High School Chemistry

[Mue]

I started taking my first chemistry class this year in high school (sophomore) and I feel extremely lost due to a mixture of the fact my teacher assumes everyone took physical science their first year of high school (even though every sophomore in the class took biology freshmen year because that is the prerequisite to chemistry at our school) and her teachings are all based on the assumption we have already covered physical science - and also the fact that she just isn't a very good teacher... (as in giving us a lab without giving us the procedures and saying the next day "Oh! I see I forgot to give you the procedures! No wonder you were all lost!). Almost the entire class is hovering around the C range but I'm maintaining an A just for the fact I won't let myself fall below that. Even though I'm maintaining a decent grade, I feel like I'm missing big concepts and ideas that I should otherwise have. When I hit college, will they base every lecture off of high school chemistry? Or will they essentially start fresh? Its our school's policy to not allow kids to switch teachers which would otherwise be my desired option and I won't let it bother me to much if I'm not robbing my potential in college. If any of you have any insight on this - I would appreciate it!

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[Shinobiz11]

I'm not in college yet, but you can just take basic chemsitry and they will teach you everything from the begining. Plus I think basic chem is a pre-med req. By the way if you need help just PM me, I'm in Chemistry II (we use IB curriculum thought). I'm pretty good at it, just give a holler!

 

[clairbear]

At my college, we pretty much started fresh (ex. we went over covalent vs. ionic bonds). There are some things though I definately think it helped that I already had a background in chemistry because they do kind of assume you have a basic knowlodge, but they aren't terribly diffucult things. I know that I personally didn't pick up on some of the ideas the first time I had them either, and they make a lot more sense now. In addition, you could always find people to help you and the professor is always willing to help (in my small school at least, I don't know what its like in a larger school).

 

[Tots]

I didn't learn anything....ANYTHING....in high school chemistry except: Dimensional Analysis.

And I did perfectly fine in college chemistry. You will be fine, just keep the grade up and get out.

 

[Mue]

Thanks for the responses guys! That makes me feel a whole lot better about the situation I'm in right now - I'm not used to feeling so lost in class but at least now I know it isn't a nail in the coffin! And I may take you up on that offer as the school year progresses!

 

[c5212]

Thanks for the responses guys! That makes me feel a whole lot better about the situation I'm in right now - I'm not used to feeling so lost in class but at least now I know it isn't a nail in the coffin! And I may take you up on that offer as the school year progresses!

yeah - this thread is - I had the same issue with my chem class last year and have been wondering if I would be alright come chemistry in college... and now I know!

 

[Future Doc1]

hmmm...
seems like my teacher.

 

[MARK918]

my school also says they have a policy where students cant switch their teachers but if u try going to the assistant principle instead of your counselor it is possible...

my counselor wouldnt let me change precal teachers but i explained my situation to the assistant principle(he takes care of schedules and other stuff) and it wasnt a problem... this probably wont help you now cuz its probably too late but its good to keep in mind for the future... also having ur parents talk to the counselor or someone like that can also help

i think u shouldnt have to struggle with a bad teacher cuz its really annoying and a waste of time... so basically my point is for future classes there are pretty much always ways to get around policies and if u get a teacher later who is absolutely horrible you can probably figure out a way to switch into another teacher's class

 

[Pet of the Week]

Talk to your teacher about how you feel in class. I taught ninth grade biology, and at least in the beginning, I left several of my students feeling completely lost most of the time. I was hired to replace a teacher that left them 5 weeks into the class. The classes were advanced, and the principal told me these were intelligent, advanced students who had taken advanced sciences in middle school. Because of this, I assumed they would already have a lot of background knowledge from previous classes and from these first 5 weeks. It took me several weeks to figure out that they simply had not been taught a lot of the things I expected them to know because my students did not speak up. And those who were outspoken were the ones who were breezing through the class simply because they were smarter than average. When I finally realized the extent of my students' deficiencies in basic scientific knowledge, it was already too late for some. So please say something. If you are making A's, your teacher probably assumes you are getting it and that her teaching methods are working. I can't speak for all teachers, but I know I appreciated my students' feedback.

 

[DirtyJustice]

At my school we had the option of taking an accelerated chem class (if you have had some previous chem experience) or the basic gen chem where it takes 1 full year and you start off and say "here is the periodic table, this is what the big number means, this is what the small number means, etc"

Don't feel bad if you don't get it. My high school chem teacher was awful and I knew nothing. Now I just finished a Biochem degree. College professors are much better than high school teachers.