Re: Calif. Physics Certification (YUK)

[Jim Green <JMGreen@sisna.com>]

> The recent article on the subject in "The Physics Teacher" (last month?) 
> indicated that taking HS Physics made little difference in college level 
> performance in introductory Physics compared to those who had not had Physics
> (in HS). The experience and training of the HS teacher did not appear to 
> have much impact (if I remember correctly).

Well, I suspect that taking *any* HS course has much impact on the later
success in the corresponding college course.  I am amazed at what entering
college students don't know.  I concluded at one point that my college
students didn't know what it meant to "do homework".  I asked this class by
show of hands how many had done regular homework at home when in HS.  One
student raised her hand.  HS seems simply to be a mechanism to keep the kids
safely off the street and and provide a social gathering place until they
are 18 yr old.