🚀 go-pugleaf

Dear Nancy,
I am a physics teacher at Central Catholic High School in Portland, Oregon.
 I have one class of advanced physics which is equivalent to a college
freshman non-calculus course.  I have tried all kinds of ways and means of
structuring homework.  One method I used up until recently was to assign
problems from the text (Giancolli) which I did not collect or even count.
 Students were to do them or not do them as they saw fit.  At the end of a
unit, I then gave a hand-out worksheet of problems to do.  My rationale was
that these are motivated, college bound students who need to learn to study
independently and not just "to get credit or a grade."  Sadly, this method
does not work.  The students ignore everything not directly impacting their
grade, then wait until the last possible nanosecond before beginning the
required set.  Then they wonder why their grade is not what they'd like at
quarter and semester exam time.  I have gotten quite frustrated over this.
 As you say, the kids learn to crunch numbers, but haven't a clue as to what
is going on in nature.  I keep trying different things, but usually to
degrees of success below my hopes.
Anyhoo, I appreciated your letter and wanted to respond.
This is the first time I've done this; I hope I haven't violated any rules I
don't know about yet

Mike Macallister