Leaving cert subject choice. No Physics.

DavidAdam

Just been given my subject choice for the leaving cert. Love science and I got an A in higher level science in junior cert. My plan is to study HL maths, applied maths, physics and chemistry. I have been told today that I can't study Physics as the class is now full. The dept of education in this country state that they aim to encourage the study of science. Then when we want to study science we are told we can't.

Any advise on what I should do?.

X6.430macman

Surely someone will move to ordinary or to another subjection first month. That's what happens in my school anyway.

spurious

Study it outside school.
Unfortunately, many schools have very limited subject choice nowadays.
When you are voting, remember which parties destroyed the education system with their cuts.

TMJM96

What subject have you been given instead of Physics? Hopefully it was another lab Science.

Your only real option now is to unfortunately study it as an external subject, which may not be feasible for obvious reasons. Once you go back in August try and see if there's room for you in a class, as a previous poster mentioned a number of people drop Physics at the first few weeks of fifth year.

I'm assuming your parents/guardians know you didn't get it. Ask them to get in contact with the school. Talk to a LC Physics teacher in your school and say you want to study the subject but didn't get it as an option. They might try and give you extra notes etc., they're not obliged to but basing off my experience of LC Science teachers they were often enthusiastic to getting people to study their subject.

Hana98

Ask again if you can do it. I was told I had to do another subject. I persisted and eventually got it.

Hana98

Ask again if you can do it. I was told I had to do another subject. I persisted and eventually got it.

spurious

Certain classes have legal limits on the numbers allowed in the class. It's not as simple and just wanting it and demanding it.

TMJM96

spurious wrote: »

Certain classes have legal limits on the numbers allowed in the class. It's not as simple and just wanting it and demanding it.

Yes sorry, in my original reply I probably should have said that the school probably wants to offer you the place but they just can't!

The OP's only chance is if a few people drop out. It's a shame in this day and age someone can't study a subject because of class sizes!

athtrasna

So much of LC physics is book learning, you could do a lot of it on your own.

Exiled1

Keep going back to the Principal and asking. Show him.her that you are really determined and often s/he will prioritise the genuine cases like yourself. There are usually some drop outs early in September.
Unfortunately physics has become one of the subjects hit hardest by cuts. Can be no more than 24 in any lab. based or practical class, 20 in Home ec.
Keep up the hope and best of luck.

reason vs religion

athtrasna wrote: »

So much of LC physics is book learning, you could do a lot of it on your own.

I think this is true of most subjects, but successfully studying a subject without the structure and assistance that you get in school is something very few people manage.

Spurious, who is a teacher, I think, will disagree with me on this, but I think it is unacceptable to refuse a subject to a student when it is being offered to others. In this case, the limit is likely imposed by lab safety restrictions. There are only twenty mandatory experiments, several of which can be done concurrently. I think the school, if fairness were a priority, could find a solution, which might include having a second teacher on break help with supervision, or, as it was done in the Institute where I did it, in two four-hour blocks after school hours.

My advice would be the same as recommended above: make frequent appeals to the principal and try to demonstrate your interest and dedication by writing an essay or doing a research project.

*I'm sure some of my suggestions can be shown to be impossible or in breach of rules. Bur even if so, I maintain that a solution could be found.

spurious

reason vs religion wrote: »

I think this is true of most subjects, but successfully studying a subject without the structure and assistance that you get in school is something very few people manage.

Spurious, who is a teacher, I think, will disagree with me on this, but I think it is unacceptable to refuse a subject to a student when it is being offered to others. In this case, the limit is likely imposed by lab safety restrictions. There are only twenty mandatory experiments, several of which can be done concurrently. I think the school, if fairness were a priority, could find a solution, which might include having a second teacher on break help with supervision, or, as it was done in the Institute where I did it, in two four-hour blocks after school hours.

My advice would be the same as recommended above: make frequent appeals to the principal and try to demonstrate your interest and dedication by writing an essay or doing a research project.

*I'm sure some of my suggestions can be shown to be impossible or in breach of rules. Bur even if so, I maintain that a solution could be found.

I don't disagree at all.
If I ran the education system, instead of four schools in small towns, I would have one or two super schools, accepting everyone who applied, offering all subjects at all levels to all children. Do away with 'better school' nonsense.

The numbers in classes is an insurance thing and as we know in anything educational in Ireland, money talks.

TMJM96

spurious wrote: »

I don't disagree at all.
If I ran the education system, instead of four schools in small towns, I would have one or two super schools, accepting everyone who applied, offering all subjects at all levels to all children. Do away with 'better school' nonsense.

The numbers in classes is an insurance thing and as we know in anything educational in Ireland, money talks.

That idea of a school is needed, don't they essentially do that in parts of Europe? I remember my father having to go to a different school to do Physics and that school having to go to his for Accounting. These were neighbouring schools, what's the point?

spurious

TMJM96 wrote: »

That idea of a school is needed, don't they essentially do that in parts of Europe? I remember my father having to go to a different school to do Physics and that school having to go to his for Accounting. These were neighbouring schools, what's the point?

Yes, it could be run on a campus basis, rather than one massive building. Oh, but thinking outside the box - there be dragons...

Mr Rhode Island Red

From my experience, people will drop like flies from Physics when they find out it's not what they expected. The class I'm in started off with 20 this year and now there's 12 left. You might get a spot in the class this way.

VG31

I agree with the above post. Four people dropped out of my physics class in the first two months of fifth year (was small to begin with). I'd be very suprised if at least one person doesn't drop out of your class.

DavidAdam

My dad has talked to the school. They have told him that 24 is the max number that are allowed into the class because of insurance restrictions. What are the main blocks to me studying this subject myself?

TMJM96

DavidAdam wrote: »

My dad has talked to the school. They have told him that 24 is the max number that are allowed into the class because of insurance restrictions. What are the main blocks to me studying this subject myself?

Th cost involved, would you be able to afford weekly grinds in it?
The workload involved in sitting an eight subject, can be difficult for students.
Keeping yourself motivated would be a major factor, especially if you get to a block or section you find difficult. With that, not having a continuous and structured learning environment can be difficult. You won't be able to fully test yourself nor will you be able to have a structured syllabus like a teacher would have.

Saying that, it's doable, especially since you got an A at JC Science. Teachers generally start with Optics, Light and Waves. After that you do the common level Mechanics, Heat and Energy and then Electricity. I'm pretty sure that's what we got covered during fifth year. In sixth year we finished magnetism, did the HL only mechanics and Modern Physics. We finished the course the week before the mocks. After that was pure revision.

kevohmsford

OP what would you like to study in 3rd level, any ideas ? For physics you have to complete and write up the lab experiments.

reason vs religion

kevohmsford wrote: »

OP what would you like to study in 3rd level, any ideas ? For physics you have to complete and write up the lab experiments.

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