.
It is encouraging to see the progress students make during the year as they design and write up lab reports. Modelers are so creative and so good at what they do that I strive to be as good as well. Even though I have a colleague that I can bounce ideas off of, I cannot talk of significant curriculum ideas with him, so working with the modeling participants and leaders has been a rewarding and creative experience. I feel confident that given time I can develop a unit in the modeling tradition. I am seen by many colleagues in school as an expert and innovator.