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Re: [Phys-l] Getting more physics classes offered...



Hello.
If you are looking for numbers that you can use with your counselor and administrators, the honest truth is my hs has 640 students. I am teaching AP physics B to one or two sections each year along with 3 project based physics courses (physics for everyone).
When I arrived at my current job we offered only general physics (2 sections each year). When we split the offerings do students could take appb or physics for everyone, our enrollment skyrocketed. I also teach an engineering/robotics course.

Make the course valuable, fun, and Visible. Students come.

Sent from my iPod

Paul Lulai
St. Anthony Village Senior High
Http://prettygoodphysics.wikispaces.com
US First RoboHuskie Team 2574


On Feb 6, 2009, at 7:56 PM, "Jon and Holly Dodd" <doddinva@shentel.net> wrote:

Hello. My name is Jonathan Dodd, and I am a relatively new Physics teacher. At my school, Physics is only offered every other year. (Hard to believe, I know. I've been trying to change that.) Currently, I teach Biology and AP Biology, but I am working on my masters in Physics currently with UVA.

My school currently has about 650 students, and the Physics class is only offered every other year. (That's 1 class out of 4 semesters of classes) When I asked the guidance counselor why that was, the response was that there was not enough interest to offer more classes. Does anyone else have a school that is similar in size to mine with more Physics classes taught?

With the number of students in my school, I would expect to see at least 1 physics class offered each semester ( we run on a 4 x 4 block schedule). For the number of students that we send to college that are getting science related degrees, I would think that it would benefit them to have a high school physics class. (I majored in Biology, and had to take two classes of Physics.)

Does anyone think that it should be the guidance department that encourages students to take Physics?
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