There is too much pressure on HS students. Let them enjoy their HS experience.
B
Bridgette St Mauro
9 years ago
Confusing
Too hard
Don't understand
Teachers don't help when asked
T
Tara Slater
9 years ago
Please heed the advice of all these wonderful parents.
E
Eleni Demetriou
9 years ago
Forcing freshmen to take physics before they have a solid foundation in the underlying mathematical concepts is silly. I would wager that the vast majority of students who are doing well in their physics classes are meeting regularly with physics tutors. Having to retain the services of a tutor should be the exception, not the norm, particularly for Honors students! Something is clearly wrong with the program, and I implore the Board to reconsider this issue.
L
Linda wahlers
9 years ago
Top schools do not do physics first.
J
James Barrett
9 years ago
The Physics First program is demonstrably a failure for our students and curriculum and should be replaced with an appropriately ordered and modern science curriculum.
B
Briget Hamernik
9 years ago
I have had 3 sons in MHS, and none of them did well in Physics in 9th grade! 2 of them failed the course. Montgomery told me that they would have to repeat the course; but I pointed out that nowhere in the course catalogue is Physics listed as a REQUIRED course. It's such a sham...and one that doesn't have measurable, positive results! Being presented with having to take an upper class course their first year in high school demolishes 9th grade students' confidence, sets them up for struggle and for failure.
L
Liz Losier
9 years ago
I have had 2 children go through the Physics First program. Both of them learned absolutely nothing about Physics. The kids just memorize the formulas and cheat their way through the program. It's a joke. The district does not follow a logical sequence of courses to prepare students for Physics, and the district offers no intelligent explanation as to why they insist on forcing Physics on freshmen. It's mind boggling that we are still fighting about this for so many years. Accept that the program doesn't work, and offer Physics to seniors who are adequately prepared to take it. Stop setting our kids up to fail.
M
Marty Carlson
9 years ago
I definitely am a supporter of the development of strong technical understanding and skills in schools, and have been extremely disappointed at some of the things I've heard from our girls lately. Much of this probably comes from the fact that teachers are generally trained in liberal arts and are weak in science. Maybe a petition like this encourages schools to move their hiring in this direction.
D
Dawn Evans-Yang
9 years ago
I feel that overall my kids received a great education in the Montgomery schools. However, I can not say the same as it relates to their experience with science. To say it has been a huge disappointment is an understatement. The department is losing a huge group of very good students who turn off to science when we know that this is a very important skill set to have in the future. I think they teach to the kids who already have a huge interest in science and fail to reach, or even try to reach, those who need to be turned on just a little. I think those kids lose confidence very quickly and nothing is done to help or engage them. Physics first is part of the problem, but not all. These are good students...There is something wrong!!!
P
Ping Carlson
9 years ago
The MHS needs to strengthen the science program by hiring more strong technical background teachers, with less of an emphasis on liberal arts.
C
Chuck Merkel
9 years ago
There is a clear problem with the science program at MHS - students rate the program exceptionally poorly.
There must be action taken to determine the problem(s) students experience and corrective action taken to provide the learning experience our community requires of the school system.
A
Anonymous
9 years ago
The 9th grade Physics class has been a disaster. It created very big stresses for my child and many of their friends. While the math is not necessarily difficult, it might be the way the classes are taught.
The kids have had hard time to get the many new concepts and to apply them quickly. Maybe it is the quick pace that covers too many topics. Maybe it is the lack of reinforcement training and exercises.
The attempts to reach the teachers were never successful. The situation needs to be changed immediately or our kids' high school education is very negatively affected.
S
Susan Sapienza
9 years ago
I agree with this petition and urge the Montgomery Twp. School Board to abolish the Physics First Program.
J
Janet S Hansen
9 years ago
Let's reduce stress and boost confidence
A
Ashley Lister
9 years ago
My daughter is in the 9th grade and currently struggling with Physics. I am a chemist working in the pharma industry. The approach to teaching science at MHS is more appropriate at the college level once students have a solid foundation in basic concepts. Attempting to teach new material using a different teaching approach is overly aggressive and counter-productive for the majority of students. There will always be a small number of high achieving AP students that will succeed regardless of the teaching approach used. I fully support a change in the science program that provides reasoable and appropriate learning opportunities for all students.
T
Tamara Ann Harrington
9 years ago
Particularly interested in the social emotional component. I know 11th Grade is already perceived as difficult, but the formidable opinion of incomimg freshmen is important
E
Elisabete Michelon
9 years ago
Finding a way to nurture the interest in science and not to kill it is critical for the kids. If parents are concerned I urge the school to carefully evaluate the issue.
5th ,2nd, and future class of 2030
Not needed.
There is too much pressure on HS students. Let them enjoy their HS experience.
Confusing Too hard Don't understand Teachers don't help when asked
Please heed the advice of all these wonderful parents.
Forcing freshmen to take physics before they have a solid foundation in the underlying mathematical concepts is silly. I would wager that the vast majority of students who are doing well in their physics classes are meeting regularly with physics tutors. Having to retain the services of a tutor should be the exception, not the norm, particularly for Honors students! Something is clearly wrong with the program, and I implore the Board to reconsider this issue.
Top schools do not do physics first.
The Physics First program is demonstrably a failure for our students and curriculum and should be replaced with an appropriately ordered and modern science curriculum.
I have had 3 sons in MHS, and none of them did well in Physics in 9th grade! 2 of them failed the course. Montgomery told me that they would have to repeat the course; but I pointed out that nowhere in the course catalogue is Physics listed as a REQUIRED course. It's such a sham...and one that doesn't have measurable, positive results! Being presented with having to take an upper class course their first year in high school demolishes 9th grade students' confidence, sets them up for struggle and for failure.
I have had 2 children go through the Physics First program. Both of them learned absolutely nothing about Physics. The kids just memorize the formulas and cheat their way through the program. It's a joke. The district does not follow a logical sequence of courses to prepare students for Physics, and the district offers no intelligent explanation as to why they insist on forcing Physics on freshmen. It's mind boggling that we are still fighting about this for so many years. Accept that the program doesn't work, and offer Physics to seniors who are adequately prepared to take it. Stop setting our kids up to fail.
I definitely am a supporter of the development of strong technical understanding and skills in schools, and have been extremely disappointed at some of the things I've heard from our girls lately. Much of this probably comes from the fact that teachers are generally trained in liberal arts and are weak in science. Maybe a petition like this encourages schools to move their hiring in this direction.
I feel that overall my kids received a great education in the Montgomery schools. However, I can not say the same as it relates to their experience with science. To say it has been a huge disappointment is an understatement. The department is losing a huge group of very good students who turn off to science when we know that this is a very important skill set to have in the future. I think they teach to the kids who already have a huge interest in science and fail to reach, or even try to reach, those who need to be turned on just a little. I think those kids lose confidence very quickly and nothing is done to help or engage them. Physics first is part of the problem, but not all. These are good students...There is something wrong!!!
The MHS needs to strengthen the science program by hiring more strong technical background teachers, with less of an emphasis on liberal arts.
There is a clear problem with the science program at MHS - students rate the program exceptionally poorly. There must be action taken to determine the problem(s) students experience and corrective action taken to provide the learning experience our community requires of the school system.
The 9th grade Physics class has been a disaster. It created very big stresses for my child and many of their friends. While the math is not necessarily difficult, it might be the way the classes are taught. The kids have had hard time to get the many new concepts and to apply them quickly. Maybe it is the quick pace that covers too many topics. Maybe it is the lack of reinforcement training and exercises. The attempts to reach the teachers were never successful. The situation needs to be changed immediately or our kids' high school education is very negatively affected.
I agree with this petition and urge the Montgomery Twp. School Board to abolish the Physics First Program.
Let's reduce stress and boost confidence
My daughter is in the 9th grade and currently struggling with Physics. I am a chemist working in the pharma industry. The approach to teaching science at MHS is more appropriate at the college level once students have a solid foundation in basic concepts. Attempting to teach new material using a different teaching approach is overly aggressive and counter-productive for the majority of students. There will always be a small number of high achieving AP students that will succeed regardless of the teaching approach used. I fully support a change in the science program that provides reasoable and appropriate learning opportunities for all students.
Particularly interested in the social emotional component. I know 11th Grade is already perceived as difficult, but the formidable opinion of incomimg freshmen is important
Finding a way to nurture the interest in science and not to kill it is critical for the kids. If parents are concerned I urge the school to carefully evaluate the issue.