Re: AP physics

[Tim Burgess <tburgess@jaguar1.usouthal.edu>]

I know that my response to this in late. Thee were many other contributions
which gave great insight.

On Fri, 20 Mar 1998, ACONeil wrote:
> like to know if the majority of AP physics classes have a
> prerequisite/recommendation that requires students who enroll in these classes
> to have already taken a year of physics.  

When I looked around this region a few years back I found two types of AP
programs. The programs with the largest passing scores (3 or higher) ratio
to graduating students we always the multiyear programs (though the first 
year may not be REQUIRED).

Work habits, interest, confidence and talent are very important. I also 
found that parents who can tutor (or hire tutors) are very helpful 
as well. These sorts of  resources can make the "one year AP Physics 
student" very successful (in my experience.)

> The AP folks suggest that the students should take the additional year.  
> I don't think that the typical schedule of an honors student has room 
> in it for the extra year every time they take an AP course.  

I know from talking with foreign students that multiple years of physics
are routinely taken in other countries.  I do not think that we should 
shrink  from offerring multiple years of physics in the U.S. I found that 
a third of my passing AP scores came from students in the middle track 
who learned about AP physics in the first year course.

We settled on the rule that The first year course was REQUIRED. Students
with parents, tutors, resources, work ethic and/or talent were granted an
EXEMPTION on a case by case basis (3 per year or so out of 18).  This policy 
worked very well for us at this large public urban high school.

> What's the norm out there? > 

Tim