AP Physics 1&2 and AP European History at PAH

[mjbucks1]

Hi all.  Over the years my ds and dd have taken multiple classes through PAH, and they have only had one we were not thrilled with.  My dd is taking APUSH with Susan Richman and is loving it.  I was wondering if anyone has had experience with AP European History at PAH?  I think the teacher is new this year, but I thought I would ask.

 

Our ds took the old AP Physics B course with Jeff Lanctot and really liked it.  Mr. Lanctot no longer teaches the algebra based physics course.  I know Mr. Kernion is also new, but I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with him through PAH or Physics Prep.  

 

Just trying to figure out classes for next year.  Feel free to pm me if you do not want to openly share your experience.

 

Thank you!

[cuckoomamma]

My dd is also taking APUSH this year with Mrs. Richman and loving it.  She would really like to take AP Euro, and I've posted here asking about it several times. It's my standard post every few months :)

 

I haven't received a reply from anyone, and my dd reached out to this year's teacher with a few questions about the class and didn't receive a response.  We do know someone who had a less than wonderful experience with PAH and Euro with a different professor, so I'm concerned about taking the leap of faith with NO recommendations for the current teacher. To be clear, dd has had a very good experience with PAH with multiple teachers, but I've been guided very much by these boards in those choices.  

 

Please pm me if you receive any responses that aren't public.  We're very interested in taking it.

 

Thanks!

[mjbucks1]

I will definitely let you know if I hear anything. APUSH has been so wonderful! It might be hard for AP Euro to live up to this standard!!

[mirabillis]

What grade(s) are you dc in, taking APUSH? 

 

I was thinking of taking WTMA US Hist and take the SAT II subject test for validation... you have me thinking about APUSH. How time intensive is it? 

 

Next year 10th, I was thinking of US Hist (SAT II test) alongside AP Chem (PAH), AP Macro (PAH), AP Micro (self-study) and Precalc (WHA). 

Then 11th, I have in mind AP Calc AB (WHA), AP Eng Lang (PAH), AP Physics I (maybe PAH) or DO Physics, World History (self-study)....

 

I could swap out WTMA US Hist with APUSH, but 4 APs next year may be a bit much... could also do World Hist next year and then wait on APUSH until 11th, but with the above schedule, is that too much? Let me know your opinion!

 

--

 

Also love to hear about PAH Physics 1/2 with Kernion... I did some research on it awhile back, but didn't turn up much.

[mjbucks1]

My dd is in 10th grade and is taking APUSH and AP Chem. Dd spends about 12-15 hours a week on APUSH, depending on the homework for the week. I have heard Micro and Macro aren't too terribly difficult, so it might just depend on your child's other activities when determining if that is too heavy of a load or not.

 

Mrs. Richman gives wonderful personalized feedback to the kids, and always has engaging bonus activities for the students. Dd is learning so much and loves the class. At first it seemed like here was so much work and a lot to keep track of, but dd has found it to be quite manageable and enjoyable!!

[Julie of KY]

Can't address Physics 1/2 specifically through PAH, but I spent some time going through the freely accessible first unit on Physics Prep and it looked well done by this teacher. It sounds as if he uses this material as the spine of his class alongside the textbook.

[mirabillis]

I agree and thought the same, Julie. 

 

Did you see these re: Physics 1/2 Lanctot vs. Kernion?

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/589262-feedback-wanted-on-ap-physics-options/

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/584630-my-continuing-search-for-online-ap-physics-1-andor-2-courses/ (but no one ever did answer my questions :( )

[cuckoomamma]

Agree that PAH APUSH couldn't be more well done.  My dd's only regret is not having more time to devote to it.  She is involved in an extra curricular with a very heavy daily time commitment and would love to be taking advantage of all the materials Mrs. Richman suggests.  She is doing very well in the class without it, but she wishes she had more time.  She is taking three other APs and has found this year, 10th, to be too tight in terms of her time.  

 

We're still trying to fine tune next year's schedule!

[Rebecca]

My son is applying to take AP European History at PAH for next year.

 

-Rebecca

[cuckoomamma]

Have you spoken to anyone taking the class this year?

[Rebecca]

I have not. I have received email response from the Instructor and we are still moving forward with this choice. :)

[Job121]

My DS took AP European History with PAH when he was in 9th grade. I understand PAH had a new instructor for this course, so I cannot say much for the recent changes. As for my DS, after covering Omnibus I thru III, he found his new passion for history through AP Euro History. He said AP Euro class helped him to see the history as a whole. 

 

He also took AP Physics C with Mr. Lanctot. After that class, DS wanted to major in physics in college. 

 

Hope my two cents might help you in some way....

[Julie of KY]

FYI - my son took AP Physics C Mechanics with Lanctot this year. We had planned on continuing through E&M, but dropped the course even though he was doing very well. I almost emailed Kernion to see if he could join E&M for the spring. Instead I seriously looked at Physics Prep and got my own syllabus approved from College Board to teach E&M using Physics Prep alongside a textbook and AP prep. Our problem with Lanctot was that he essentially gave a scheduled reading and problem assignment. He did minimal teaching  and minimal feedback on all the work.

 

Subsequently we decided to drop E&M altogether in favor of taking AoPS Intermediate Counting and Probability.  :drool:

[mirabillis]

Instead I seriously looked at Physics Prep and got my own syllabus approved from College Board to teach E&M using Physics Prep alongside a textbook and AP prep. 

 

 

What did you think of PhysicPrep - a good course for AP Physics? It sure seems a far cry better than syllabus reading/writing assignments by Lanctot's PAH Physics class, perhaps?

[Julie of KY]

What did you think of PhysicPrep - a good course for AP Physics? It sure seems a far cry better than syllabus reading/writing assignments by Lanctot's PAH Physics class, perhaps?

 

I was impressed with Physics Prep and was ready to go with it. I would definitely add more practice problems from a textbook. Also, it would be helpful to have someone that can answer questions or do the course alongside the student. It might be worth paying for through PAHS if you can't help your own student.

 

I've read so many good reviews about Lanctot that I was surprised that he didn't provide more direct instruction (or at least links to youtube vidoes or such).

[mjbucks1]

Thanks all for the feedback!  I am not sure which direction we will go.  I am now think about having her to Derek Owens physics next year, and then AP Physics C (both courses) the following year.  Does anyone have any thoughts?  

[mirabillis]

I was impressed with Physics Prep and was ready to go with it. I would definitely add more practice problems from a textbook. Also, it would be helpful to have someone that can answer questions or do the course alongside the student. It might be worth paying for through PAHS if you can't help your own student.

 

I've read so many good reviews about Lanctot that I was surprised that he didn't provide more direct instruction (or at least links to youtube vidoes or such).

 

We can't do self-guided PAH again (not to that degree) so for us, Lanctot is out. I think we'll give serious consideration to Kernion at PAH - will have to look and see difference b/w his PhysicsPrep and PAH and whether the cost difference is worth it.

[MarkT]

We can't do self-guided PAH again (not to that degree) so for us, Lanctot is out. I think we'll give serious consideration to Kernion at PAH - will have to look and see difference b/w his PhysicsPrep and PAH and whether the cost difference is worth it.

there is a statement of the differences here:

 

http://www.physics-prep.com/

[regentrude]

 I am now think about having her to Derek Owens physics next year, and then AP Physics C (both courses) the following year.  Does anyone have any thoughts?  

 

That's a LOT of physics. I would only do this for a student who is highly interested in physics and clamoring to do this, and even then I would be hesitant to cover what is basically the same material twice in a row (yes, there is some more advanced stuff in AP C, but to a large part it is the same stuff over again, especially in mechanics.)

 

30% of the students in my calculus based physics class never had any physics in high school. There is no difference in performance between the students who had prior physics and those who didn't. I would not make a student complete algebra based physics before calculus based physics if that would make it two years back-to-back. (Doing alg based physics in 8th or 9th grade and then calc based physics later in highschool can make sense.)

Edited February 25, 2017 by regentrude

[mjbucks1]

Thanks for your reply, regentrude! I actually did have my ds take AP Physics B and then both AP Physics C courses the following year. He very much enjoyed this. Dd wants to major in mechanical engineering in college, so I just want to make sure she is well prepared. She has already taken biology and chemistry, and she much prefers math heavy sciences like chemistry as opposed to biology. I am not sure what other science course I could add in before physics. But it does put my mind at ease that she will be fine taking AP Physics C without prior knowledge.

[regentrude]

. I am not sure what other science course I could add in before physics. But it does put my mind at ease that she will be fine taking AP Physics C without prior knowledge.

 

Oh, there is SO much science! There is also a lot more physics than what is commonly covered in intro courses - they have very little modern physics, i.e. quantum, relativity, particle physics. There is astronomy and astrophysics/cosmology. There is so much more interesting stuff than blocks sliding down inclined planes and resistor networks.

[Kathy in Richmond]

My kids did it both ways:

 

Ds did Giancoli (AP physics B level w/o the test) the first year, followed by both Physics C classes the following year. He definitely enjoyed it (another biology avoider) and did well, going on to major in EE/Computer Science in college.

 

On the other hand, dd jumped right into the AP C level courses and did both parts in grade 11 without prior physics. She did have plenty of math, though, & was concurrently in multivariable calculus. Dd does not like science nearly as much as her brother.

 

I do think there's a benefit to the two year approach that Ds took. There's a lot to comprehend in physics, and good understanding takes time. The C courses use calculus, which is great; physics is easier to explain with those equations. On the other hand, taking the C courses alone can make it more of a math game & short circuit some of the intuitive understanding that's built during a year of conceptual or algebra based physics.

 

Another thing is that with good understanding of the basics from his Giancoli year, Ds was able to use his Physics C year to study more than just plain old mechanics and circuits. We used Resnick & Halliday and there are tons of other topics to explore, such as thermo, modern physics, etc.

[mjbucks1]

Thank you, Kathy! Your advice gives me confidence that we can go either way!