Currently turning up to Drake!
I had my first day of school today!
1st Hour (AP Chem): Mr K seemed really nice. I don’t know very many people in that class but it won’t be too bad
2nd Hour (Honors Precalc): This will be my roughest hour of the day. Mr. H does a backward classroom and I can tell it’s because he doesn’t like interacting with his students. Plus I hate math.
3rd Hour (AP Lit): I’m really excited for this class. Mrs. C is really nice and there are only 20 kids, so the discussions will be great!
4th Hour (Medical Interventions): We are required to have a binder with 14 tabs smh. Other than that Mrs. H doesn’t seem too bad.
5th Hour (AP Physics 1): My class is all seniors which is kind of intimidating. My teacher seems nice but it was hard to tell.
6th Hour (AP Economics): Homework is optional!! I’m in the class with my really good friend and it seems like a light way to end the day.
I just got done with my first day of junior year! Let me tell you about my experience (academic classes only):
Algebra 2
Math 1st period is definitely going to suck, but the teacher is really nice, so I feel that I won’t have to hard a time. We did some review of Algebra 1 today, and that is also the plan for tomorrow. Which is good, because I forgot a lot due to having geometry in the year between Alg1 and Alg2. But overall ok.
Homework = handing in my signed syllabus and finishing as much as I can of the Alg1 review sheet
Music Theory
We got our own iPads for this class (and for Music History the same time tomorrow), which is always great. We are going to do the more scientific/mathematical parts of Music Theory in the beginning of the year, and then do projects and fiddle with the artistic parts of Theory in the second half of the year. I’m excited!
Homework = print out blank sheet music & download Finale Notepad (a free version of the composing software Finale)
Human & Social Bio
We started our “Cyber Safety” unit. This is pretty much the unit that we start on because it is the baby step that leads us to the more serious topics such as sex and mental illness and stuff like that. This unit has so many aspects are introductory to other units, which is good.
No homework.
AP Lit
This class will be fun, but it will have a lot of homework and readings that I won’t be able to just SparkNotes it… Regardless, this class will be really chill. Literally. Note to self: always bring a sweatshirt to that classroom hahaha
Homework: read A Doll’s House (actually read it this time, not just SparkNotes-ing it)
APUSH
This class will be hard. There’s lots of homework already, and while the classroom environment is friendly, it will definitely be a difficult course. We did Chapter 1 of our textbook for our summer project, and we have 35 weeks (including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring breaks) to cover 30 more chapters, and we are having 5 weeks of review before the test. That means homework over holiday breaks, which sucks, but gives more time for review.
Also, not a class but one of my biggest ECs… we found out that our musical this year is Bye Bye Birdie, which I’m super excited for! There are lots of leads, which means my odds to get a lead again this year just skyrocketed! I also really love the musical, and I’m so excited for 50s style costumes!!! Auditions are in October, and the end of that audition week is when the cast list is announced. I will let you know what I get!
I would kill to have a backwards pre clac class.
@kassh4 @nyuhopeful44 What even is a “backwards math class”? I would assume it’s where you’re assigned online lectures to look at for homework and then are to ask any questions you have from the video that were not answered. I’m pretty sure I just described a “flipped” classroom though.
While we’re on the topic, I’m honestly really not liking my Pre-Calculus class. The teacher literally has the most monotone voice I’ve ever heard. It literally almost put me to sleep. I have math class every other day during 2nd period and it literally feels like the longest class ever! I’m pretty sure it’s not a “math class in the morning” thing, because I had math class last year during 6th period and it was still boring to me, but more of a “I wish I had a more engaging math teacher who doesn’t make me want to fall asleep” thing. I haven’t had a fun math teacher since the 8th grade. It’s not that the topics bore me, however I am bored by the topic of even and odd functions, but that the topic is presented boringly. I’m honestly going to dread having him tomorrow.
@Marg532 As long as Algebra 1 was easy for you, Algebra 2 will be a cinch. I was in it last year and it was more of a review of Algebra 1 with new topics thrown in. You should be fine! 
I also have to make that same note to self when in my AP Lang class. :)) It is literally like 50 degrees in there and starting tomorrow I’m bringing a sweater and putting it in my locker and just pull it over me once I’m in class.
Definitely let us know how you do in the school musical. Since middle school, I always dreamed of being the lead of the school play. Now I just won’t have enough time for it.
@ak2018 Yeah a flipped or backwards class is the same thing.
@kassh4 Thanks for the clarification.
@ak2018 Algebra 1 I struggled with, but it might’ve been due to my Alg1 teacher resigning/retiring in the middle of the year due to health reasons and the long term sub was fresh out of college and didn’t know how to teach the class at all. I got a 77 on my NYS Regents exam, but my grade in the class was a 93… I don’t know what to expect for this class at all ;-; I’m really worried, but I feel this teacher is really good and will be able to help me out.
Today was pretty okay. In Spanish class, we took another non-graded pre-test to see what we remember from last year. My Engineering Explorations class was fun, but now I have to finish my History of Robotics PowerPoint which is due Thursday morning. It basically felt like a free period. For the first 15 minutes, we talked about the do’s and do not’s about giving presentations. We watched a clip from Ferris Buehler’s Day Off (LOVE THIS MOVIE)! Then in my POE class, we practiced more on the topics of Mechanical Advantage and Simple Machines. This also felt like a free period as all I did was listen to classical music while writing down the notes. In AP Chem, we had a fire drill to start the class. Then, once we came back in, we started our Balancing Equations and Nomenclature Quiz, which I’m pretty sure I got at least a B+ on. I should’ve studied over the charges of the polyatomic ions. We then had a lecture on the mass spectrometer. I literally was so confused for most of this lecture. I sit in the back of the class, so it was hard to see the board and hear what he was saying. I will ask my teacher if I can switch to the front. We will be doing a “flipped classroom” class method from now on. For homework, we were told to watch a video lecture, answer the questions that came with the lecture, and go over any questions any had next class. By the end of the day, my book bag was so full, I had to leave my Spanish binder in my locker. Luckily, I don’t have Spanish homework.
TMW (That Moment When) Khan Academy literally teaches a topic in 12 minutes that took your teacher an hour and a half to explain.
OK I’m currently at the public library working on homework, which I have A LOT of! This is what I get for working last minute.
I have to work on my History of Robotics PowerPoint for Engineering Explorations/Robotics, do some Mechanic Advantage Problems for POE, and watch a video lecture for AP Chemistry. WISH ME LUCK!
YOUTUBE CHANNEL NEWS!!!
- I will try to upload the video from my GMU tour this weekend.
- **News Pertaining to Engineering Explorations 1/Robotics**
I will try and upload some content from this class as soon as possible. The way the class is structured is that we will be exploring the different fields of engineering for the first semester and Robotics for the second semester. I will likely be uploading the PowerPoint, that I’m making right now, as soon as possible as well. I’ll add in a few videos of my actual class so you can see what my classroom looks like.
- **News Pertaining to POE**
I will try and upload content on here as soon as possible. The way I see it now, I’ll most likely just be re-teaching what I learned in class. I’ll even try and make a lesson plan as well. At this point, I’ll likely do the re-teaching videos every two to three weeks. This is how I plan to format the lesson:
I will talk about the topic, give examples of the topic, define what it is, and then do some practice problems.
Disclaimer: I know that I’m not a teacher. I am simply doing this for fun. I will try my best to provide accurate learning content.
@kassh4 you can take it lol! I want the teacher to do notes in class because I feel like other students have good questions that I don’t think of
Anyone taking the PSAT? I think I posted this earlier but I can’t find it; here’s a link to the discussion I made http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-act-tests-test-preparation/1917381-psat-discussion-thread-2016.html#latest
Does anyone else watch Doctor Who by any chance? I decided it was time for a profile pic hahaha
@nyuhopeful44 With that philosophy youd fit in perfectly in my precalc class. My teacher thinks exactly like you.
I do!!! But not that much. I watch from time to time. @Soccer1235
Who’s your favorite doctor? I think mine is kinda obvious hahahaa
@Soccer1235 I’m taking the PSAT! I don’t think I going to be a contender for National Merit, but all the practice I can get for the real SAT.
I also watched the first three seasons and part of the fourth season of Doctor Who. I liked it enough, but now that its off of Netflix I haven’t been able to catch up.
I wish I didn’t have to worry about getting letters of recommendation from teachers for college apps. I’m very quiet in most of my classes, so I don’t really stand out to the teachers. I think I am going to ask my 10th Honors English teacher, and the Honors Latin III/IV teacher, who I have now and next year. I was considering my advisory teacher. I had her in 9th for Modern World History, and if I take AP Euro, I could get her senior year. Is anyone else thinking about this?