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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It does not sound like anyone is covering the class. That should be unacceptable for college level courses taught at a public high school.

Why shouldn’t Perry Stein research the questions raised by the 4x4 schedule?

The problem is there is a shortage of teachers and substitutes across the nation. I bet the school cannot find anyone. This is why the 4x4 schedule is so damaging because every day that is lost is crucial to instruction. You cannot just make it up later like you can for a full year course. In a perfect world, 4x4 would be fine but not the way things actually work at the present time.

[Anonymous]

I think Perry Stein should question the 4x4 and question DCPS’ process for finding qualified subs and qualified temporary teachers and long term subs. I think everyone should question why DCPS is pushing Canvas but can’t provide videos or assignments to kids without teachers through Canvas.

What people shouldn’t do is put it on the department chair or admin. They can’t make people appear out of thin air and usually their solution to this is to make other teachers pick up extra work to cover the class with no teacher. That just leads to teacher burn out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those parents saying their kids nailed the APs with some review in the spring, which APs did you child take? Genuinely curious- I could see for APUSH or AP Lang that that might work. But AP Chem or Calc BC? That would be more difficult.

APush and AP Chem...so, one from column A and one from column B, and fine outcomes on both.

If there is any statistical evidence that the 4X4 schedule presents a problem for AP's, I'd like to see it. But the histrionics appear to be based on the fact that it is different, not any evidence that it is bad. So I think everyone should calm down.

Most teachers I have spoken to (about 3 or 4) told me they dislike the new schedule especially for AP classes.

I am a HS AP teacher and really dislike the 4x4. My courses cover a lot of content and I find the kids have no time to absorb the content or get extra help before we’ve moved on to more content. And it’s a very cumulative course so if they don’t understand what we did Monday they are lost in class Tuesday.

I’m another HS science AP teacher (not in DCPS) and I am so glad we don’t have a 4x4 schedule. All the AP teachers I know across the nation detest the 4x4 schedule. They say the instruction moves too fast for most kids to absorb it and when they try to hold spring review sessions, most kids don’t show up. I think 4x4 is a step back for helping low income kids being successful in AP classes. I teach at a low income school and it takes time and encouragement for me to build up my students to do well on AP exams.

[Anonymous]

^^such a great point. Why do 4x4 and then pretend anyone can do an AP class.

[Anonymous]

I hadn’t thought of that but PP those are great points. On the 4x4 there isn’t time to do SEL or getting to know you or any relationship building at the beginning. You jump right into content and move quickly and really do lose those struggling or low confidence students along the way. And you don’t have time to slow down and reconnect with them because you only have a few months to teach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It does not sound like anyone is covering the class. That should be unacceptable for college level courses taught at a public high school.

Why shouldn’t Perry Stein research the questions raised by the 4x4 schedule?

The problem is there is a shortage of teachers and substitutes across the nation. I bet the school cannot find anyone. This is why the 4x4 schedule is so damaging because every day that is lost is crucial to instruction. You cannot just make it up later like you can for a full year course. In a perfect world, 4x4 would be fine but not the way things actually work at the present time.

What the school should have done is make this particular AP class (with no teacher) a year-long thing for these kids and adjusted the rest of their schedules accordingly. They had to have known up front that there would be no teacher for XX number of weeks. It's not like it's their first rodeo with hiring a teacher.
Instead they just put their heads in the sand and decided to just let it ride and stop answering emails.

There were innovative ways to solve this issue but the school really doesn't care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those parents saying their kids nailed the APs with some review in the spring, which APs did you child take? Genuinely curious- I could see for APUSH or AP Lang that that might work. But AP Chem or Calc BC? That would be more difficult.

APush and AP Chem...so, one from column A and one from column B, and fine outcomes on both.

If there is any statistical evidence that the 4X4 schedule presents a problem for AP's, I'd like to see it. But the histrionics appear to be based on the fact that it is different, not any evidence that it is bad. So I think everyone should calm down.

I mean, the title of this thread and the original problem suggests one significant problem with 4x4.

All available research suggests that the 4x4 schedule is detrimental to APs and most outcomes, except graduation rates (because it’s easier for kids to retake classes they fail.)

[Anonymous]

Op, I would hire an AP physics tutor and study the course across the full year. Get the grade for the semester even if nothing is taught, but be prepared for the AP test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those parents saying their kids nailed the APs with some review in the spring, which APs did you child take? Genuinely curious- I could see for APUSH or AP Lang that that might work. But AP Chem or Calc BC? That would be more difficult.

APush and AP Chem...so, one from column A and one from column B, and fine outcomes on both.

If there is any statistical evidence that the 4X4 schedule presents a problem for AP's, I'd like to see it. But the histrionics appear to be based on the fact that it is different, not any evidence that it is bad. So I think everyone should calm down.

I mean, the title of this thread and the original problem suggests one significant problem with 4x4.

All available research suggests that the 4x4 schedule is detrimental to APs and most outcomes, except graduation rates (because it’s easier for kids to retake classes they fail.)

Majority of kids aren't in AP. I like the split schedule with longer classes as it gives more instruction time.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if there is a reputable online course you could sign your kid up for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those parents saying their kids nailed the APs with some review in the spring, which APs did you child take? Genuinely curious- I could see for APUSH or AP Lang that that might work. But AP Chem or Calc BC? That would be more difficult.

APush and AP Chem...so, one from column A and one from column B, and fine outcomes on both.

If there is any statistical evidence that the 4X4 schedule presents a problem for AP's, I'd like to see it. But the histrionics appear to be based on the fact that it is different, not any evidence that it is bad. So I think everyone should calm down.

I mean, the title of this thread and the original problem suggests one significant problem with 4x4.

All available research suggests that the 4x4 schedule is detrimental to APs and most outcomes, except graduation rates (because it’s easier for kids to retake classes they fail.)

Majority of kids aren't in AP. I like the split schedule with longer classes as it gives more instruction time.

It's not just AP scores that the 4x4 schedule is detrimental too- it's ALL outcomes (e.g., general performance/test scores), except for graduation rates. You know the learning loss that happens over the summer? Now imagine going an entire year without having a math or language class...

[Anonymous]

Still no teacher?

[Anonymous]

Just curious - are the people that are complaining that "honors for all" results in dumb-down courses that move too slowly and don't cover enough material the same people now complaining that the 4X4 schedule causes teachers to have to cover too much material too fast?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The 4X4 schedule is the single reason we are considering not sending our kid to wilson next year. Asinine.

+1 that and the idiotic attempt to "AP for all" in the spring (and the canceling of AP World history for sophomore last year to combact racism). we happily sent our junion to Wilson and deeply regret it. she is one of the kids now without the physics teacher. third week and all she has is an article on Canvas about electromagnetism. i wrote to the school protesting and asking when the teacher was supposed to be back and got a "we apologize for the problem, we will send an email around today or tomorrow" and then no email was ever sent. my 7th grader at Deal will go to Wilson over my dead body.

I also have a kid in that physics class and I also wrote an email. The response was basically, we appreciate your patience under these extraordinary circumstances. Absolute bullshit. I can't believe any parent on here is okay with this situation. Some of us don't have thousands of dollars lying around to hire extra help. And we just got a text from my kid freaking out about a test tomorrow that she knows nothing about the content. We'll be up all night trying to catch her up. If anyone knows any good online sources, please post here!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Still no teacher?

They found a substitute teacher last week that tutors physics but has no classroom experience. It's very different tutoring one kid vs a room full of kids at varying levels. My kid is completely lost. Says this teacher cannot explain things well. And, they had 13 days with no teacher. I think they watched instructional videos? It's a shit show.