ADVICE FROM THE CLASS OF 2014-15

At the end of the 2014-15 year, I asked my Honors Physics students to list two bits of advice that would have made their lives easier if they'd known them at the beginning of their time with me in Honors Physics. It wasn't supposed to be a love-fest, and though it may read like propaganda, what you are seeing really is an unedited, verbatim transcription of what they wrote. Hopefully, you will find their points useful.

--do the lab write-ups early

--don't try to do the hard stuff all on your own

--Fletch's book should become your best friend

--ignoring physics class doesn't make it go away

--after each lecture, re-read the class pdf that corresponds to the lecture

--do the lab write-ups soon after you finish the lab, or else you will forget what happened

--bookmark the website

--watch the videos attentively

--you don't need the book

--don't blow the kinematics test

--Mr. Fletcher is hilarious and you will love him by the end of the year. Don't write him off because of the first quarter

--don't worry if you blow a test; Mr. Fletcher is really very understanding with grades

--watch the videos

--do the homework every night

--take the class if you are genuinely interested in physics; do not take the class because the deans encouraged you to do so

--be ready to push through all the way to the last test. The material gets harder but is so much more interesting, and it is useful to know the stuff in the second semester

--the most productive form of studying is going to meet with Fletch

--watch the videos and take screen shots of the demonstrations

--watch the videos

--that Mr. Fletcher is a helpful guy

--study hard all year

--don't buy the book

--you got this

--GO TO CHIPOTLE--Fletch will show you lots of love and great practice problems--very few attend as the year progresses and you should value the solo time with Fletch--turn up and have a good year

--read Fletch's book

--there are always extra problems--do them

--use Mr. Fletcher's on-line book to review

--watch his videos 1 time when assigned and another time before studying for test

--the first couple of tests are easiest. After those, be sure to strap down for the rest

--use Fletch's textbook

--practice/homework problems are pretty much test problems

--the material for the second semester is way harder than the material for the first semester

--meet with Fletch, he knows his shit

--don't turn in the labs late, they are basically a formula for free points. Trust me, it'll help second semester when you drop a 42% on a test

--do your blurbs on labs

--when in doubt, draw a diagram

--look at class pdfs and look at Fletch's book

--go to Chipotle nights b/c they can be helpful

--pay attention in class--this means less studying

--take a refresher course in physics before jumping into physics itself

--know how to blurb

--use the class Website

--this class is the best run and most organized I've taken at Poly. Studying the materials provided on-line was incredibly useful--magnificently helpful (especially the videos)

--knowing that 92.9% isn't an A

--take really good notes and make sure to take advantage of the on-line pdfs. The pdfs are a really good way to review for an upcoming test

--if you put in the effort, you can do well. I am not suggestiong coming to every review possible, but just come prepared and you will be fine.

--although it isn't an AP class, the Honors Physics class isn't a throw-away class. There's still a ton of material, and it does not come at a slow pace. I think that there is an expectation that this will be an easy course because it is not its AP counterpart, but it still takes a considerable amount of time and effort.

--the textbook is not necessary

--prepare to be confused

--LOOK AT THE ON-LINE MULTIPLE CHOICE pdfs and learn

--"Honors Physics" is not "easy physics"

--there is not much time spent reviewing in this class, so make sure you study a lot on your own so that you can discover your weaknesses and go ask questions about the troubling spots

--the pdfs are actually helpful, so use them. Some of the pdfs are the answers to the homework so if you don't understand a problem, go to the pdfs

--ask a lot of questions. Even though Fletch is difficult to find (sometimes) and you may not like him/his teaching style, he is willing to explain anything

--look over Fletcher's book that he wrote. His book reviews a lot of what he says in class and has more conceptual questions

--taking notes can really help you

--use the videos to help you

--I wish I'd known how much I should have paid attention to the hints he dropped during class (about tests). Fletch is very generaous with telling us what is on the test, but at first I didn't realize it

--watch the videos

--disregard practically everything you've heard about the difficulty of this class. You'll get out of it what you put into it

--be sure to blurb! Even on tests! It helps frame your work

--be sure you understand how labs are graded

--Chipotle nights are helpful

--just stay on top of the work and always focus in class

--go to the Chipotle sessions

--watch all of the videos

--start studying for the midterm even before dead week

--actually use the videos

--since most/all the homework problems and their solutions are on the physics Website, I wish I hadn't spend the money on the book. I rarely (like at most 3 or 4 times) use it

So that's it, folks, an unedited presentation of the advice the class of 2014-15 Honors Physics students had for you, the class of 2015-16. In a nutshell: although this class is not for academic wimps, you can do it; use the on-line resources; use the teacher as a resource; question when confused; view the videos; get your lab write-ups done on time (complete with blurbs); be attentive in class and keep smiling as life could be worse ( . . . no, really, you have no idea).