Mr. Weinkauff's General Chemistry

Homework assignments are very important to the study of chemistry.  For my classes, they were almost always due at the next class period after being assigned.

 

Homework is practice.  Very few of us can do something once and then master the skill or topic being studied.  It is virtually worthless to look at a problem and move to look at the answer given in the back of a book (or other answer key), and then assume that one understands the problem and its solution.

 

Furthermore, one needs to keep on top of assignments and make sure that they are completed along with the classwork.  There was a point in my studies where assignments were given for the whole semester along with a schedule of what would be covered when.  The catch was that the assignments were not collected or graded, but the exams were based very much on the kinds of problems in the assignments.  Needless to say, the only way to succeed in those classes was to do the assignments as the material was covered.  [I will admit to also being on the other side of the fence and NOT keeping up with assignments, expecting that luck or a miracle or ... would help me when exam time came.  I do not need to tell you that I did not do well in those classes. 

 

I also know that for some students the material comes easily and more problems in an assignment are just like "busy work."  On the other hand, other students need to try things beyond the basic assignment in order to master the material.  Unfortunately, this latter does not often occur.  As time goes on, understanding the basics leads to an understanding of the broader issues that might confront the student.

 

I always tried to spend as much time as possible (perhaps not enough in some instances) working with students on assignments both inside and outside the classroom setting.  In a number of instances, the extra time helped a student move from being totally lost to being able to succeed well in my classes - but it was a choice to devote the time that the student had to make.

 

Lastly, there are different ways to approach problems.  Sherlock Homes (*) refers to these as "synthetic reasoning" and "analytical reasoning".  "Synthetic reasoning" is looking at events and being able to predict the result.  On the other hand, "analytical reasoning" is looking at the result and determine the events (steps) that lead to that result.

 

In problem solving, synthetic reasoning would be taking information and an equation, and being able to calculate an answer.  Whereas, analytical reasoning would equate to looking at the information given and being able to determine how to get to the answer.  That is, what equation(s) is(are) necessary to get to the result.