A&P I is not going well

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I'm currently taking A&P I, and it is not going well. My professor doesn't teach us. She told us the first day that she wasn't going to. For the first test, we had to do everything on our own, and I got a 67 (the class average). We have another test on Monday...for this one, she went over the notes for the most part, but still, most of what we've done is on our own. I'm really worried about not being able to get a C (the required grade for progression). What can I do? Lab isn't much better because it's so much material! For Thursday (our first practical), we have to know the skull, the axial skeleton, and about 20 tissues...college is great EXCEPT for A&P. And what sucks more is that this professor apparently used to be really good. It's just that this semester she's trying a "new method."

I'm sorry you're having a problem with your professor. I agree with the others that say you should contact the dean or someone about it because you're paying for her to teach you. As for the class average being an F, that isn't good at all. In my general bio class, the class average for the first test was a C and the second test was a D. It sucks but, on both test I was one of the very few who made an A so it CAN be done. My instructor isn't very good...he talks "at" us and just basically reads right from the powerpoint slides. You have to be self motivated in his class and you have to use ALL your resources whether its the textbook, powerpoint slides from the textbook publisher, or just googling to get extra help on whatever subject you're studying. Most schools also have academic centers or tutors as well. What you need to keep in mind is that alot of times pre-reqs, specifically A&P but others as well, are meant to "weed out" those who don't have good study skills and/or are not self motivated enough to study and do well, despite the circumstances of the class. Nursing school is HARD - alot harder than your pre-reqs - and if you can't cut it in the pre-reqs, then it ends up looking like you probably wont cut it in nursing school. My advice to you is to just read the textbook, take the "end of chapter tests", google when you need to, ask questions here when you need to or don't understand something. And most of all.....STUDY STUDY STUDY! Good luck!

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I think I read a blurb by you saying that you have never gotten an A on anything, I find taht hard to believe, everyone has gotten an A at one point in their lives, try to rtemember how u got that A taht maybe u forgot about... capitalize on how u study for that A and what motivated u. Also, have u been diagnosed with any kind of learning disabilities in the past? If so, there are other learning avenues for you, you just need to check into it. Also, u seem a bit depressed, cheer up and know that you NEED to be confident in yourself regardless on your past grades, just think "from now on, is all that matters" if you want it bad enough you can do it. I sincerely wish u good luck with your studies.

No offense, but a lot of nursing classes, and pre-reqs will be nothing but reading based. There simply is not enough time to allow for a teacher to lecture every single point from the book. Some are better than others, but at the pace that A&P goes, and all of the material that HAS to be covered in a 3 month timespan, there's no way professors can fit it all in, and so the rest of it falls on us.

My prof doesn't lecture. We've been in school 6 weeks and she's lectured 3 times.

I have received an A on assignments before, but never an A in a class. I got an A- once in an extremely easy class, but that's it. And by extremely easy, I mean, the teacher didn't really give homework, and told us answers on tests. No, I don't have any learning disabilities.

As I said before, I talked to my adviser who is the dean of nursing, and she basically told me to suck it up and figure out a way for it to work for me.

A&P is the only prereq that I have to get through really...I mean, there's also English, psychology and sociology, but those are easy and I'm doing well in all of them.

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I guess you've already had your midterms. If so, I hope your grades have improved. If not, just keep trying if it's what you want. I know people who took A&P twice before they made an A.

Good luck.

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Specializes in N/A.

We also have a professor who does not lecture well. Don't get me wrong...he's one smart cookie, knows his stuff inside and out!! BUT he's not a teacher...big difference. He told us after most of us got D's on the first exam, "these exams are meant not to go by memorization of the textbook, but to tap into your critical thinking." And yes, that's the way he writes his pop quizes and tests...or pulls them from a test bank. So, I'm going to beat him at his own game and I've changed my study strategy and am pouring more time into A&P. No matter how you learn...and my prof doesn't lecture well either, you have to figure out what works for you or you're going to go down. It's only going to get harder from here on out... and I'm up to the challenge.

You can do this...but you have to set your attitude to "I can and will" from "I can't."

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ok, this is gonna be a little tough love, but, really what is it about AP that you "don't get", the anatomy or the physiology part of it? Anatomy is pure memorization and no one can do it for you but yourself. The physiology part you can look up online or shoot your professor an email, I TRULLY doubt she won't answer your question, if she does refuse to answer then you have a "paper trail" proving she is not teaching you. In college, you must take responsibility for your own learning. All this seems a bit wishy-washy to me... If you cannot understand your AP book (btw, is it in English?) you (like I said before) need biology and/or chemistry remediation. How are you doing on your Microbiology class? Someone here mentioned that most of the Nurs. programs are read based, not lecture based... What are you planning on doing then? You mentioned that you REALLY, REALLY want to be a nurse... I gotta say, I REALLY, REALLY wanted to be a rockstar... but I can't sing, neither am I willing to put any effort towards that... So, what I am saying is that you really need to rethink how much work you are willing to put towards this career?! I'm doing it, I have 2 kids, a husband, a house and you don't see me complaining because I have to read a slightly complicated book (and btw, all this is in a foreign language to me)... IT CAN BE DONE!

Another point I want to make is that when we are slightly interested in a subject, it becomes easier to study it... How interested are you in the subject of medicine? Your advisor is right, SUCK IT UP AND DO IT! Nurses are acertive people, who have to think fast on their feet or poeple may die. Can you be that? I think YPU CAN, you just need to roll up your sleeves... Good luck, keep us posted...

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bellefemme - We don't have a midterm in my A&P class.

Phlavyah - There isn't anything in particular that I don't understand. I've stated that many times before. I am extremely interested in medicine, hence picking nursing as my major. I'm the type of person who has always watched Discovery Health Channel for fun!

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What do you mean there isn't anythign in particular you dont understand? you got a 67 on your first test, (your own words), and the 1st chapter in AP1 is the easiest!!! We had to know all the systems, and the skeleton, and the tissues too, we even had to sit there and draw one by one, find them in different dead animals.. etc.. Plus you are up set because "you have to do everything yourself" (again, your own words). welcome to real college!! You said you cannot understand things when you read, just when you "do stuff"... That sounds like either, not enough background (your foundation) on the subject, or not enough effort. You have to read befor eyou come to class, highlight the points you dont understand and ask questions! You have not answered me your back ground in biology and chemistry. How did you do in high school on those areas?? How are you doing on your nutritiona nd microbiology classes? Also, medicine is very glamurous and very interesting, and so is the discovery channel. EVERYONE watches it for fun. But the work behind it is not realistically portraited on "Grays Anatomy, ER, CSI, Nurse Jackie, or Discovery channel"... Good luck, I really wish you good luck, I think you have your heart in the right place... bring your mind with it.

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I meant what I said. There isn't anything in particular I don't understand. Yes, I got a 67 on the first test, but my prof didn't teach us anything, and, she put stuff on the test that wasn't in the notes. I did well in HS bio and chem.

And yes, it's true that I don't get stuff from reading...but this is true in all subjects. In English for example, a subject that I've always been quite strong in, I struggle more than most with finding themes and motifs for example. And if you tell me to read the lyrics to a song and then regurgitate them, I won't be able to.

Also "real college?" That's BS. I'm taking 6 classes, and A&P is the only one in which I'm not being taught anything!

And no, not everyone watches DHC for fun. I've been made fun of for doing so! Plus, I don't just watch the dramas...I watch the real stuff that talks about diseases and social problems just as much.

I don't have micro or nutrition this year. I don't think those are til my second/third year in the curriculum.

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I meant what I said. There isn't anything in particular I don't understand. Yes, I got a 67 on the first test, but my prof didn't teach us anything, and, she put stuff on the test that wasn't in the notes. I did well in HS bio and chem.

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If you got a 67 then there is stuff you don't understand. Because if you understood it you wouldn't have gotten a 67.

What was the test on? What areas did you loose the most points?

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There is not anything in particular that I don't understand! I'm not sure why it's so hard for you to get that!

I don't even know what I got wrong. I mean, I did when we did the group test, but we don't get our tests back. And it wasn't lack of understanding, it was lack of knowledge. There's a difference between those two.

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There is not anything in particular that I don't understand! I'm not sure why it's so hard for you to get that!

I don't even know what I got wrong. I mean, I did when we did the group test, but we don't get our tests back. And it wasn't lack of understanding, it was lack of knowledge. There's a difference between those two.

If you understood the stuff, you'd know it and have been able to past the test. For me, it's about understanding the stuff that is what leads to knowledge, and most of us are the same I'm assuming.

Your very defensive and have been since your first post. Many of us have been nice giving you suggestions that you either didn't respond to or just made excuses for.

If you can't handle A&P I you might really want to re-think nursing school. It's a lot of reading and understanding on your own.

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If you understood the stuff, you'd know it and have been able to past the test. For me, it's about understanding the stuff that is what leads to knowledge, and most of us are the same I'm assuming.

Your very defensive and have been since your first post. Many of us have been nice giving you suggestions that you either didn't respond to or just made excuses for.

If you can't handle A&P I you might really want to re-think nursing school. It's a lot of reading and understanding on your own.

Not true. If you told me that there are 4 cookies on a plate, I would know it. If you didn't, but asked me how many there were, I would get the question wrong. That has nothing to do with understanding. It's just a fact.

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