WWYD? No Physics teacher until "October" on 4x4 schedule

[Anonymous]

I wish I had a physics degree --I'm also a Wilson parent. My husband does and would do this in a heartbeat but he went on to medical school and now works in medicine with patients on his schedule to see. But he'd step up to this in a second if he could. He always wanted to be a physics teacher and has said for years that he will do it someday before he dies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you to the Wilson parent who stepped up to provide AP Physics instruction in the interim!!!! Clear example of a parent going above and beyond.

This is great but does the long term sub actually know physics? AP Physics requires knowledge of college level physics and calculus.
My suggestion would be to have the kids watch Khan academy and do their practice assessments. Khan Academy offers an AP level physics curriculum. It is not amazing and no substitute for a teacher but it is pretty good. Wilson could also split up the kids into the AP Physics 1 classes. Their is a lot of overlap in AP1 mechanics and AP C mechanics especially for the first several weeks

The Wilson mom sub does not know how to teach physics- no. Apparently she worked in a physics related job. She lectures for approximately 30 minutes and then tells kids to read the chapter and do worksheets. The class went from chapter 1 and then skipped to chapter 18. None of this “instruction” is translating. We need a physics teacher… could care less where their children go to school.

That doesn't sound like she doesn't have training in physics. She isn't trained as a teacher., but this doesn't sound awful at all. I would like to see you step up to give a daily 30 minute lecture in physics.

Huh? You’re not making sense. She doesn’t know how to teach the material to high school kids… how is this helpful at all? Why would anyone think they’re qualified to teach just because they once worked on a nuclear reactor program. It’s ridiculous. I would never assume I was qualified to teach high school government just because I was a government consultant. What is wrong with you people?

No one is saying this is a perfect solution. It is better than what's happening in the other class with a sub who doesn't seem to know any of the material. However, I don't believe that a person who has volunteered to step in and a school administration who has accepted the help believe she is 100% UNqualified.

Your kid is not in the class and you have no idea. No dog in this fight but the other PP obviously has a kid in the class.

I don’t understand why parents try to make excuses for this absolute failure. Demand better for goodness sakes, take action, write to people, alert the rest of the school and community, whatever but don’t make excuses and accept this as the best. For you will lower the bar and then it is much easier for it to be the norm and go lower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you to the Wilson parent who stepped up to provide AP Physics instruction in the interim!!!! Clear example of a parent going above and beyond.

This is great but does the long term sub actually know physics? AP Physics requires knowledge of college level physics and calculus.
My suggestion would be to have the kids watch Khan academy and do their practice assessments. Khan Academy offers an AP level physics curriculum. It is not amazing and no substitute for a teacher but it is pretty good. Wilson could also split up the kids into the AP Physics 1 classes. Their is a lot of overlap in AP1 mechanics and AP C mechanics especially for the first several weeks

The Wilson mom sub does not know how to teach physics- no. Apparently she worked in a physics related job. She lectures for approximately 30 minutes and then tells kids to read the chapter and do worksheets. The class went from chapter 1 and then skipped to chapter 18. None of this “instruction” is translating. We need a physics teacher… could care less where their children go to school.

That doesn't sound like she doesn't have training in physics. She isn't trained as a teacher., but this doesn't sound awful at all. I would like to see you step up to give a daily 30 minute lecture in physics.

Huh? You’re not making sense. She doesn’t know how to teach the material to high school kids… how is this helpful at all? Why would anyone think they’re qualified to teach just because they once worked on a nuclear reactor program. It’s ridiculous. I would never assume I was qualified to teach high school government just because I was a government consultant. What is wrong with you people?

No one is saying this is a perfect solution. It is better than what's happening in the other class with a sub who doesn't seem to know any of the material. However, I don't believe that a person who has volunteered to step in and a school administration who has accepted the help believe she is 100% UNqualified.

Your kid is not in the class and you have no idea. No dog in this fight but the other PP obviously has a kid in the class.

I don’t understand why parents try to make excuses for this absolute failure. Demand better for goodness sakes, take action, write to people, alert the rest of the school and community, whatever but don’t make excuses and accept this as the best. For you will lower the bar and then it is much easier for it to be the norm and go lower.

Not obvious, no. And you're acting like everyone is saying that this is an ideal situation that should continue. Nobody is doing that, but I guess it's fun to make up things to be mad about.

[Anonymous]

I'm not making excuses and I agree this is an absolute failure of DCPS. I have 2 points: (a) there should be nothing but gratitude and appreciation expressed on this board toward the Wilson parent who is giving up her time to try to educate the students; and (b) this kind of failure is not unique to Wilson. It's throughout the system and it really sucks.

[Anonymous]

People who keep saying it’s a failure what would you like to see from DCPS? An online program for kids to follow? I am not being snarky it’s just that physics teachers are really hard to come by.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who keep saying it’s a failure what would you like to see from DCPS? An online program for kids to follow? I am not being snarky it’s just that physics teachers are really hard to come by.

Every other school district in the country offers HS physics.

It is beyond pathetic and inexcusable that DCPS can't.

STOP giving them a pass "because its soooo hard!!!" waa waaa waaaa.

[Anonymous]

To answer the poster two posts above, yes. An online course with a live instructor at that same time slot would be the next best thing (like a virtual sub who knows how to teach physics but maybe lives in Colorado). If that’s not possible then at least an asynchronous course.

[Anonymous]

I really don't get why Wilson parents keep defending the school. This is just inexcusable. I think many feel if they say anything negative about Wilson then it might get out to college admissions officers and hurt their kids. So they are preaching the positive, 24/7 regarding of whether Wilson actually offers instruction or not.

If you can't get a physics teacher, you innovate. You buy a written, asynchronous course. You Zoom in to another school in DCPS (there has to be physics being offered at Walls or Banneker at least). You find a virtual instructor elsewhere (there are zillions of these--in the States and across the world). You drop everyone out of the class, adjust schedules and plan physics in for spring---ironically the much-maligned 4x4 schedule is perfect for this. It's not that many kids--schedule adjustments could have been done. Problem could have been addressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who keep saying it’s a failure what would you like to see from DCPS? An online program for kids to follow? I am not being snarky it’s just that physics teachers are really hard to come by.

Every other school district in the country offers HS physics.

It is beyond pathetic and inexcusable that DCPS can't.

STOP giving them a pass "because its soooo hard!!!" waa waaa waaaa.

DCPS does offer physics. It’s just that Wilson doesn’t have a physics teacher for this one courseload. Do you really think there are no physics teacher vacancies anywhere else in the country? You can dislike DCPS and dislike their lack of action or innovative solutions for this class. But you can’t just make a physics teacher fall out of the sky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who keep saying it’s a failure what would you like to see from DCPS? An online program for kids to follow? I am not being snarky it’s just that physics teachers are really hard to come by.

Every other school district in the country offers HS physics.

It is beyond pathetic and inexcusable that DCPS can't.

STOP giving them a pass "because its soooo hard!!!" waa waaa waaaa.

DCPS does offer physics. It’s just that Wilson doesn’t have a physics teacher for this one courseload. Do you really think there are no physics teacher vacancies anywhere else in the country? You can dislike DCPS and dislike their lack of action or innovative solutions for this class. But you can’t just make a physics teacher fall out of the sky.

Constant deflection and excuses from Wilson defenders.

So how are these kids going to get a HS physics class?

"Sorry, (insert college name) I read the physics book but couldn't take a class because DCPS couldn't find a teacher. Does that count?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don't get why Wilson parents keep defending the school. This is just inexcusable. I think many feel if they say anything negative about Wilson then it might get out to college admissions officers and hurt their kids. So they are preaching the positive, 24/7 regarding of whether Wilson actually offers instruction or not.

If you can't get a physics teacher, you innovate. You buy a written, asynchronous course. You Zoom in to another school in DCPS (there has to be physics being offered at Walls or Banneker at least). You find a virtual instructor elsewhere (there are zillions of these--in the States and across the world). You drop everyone out of the class, adjust schedules and plan physics in for spring---ironically the much-maligned 4x4 schedule is perfect for this. It's not that many kids--schedule adjustments could have been done. Problem could have been addressed.

It is actually very difficult across the US to find good physics teachers. Physics teachers are paid the same as any other teacher (PE, art, math, etc). Most people who have studied physics have more lucrative alternative options compared with teaching. DCPS HR should be actively trying to recruit physics teachers but DCPS HR is a hot mess

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really don't get why Wilson parents keep defending the school. This is just inexcusable. I think many feel if they say anything negative about Wilson then it might get out to college admissions officers and hurt their kids. So they are preaching the positive, 24/7 regarding of whether Wilson actually offers instruction or not.

If you can't get a physics teacher, you innovate. You buy a written, asynchronous course. You Zoom in to another school in DCPS (there has to be physics being offered at Walls or Banneker at least). You find a virtual instructor elsewhere (there are zillions of these--in the States and across the world). You drop everyone out of the class, adjust schedules and plan physics in for spring---ironically the much-maligned 4x4 schedule is perfect for this. It's not that many kids--schedule adjustments could have been done. Problem could have been addressed.

It is actually very difficult across the US to find good physics teachers. Physics teachers are paid the same as any other teacher (PE, art, math, etc). Most people who have studied physics have more lucrative alternative options compared with teaching. DCPS HR should be actively trying to recruit physics teachers but DCPS HR is a hot mess

+1

All the physics and engineering majors I know went into research or private work. Because they get paid better.

[Anonymous]

Can't they get an adjunct instructor - like how Walls does?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who keep saying it’s a failure what would you like to see from DCPS? An online program for kids to follow? I am not being snarky it’s just that physics teachers are really hard to come by.

Every other school district in the country offers HS physics.

It is beyond pathetic and inexcusable that DCPS can't.

STOP giving them a pass "because its soooo hard!!!" waa waaa waaaa.

DCPS does offer physics. It’s just that Wilson doesn’t have a physics teacher for this one courseload. Do you really think there are no physics teacher vacancies anywhere else in the country? You can dislike DCPS and dislike their lack of action or innovative solutions for this class. But you can’t just make a physics teacher fall out of the sky.

Oohhh! If a physics teacher and a hailstone fell out of the sky at the same moment which would “land” first?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who keep saying it’s a failure what would you like to see from DCPS? An online program for kids to follow? I am not being snarky it’s just that physics teachers are really hard to come by.

Every other school district in the country offers HS physics.

It is beyond pathetic and inexcusable that DCPS can't.

STOP giving them a pass "because its soooo hard!!!" waa waaa waaaa.

Wow. I hope you’re 12 years old.