So I emailed my chem teacher explaing that I have a difficult courseload and a full time job, and I wanted to get a head start on my studies. I asked him what book we are using and if he recommends any supplemental material.
He started off great giving me the text and other books and saying how it is his job to help me understand chem. Then boom he totally changed and he said "your not alone alot of students put chem off to the end for fear of it (which is an incorrect assumption)." Then he said "you do indeed have a heavy load, I hope your not setting yourself up for a fall!!!!!!" that is a direct quote exclamation points and all.
So my questions are
1. should i respond to that e-mail? I mean obviously he was inappropriate and discouraging, but worse he thinks i'm a slacker and I think that could be a problem for me.
2. Am I setting my self up for a fall? I mean he doesn't even know that I am also taking A&P also and he made that comment. Alot of people have said the 2 are too much to take at once.
The funny thing is everyone says he is a great teacher. Why would he say that? I was really positive, but now I am totally doubting myself.
My chem lab partner is taking chem with a&p II this summer. With summer being so condensed it's a bit more intense, so probably as much studing and classtime as 3 courses. She says it's alot of work, but she also got a 100% on our last chem test. Just make yourself a firm schedule with your study times in it and expect to spend your weekends studying.
I work a full time job and go to school full time too. I've learned that it's best not to tell the teachers that. Almost everyone I told say that same line about hoping I'm not setting myself up for failure. I think it is best to just let it slide. Chemistry is pretty difficult to understand sometimes though. At the beginning of next semester I'm planning on taking off a day or two from work to go through as much as I can in the texts before classes start. I think that this should help a lot and ease some of the pain of the classes and work together. Good luck!
Chemistry is really not a hard class, nor does it require that much work. I spent much more time studying for AP than Chem. I wouldn't worry too much about it- just get a study schedule set that works for you and stick to it.
Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Urgent Care.
The reality is that your teacher is right on this most of the time because for the majority of the students it would be like setting themselves up to fail...but what he fails to see, what he can't see, through no fault of his own is that you are not like the majority of the student body...you are exceptional :bow:and you can do this, you will do this, you must! So i say again...accept the challenge:pumpiron: and let the haters be your motivators!!!
msdeannah, I am right where you are....taking Chem 1 and Chem Lab(which is a Math Lab) A&P1 w/Lab and I am also taking Intro to Respiratory Care....plus I tacked on Beginning Spanish. I am 46 yrs old & have not ben in school in 30yrs.....plus I work wed,thurs,fri and Sat.
You can do this, it will take some time to set up a system that works for you......but you can do it. Starting early seems to be a big key.....I printed out all the external anatomical parts and directional terms for A&P and transferred to flashcards already....then went to a site and practced dragging everything where it needs to go. Now, I am concentrating on Chem....my Prof said to know Exponets really well and basic Algebra......he wrote my Chem book and Lab book.....sigh! Anyway, I visited the sites posted on our threads and have now set up myself a study routine for Chem.....I found study flashcards for Basic Chem on our site....chemmybear, I think....AtmoicWoman, I think, posted some sites that are really worth visiting. Get Cliffsolver for Chem.....visit Cliff's for A&P......I have faith in you....you will succeed.
I don't feel the Prof is being out of line, but realistic....A&P & Chem together are really tough tegether.......lots to learn, most people don't make both of them.....My Respiratory Care Instructor says 1/3 of the class will drop out of these 2 classes before they are finished when taken together....,I think they see so many fail, they have to put ALL the cards on the table for you. Keep your chin up and go visit those sites and show him, You know some of your stuff going in.....Continue to e-mail those Prof early, most are willing to give great advice.
YES, preparation is key! i had a reasonably easy time, academically (sp)
in reflection...i was better prepared than most...hs chem and bio, college general bio and chem before a+p.......these were not required.....was just taking classes before decided on nursing....served me well
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
Keep your chin up. You definitely took his comments too personally, which I think shows a degree of anxiety on your part. Its a heavy course load. Its not un-doable, but facing the difficulty of what you have set yourself up for is crucial and I think you showed that you realize this when you asked for coursework ahead of time. He sounded concerned and rightly so. But what happens from here forward is up to you. He isn't gunning for you by any means. Just work hard and don't let the idea that you "might not make it" enter your mind. You will do what you set out to do.
I highly doubt he thinks you are a slacker. Slackers don't try to get textbook information ahead of time. I don't think he was trying to be discouraging. As others have said, he was probably just wanting to be realistic. On an encouraging note, last fall I took General Chemistry, A&P I, Abnormal Psychology, Problem Solving Math, and Spanish I. I also worked part-time and I am a single parent to a 3 year old. I ended up with an A in every class except Spanish in which I got a B. I can't tell you that it was easy. I worked my butt off. And believe me, learning does not come easy to me. I have to work very hard to accomplish what some people can do with half the effort. You can do this! And just think, if you can get through it, you will be that much more prepared for what nursing school will be like. )
I am very nervous, because I know how difficult this will be but more than anything how important it is for me to do well. Anyway I actually emailed him a thanks for his reply and to ask him about audio recorders and he responded again, and I think I am starting to understand his personality because he made a weird joke about me trying to put his class on u-tube.
But thanks for the encouragement. :redpinkhe I can do this. I will continue to prepare this summer, so far I am slowly making my way around multi step unit conversions (almost there needs a little work) and I pretty much understand the other concepts of the chapters I have read.
In AP I have a good grasp on the first couple of chapters. So I know I can do it. I will just have to wear wigs to cover up all the hair I pull out.
Chemistry is really not a hard class, nor does it require that much work. I spent much more time studying for AP than Chem. I wouldn't worry too much about it- just get a study schedule set that works for you and stick to it.
Speek for yourself! I thought Chem was one of the top two most difficult classes I took of my prereq's. If you are good at math and handle the abstract well Chem would be OK. For me it held so little intrest it was torture just getting through each lecture. Give me a nice kitty cat or pig fetus to pick apart and identify bits- that was interesting, but electron shells?!?!- sounds like a new special at Taco Bell to me.
Its interesting that chem isn't even required for my program. It's a recommended pre-req for gen biology. I didn't take it, though, and am doing just fine in gen biology.
because for the majority of the students it would be like setting themselves up to fail...but what he fails to see, what he can't see, through no fault of his own is that you are not like the majority of the student body...you are exceptional :bow:and you can do this, you will do this, you must! So i say again...accept the challenge:pumpiron: and let the haters be your motivators!!! 
)
dallet6
241 Posts
My chem lab partner is taking chem with a&p II this summer. With summer being so condensed it's a bit more intense, so probably as much studing and classtime as 3 courses. She says it's alot of work, but she also got a 100% on our last chem test. Just make yourself a firm schedule with your study times in it and expect to spend your weekends studying.