Jump to content

Menu

Feedback on WTMA High School Chemistry?


Recommended Posts

Well, my kid who took this in his sophomore year graduated from college in December- so its been awhile. Looks like they still use the same book but back when he took it the lab was part of the course.

I wish I had more info for you. I was hands off with him so I didn't have alot of details. I can say he was not an enthusiastic student and definitely not STEM inclined and he did just fine. I'm sure it wasn't easy but if it was extremely difficult I would have heard about it. I'm really just responding because no one else has. I also had a kid take chem from MPOA a couple years later. I would say that at that point in time the WTMA class was not as demanding as the MPOA class. I have no idea if they are even the same teachers for either place anymore.

Sorry I couldn't help more. Good luck to you. I hope someone else has info for you.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My daughter took it as an advanced 8th grader and I don’t remember everything, but I will try my best! 
 

For her at that age, it was a pretty challenging class. I remember that sometimes the explanations in the book were not that helpful when it came to completing the problems. The text was not my favorite... although I don’t have much to compare it with. It just didn’t feel very user-friendly. The writing assignments were challenging. She had to write at least one essay using primary sources (Boyle), and she wrote a research paper on the chemical processes behind chemotherapy treatments. It was a very technical paper and she had to look in medical textbooks and journals for the information she needed.

There was a lab kit and some of the labs were pretty involved. This was the last lab science she did at home, after that I shipped her off to our CC for science. Maybe that says something? 😆

Edited by lovelearnandlive
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, teachermom2834 said:

Well, my kid who took this in his sophomore year graduated from college in December- so its been awhile. Looks like they still use the same book but back when he took it the lab was part of the course.

I wish I had more info for you. I was hands off with him so I didn't have alot of details. I can say he was not an enthusiastic student and definitely not STEM inclined and he did just fine. I'm sure it wasn't easy but if it was extremely difficult I would have heard about it. I'm really just responding because no one else has. I also had a kid take chem from MPOA a couple years later. I would say that at that point in time the WTMA class was not as demanding as the MPOA class. I have no idea if they are even the same teachers for either place anymore.

Sorry I couldn't help more. Good luck to you. I hope someone else has info for you.

This is actually helpful --- honestly. This is for my daughter who is a rising 10th grader, not particularly math and science minded, and not likely to be headed for a STEM field. We would be using MPOA, but the TBA situation does not work with me, since we have other time commitments. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, lovelearnandlive said:

My daughter took it as an advanced 8th grader and I don’t remember everything, but I will try my best! 
 

For her at that age, it was a pretty challenging class. I remember that sometimes the explanations in the book were not that helpful when it came to completing the problems. The text was not my favorite... although I don’t have much to compare it with. It just didn’t feel very user-friendly. The writing assignments were challenging. She had to write at least one essay using primary sources (Boyle), and she wrote a research paper on the chemical processes behind chemotherapy treatments. It was a very technical paper and she had to look in medical textbooks and journals for the information she needed.

There was a lab kit and some of the labs were pretty involved. This was the last lab science she did at home, after that I shipped her off to our CC for science. Maybe that says something? 😆

Thank you! I've actually heard the same thing about the text --- that it's not that user friendly. I didn't realize there were writing assignments --- I need to take a closer look at the syllabus. 

I appreciate your input. We're trying to get this all lined out for the fall, and all the choices are making me 😬

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, MagistraKennedy said:

This is actually helpful --- honestly. This is for my daughter who is a rising 10th grader, not particularly math and science minded, and not likely to be headed for a STEM field. We would be using MPOA, but the TBA situation does not work with me, since we have other time commitments. 

My kid that took it at MPOA is my math whiz and best student. I would not say he struggled with the MPOA class because he really hasn't met a class that he has struggled with. But, if you asked him for the most demanding of the classes he has taken (MPOA,WTMA, Clover Creek Physics, DO Calculus, 30 hours of de), I am sure this would be in the top couple for sure. He's not here, or I would ask him 🙂 Though, in my opinion, chemistry is one of the toughest standard high school classes so I don't think that is a bad thing that he would say it was tough. I would think it is supposed to be. ?

It was just two years ago so we aren't that far removed. It definitely was time consuming and the teacher, while very good, was a very tough grader. There were tons of assignments so it never caught up with him but he did mention losing alot of points on very minor errors sometimes. I know he felt like it was good and he learned it well but it did take more time than most classes he has had. 

He isn't going into STEM but he has mentioned hoping he can take chem for his science gen ed in college because he feels he really understands it after that class. (but he is also a kid that would choose a science he can use math to figure out instead of having to memorize alot of terms).

That was more a commentary on MPOA which I realize wasn't what you are asking for. However, if you don't think your dd is headed toward STEM, a class like WTMA that includes some papers and reading might be more enjoyable and/or more useful to her than a tough chem class?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, teachermom2834 said:

My kid that took it at MPOA is my math whiz and best student. I would not say he struggled with the MPOA class because he really hasn't met a class that he has struggled with. But, if you asked him for the most demanding of the classes he has taken (MPOA,WTMA, Clover Creek Physics, DO Calculus, 30 hours of de), I am sure this would be in the top couple for sure. He's not here, or I would ask him 🙂 Though, in my opinion, chemistry is one of the toughest standard high school classes so I don't think that is a bad thing that he would say it was tough. I would think it is supposed to be. ?

It was just two years ago so we aren't that far removed. It definitely was time consuming and the teacher, while very good, was a very tough grader. There were tons of assignments so it never caught up with him but he did mention losing alot of points on very minor errors sometimes. I know he felt like it was good and he learned it well but it did take more time than most classes he has had. 

He isn't going into STEM but he has mentioned hoping he can take chem for his science gen ed in college because he feels he really understands it after that class. (but he is also a kid that would choose a science he can use math to figure out instead of having to memorize alot of terms).

That was more a commentary on MPOA which I realize wasn't what you are asking for. However, if you don't think your dd is headed toward STEM, a class like WTMA that includes some papers and reading might be more enjoyable and/or more useful to her than a tough chem class?

I think you're right --- about chemistry being the toughest class. When I was in high school, I did ICP (Intro to Chem and Physics), followed by Biology, then AP Biology II (which darn near killed us all), and finally Chemistry as a senior. 

I heard the same thing from another friend whose child took Chem in the MPOA. The teacher was excellent, but a tough grader and you couldn't figure out what exactly would earn an A. 

You make a good point --- but the research paper thing stresses me out a bit. She has not tackled those before. I may be worrying more than necessary. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, MagistraKennedy said:

I think you're right --- about chemistry being the toughest class. When I was in high school, I did ICP (Intro to Chem and Physics), followed by Biology, then AP Biology II (which darn near killed us all), and finally Chemistry as a senior. 

I heard the same thing from another friend whose child took Chem in the MPOA. The teacher was excellent, but a tough grader and you couldn't figure out what exactly would earn an A. 

You make a good point --- but the research paper thing stresses me out a bit. She has not tackled those before. I may be worrying more than necessary. 

You definitely need more updated info but I think the papers they wrote at WTMA were done in stages with feedback and guidance along the way. I don't think they were just assigned a big paper with no help.  I absolutely am not sure about that but that might be worth finding out. 

Yeah tough grader at MPOA for sure. I would tell ds to just let me know if he got a grade under a 90 on anything, otherwise I was hands off of his online classes. He would come to me : "I got a 70 on that chem homework because I dropped a sign but don't worry because I have two homeworks, a quiz, and a lab this week" or whatever. It was always like 20 points off for small errors. He got an A, though, easily, even with losing huge numbers of points on small errors. But I could see it being a frustrating situation for some students.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, MagistraKennedy said:

Thank you! I've actually heard the same thing about the text --- that it's not that user friendly. I didn't realize there were writing assignments --- I need to take a closer look at the syllabus. 

I appreciate your input. We're trying to get this all lined out for the fall, and all the choices are making me 😬

I looked at the sample syllabus and compared it to dd’s syllabus from a few years ago. Looks like they took the research paper off and now there is just one response paper each semester. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The current teacher is excellent. The textbook provides a solid conceptual background, and the teacher supplements with numerous videos, readings, and lectures. So, the material covered goes well beyond the textbook. It is also beyond just conceptual chemistry; there is a fair amount of math involved. There are two research papers (1st semester - development of the atomic theory; 2nd semester - technological development in chemistry). The instructor also provides many optional additional practice opportunities; these are not graded, but she is available to answer questions and help out. Overall, it is an excellent class for a non-STEM student. The ony drawback, in my opinion, is the lab being a separate class.

Edited by retepxela
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Check out Schole Academy. We are an MPOA family but chose Schole Chemistry because they have a live lab that is completed during class. They use the Novare text and the calendar matches up with the MPOA calendar very well. There is a new teacher next year, but the course has been great.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...