Physics combines the motion equations from calculus, the problem style of pre-calculus, the problem solving techniques of chemistry and the problem topics of your social studies class into one all important class. It could be described as the most important class in high school for future engineers and scientists.
The Art of Setting Up a Physics Problem
While most of the equations used in physics class are derived later in calculus, you don't actually need any calculus to understand them. The simple equations are sometimes derived in the textbook for those students that are interested, but for most students concentrating on practice is the route to success. Since the problems tend to be several steps long, teachers have been known to assign only a few practice problems ALL WITH A SIMILAR SET UP each night for homework. This hurts the students ability to practice the most missed step on exams... the set up! Figuring out which equation to use is the most important piece of the physics problem. Once completed the solution falls out with just a little work that might remind you of your Algebra II days.
High Physics Test Scores are Right Around the Corner
One-on-one guided instruction will do wonders for a student in physics. Discussion should be focused on problem set up, since solving the rest was a project for Algebra II. Once the student has mastered the first step or two of solving a physics problem, they are well equipped to score high on tests for the remainder of the semester. Study time should center around looking at lots of different types of problems so that students are learning physics, not memorizing patterns related to specific types of possible problems. Physics teachers are notorious for making tests with problems that look nothing like the problem sets assigned for homework. It is the students job to learn, not memorize!