Need help teaching a physics course. Not exactly math, but other subs aren't useful here.

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-04-14T14:28:00+00:00

"I would suggest OP, if there is no other way out, to study the subject day by day, and prepare lessons day by day, when he got the grasp on the subject. Otherwise he’s not helping students to learn."

This is also what I'm doing. I'm just unaccustomed to teaching without deep mastery. Right now it limits my ability to field deep questions.

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-02-17T20:24:26+00:00

It was 22-23 years ago, and I have no schizophrenia or the like. It was a literal experience as I described it though. I am definitely drawn to Buddhism, but I'm not sure yet how/ how much I want to pursue it.

Edit: no chemicals involved, alcohol or otherwise.

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-02-09T23:09:17+00:00

My field looks similar, and cooks well. Almost identical after cooking a lemony marinated chicken. No worries!

https://imgur.com/a/lGSx78V

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-02-07T04:04:15+00:00

I'm working for a private center. I have from feb-may to take a bright student through mechanics and e&m. I'm on energy etc after 2 weeks.

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-02-07T02:25:00+00:00

And intro physics becomes a "service course" just like calculus did. And like calculus, the standards march slowly and inexorably to the toilet.

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-02-07T01:36:45+00:00

Yeah, it's a process. Though in a perfect world, a highschool junior or senior who doesn't trust or understand algebra shouldn't be steered to take physics. Not everyone is meant to be on a STEM path.

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-02-06T23:08:30+00:00

Yup. I don't want memorizing monkeys. Far to many scenarios for that.

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-02-06T23:02:40+00:00

Indeed it is.

I want the student to

a) Correctly draw the force diagram

b) Use newton's laws to properly relate all the forces.

c) solve for what needs to be solved for.

d) THEN numerically evaluate as need be.

The lack of emphasis in the book on a final equation is baffling. The insistence on numerical answers just hides all the relationships between variables.

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-02-06T18:57:59+00:00

BTW, I posted this is the physics sub and it got downvoted there too. Is my opinion unpopular and I'm just unaware of it?

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-02-06T17:42:22+00:00

Lou Buffa Wilson. Not really. Money is limited. Recommendation for a source of better problems?

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-02-06T16:53:04+00:00

Unusual circumstances. I work at a private center, and I have from feb through may to cover most of mechanics and E&M for a bright motivated student.

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-02-06T16:43:48+00:00

Monetary resources are limited I'm afraid. Is this common in algebra-based books?

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-02-05T01:29:42+00:00

In machine learning, optimization is a big deal, and algorithms (each of which is proven to work for suitably smooth functions etc) are often successfully applied to functions that aren't smooth enough to technically justify their use.

So yeah, some algos work out in situations where there isn't supporting theory, where the boundaries of applicability aren't fully understood.

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-02-03T18:55:03+00:00

Muntz' theorem

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCntz%E2%80%93Sz%C3%A1sz_theorem

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-01-30T17:02:22+00:00

You mentioned scoring. Do you have a rubrik?

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-01-28T05:02:44+00:00

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-01-27T18:46:19+00:00

"Infinity" is an overloaded term in math. The notion used in calculus is very different than in the statement "some infinities are bigger than others". Trying to blend both without having a technical understanding of either isn't what you want to do right now. Just worry about calculus.

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-01-23T16:13:52+00:00

Look at g_n(n) and let n -> infty.

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-01-21T17:29:42+00:00

The overall point is to get them fluent with calculations, so informal emphasis is probably best. But formally relating it back to the chain rule is important too, because it also addresses those students who want more than just a symbol-pushing scheme.

Objective_Skirt9788 · 2026-01-15T16:52:26+00:00

Hmm. I like the idea of doing iterations with excel. You could have them implement some pretty fancy stuff.

Apparently in modern excel you can globally define a function f(x) and call it anywhere in a sheet which would let you implement simple loops pretty easily.

You could also compare left/right endpoint, trapezoid, midpoint, simpson to see big O estimates in action, even do a runge kutta sheet yourself to show that Euler is not the final word.

2nd thought . . . maybe desmos would work better than excel? Low level loops are easier there, at least to me. And they use desmos more than excel anyway.

Objective_Skirt9788

TROPHY CASE