Physics is NOT Memorization!

Physics is NOT Plug & Chug!

Physics IS Exploration!

What I cannot create,! I do not understand.! Richard Feynman! Physicist!

! Your grade should be determined by how well you

understand physics, and nothing else. !

! Homework is practice, it should not aect your grade. ! ! It doesnt matter when you learn it, so long as you learn
it. !

! Assessments must guide you on how to improve.! ! Assessments need to provide incentive for you to do
the work required to improve.!

 Core (C) ## These skills are fundamental to this physics class and future study
of science. In order to pass, you must achieve prociency in most of them and be developing in the rest.!

EX. I can draw and interpret diagrams to represent the

motion of an object moving with a constant velocity.!

Advanced (A) ## These concepts represent more advanced skills that indicate a EX. I can solve problems involving average speed and
average velocity.!
deeper understanding of physics. In order to achieve a grade of A, you must achieve prociency in all of them. !

 Mastery (M) Yes, I understand it! (consistently)! Progressing (P) Im on my way, still working on some
parts.!

Starting (S) I am starting to understand, but need

help.!

No Evidence (N) I havent done anything to show

my understanding.!

! Many ways to measure understanding! ! Written questions on assessments! ! Answering a directed question in class! ! Blog about it! ! Talk about it with me 1-on-1! ! And many morerap it, write a play, what else?!

 In class assessments Weekly! Out of class assessments Students can apply for
this on my website by Tuesdaysgiven once a week (Thursdays)!

Grades can change anytime a students understanding

changes. Scores on goals will go up if students show increased understanding, or down if they show decreased understanding.!

! Ask him/her how do you know this is true?, and to

focus on experiments and evidence.!

! Encourage him/her to establish a dialogue with me (I

check email very often).!

! Encourage him/her to get adequate sleep every night.

This is critical for both learning and happiness. !

! Encourage him/her to use all the resources of the class

(website, textbook, edmodo, text, physics parties, etc).!

! Encourage him/her to develop a growth mindset. !

From Mindset, the New Psychology of Success! by Carol Dweck!

 Based on the scores theyve earned on each of the learning

goals so far, students will determine what their overall grade in this class should be. I will ask them to evaluate which goals they need to work on and which they have mastered.!

! the approach we are going is probably the best way I

have ever approached a new course.!

! (Our grading system) ensures that we know all the

material, and that we don't just kind of know it, but we know it.!

! I think that there are many opportunities for learning

further and getting feedback and that the focus is more on the understanding rather than the grade or the score compared to others.!

! I am seeing a dierence in my focus of understanding.

In physics, my mindset is become very much so a growth mindset. I am able to learn from every single one of my mistakes.!

! I really like our new grading system. It shows how

much you actually understand it, not just how well you memorized it. Understanding is key. I am able to more precisely measure my understanding. I denitely feel more in control over showing my understanding.!

! Grading is a lot less stressful in this class, and it focuses

on what really matters. Our understanding. I can measure my own understanding, and I know what to do if I don't understand something. I take control and get more help.!

! I enjoy the atmosphere because class discussion is

encouraged and I never feel like what I am going to say is dumb or wrong.!

! Our approach to physics is really dierent from the

traditional Write notes, listen to lectures, etc We've been doing hands-on since day 1 which is good because it allows us to see the concepts going on in front of us. We're also not told directly what's going on, we sort of have to gure it out and really think about it ourselves. I think this does help our understanding in a way that a traditional class couldn't. And every time we make mistakes it's okay because they'll help us when we have to work that same concept again.!

! I feel like the atmosphere is really perfect for an open

discussion, because everyone respects what other people have to say about the matter, and when it comes to discussing every one tries to bring in new topics to discuss.!

! I like the (grading) system. It's helpful that each

problem that we have is graded on our understanding. It helps us know exactly where we are missing something and how close we are to getting it. When we get our tests or quizzes back we can obtain a lot more feedback from the 1's, 2's, and 3's than a percentage grade.!

! I love it the new approach (to learning). More people

are listening and participating in class. When we have discuss the concepts in order to learn them we are able to understand them better because we understood the paths we took in order to reach these conclusions. We are able to understand the why and how of everything like we couldn't if our teacher were just giving us equations to memorize.!

! I am really enjoying our new grading system. I like it

because it is not the regular "RIGHT or WRONG" answer, it gives us the chance to see how well we understand the subject in hand. I'm not only feeling a greater control over how I show my understanding, but I am also learning to aim for a 3 every single time. Even if I did get several twos or even ones on my assessment, that wouldn't stop me from aiming for a three.!

! my approach to physics has completely changed

because I came into physics dreading it but now i look forward to going to class because we learn in a way that is shaped to let have a growth mind set, which makes me want to learn from my mistakes and gure out what i did wrong so i can do it right the next time.!

! I think that anyone can contribute if they want to. It is

a very free class. When I enter the classroom the atmosphere is great. I know we are going to have fun that day right when I enter the classroom.!

! I am able to learn from my mistakes since there is no

penalty for making them.!

! I feel that the class is trying to learn and understand

more than focus on grades, but the mindset is still a little bit stuck on xed mindset, so the mistakes are used to raise grades it seems rather than understand.!

! I like the new grading system in the sense that it puts a

lot less stress on me, especially when it comes to tests. I like that instead of putting all the pressure on doing perfect on a test, it is just about understanding the material. I do feel like I have much more control over my grade then I do in other classes where grades are based o of how you did in the past and not how you are doing at the moment.!

! Im am not a big fan of (the grading system), but I am

getting more used to it. I do feel i have a good amount of control on my grade.!

! I LOOOOVE the new grading system. I love how you

grade us on understanding and that we can show our understanding in dierent ways, however we want.!

! This is totally dierent than any other science class

that I've ever been a part of. Unlike most other classes, the goal is not to just learn the material so you do well on the test, but it goal is to actually understand the material. Learning from our mistakes is vital in this class, and this class gives us opportunities to without bringing down our grade for the rest of the semester.!

! We completely control our grade because we can raise

it at any time. Getting anything below a 3 if you understand the concept is just laziness because all it takes is coming to extra help to boost your grade. That being said, I'm still having a hard time adjusting from the traditional letter grades.!

! I nd this approach to physics to be easier to learn

from, thanks to the emphasis on discussion and understanding. Because I attempt to understand my mistakes, I learn from them instead of just skipping over them.!

! The assessments seem very forgiving, so they seem

good for someone who doesn't learn things as quickly as others.!

! I'll tell you a short story about how this class is

aecting my outlook on school and life. In extra help, I took a quiz in math and I almost failed (76) but I didnt get upset about it as usual. I told my teacher that I didnt understand the material and he helped to me to get the hand of it. Now I am really good at the material. I was proud of myself for having a growth mindset. Defeat made me stronger and my failures are helping me to grow.!