9th Grade Physics with Mr Seth Karpinski is a course many people enjoy and speak fondly of. Students frequently describe it as a fun, intriguing, and “do it at your own pace” course. So, what makes this course so great? Let’s deep dive into Physics 9 with Mr Karpinski.

Throughout high school, Mr Karpinski referred to himself as an Art and Sports guy. He hated math and science. Throughout most of his education, the teacher would just “stand at the board and talk” – a method of teaching that did not stick with him as a student. Instead, Karps preferred to learn actively, doing it at his own pace and doing activities as opposed to listening to lectures. 

However, in his junior year of college, Karps took a calculus class and fell in love with Math and Physics. What had once been the bane of his education had become a passion. From then on, Karps only took Math and Physics courses. 

At just 23 years old, Karps joined the Hackley team, planning to only teach for 2 years in a post baccalaureate program while applying to med school. However, he soon realized he “found purpose” in teaching, and wanted to stay. Last minute (one click of a button away), Karps decided to stay at Hack. This was the start of Mr Karpinski’s physics journey.

Karps loves 9th Grade Physics. In fact, that is now the one and only class he teaches. He is in love with physics in general, and believes that freshmen are the most open to learning and can balance out fun with productivity the best out of any grade. This makes 9th Grade Physics the best fit for Mr Karps, and this is evident in the success he has achieved in teaching this class.

Karps has a very unique style of teaching, as many would put it. Picture this: you walk into class, and see the board. The board contains a list of things you have to do in that class (that might contain edpuzzles, worksheets, partnered challenges, etc). Anything you do not get to, you do for homework. You are in the driver’s seat of your own physics journey. This is exactly how 15 year old Seth Karpinski would have liked to learn. “My learning style has influenced this curriculum,” Mr Karpinski said. 

Now, being in control of your learning and working at your own pace is something that is very important to Mr Karpinski. Since everybody is in the same class (no accelerated) and everyone is taking the same stuff, styling it in lectures and tests at the exact same time is to assume a class of identical learners. That isn’t true, so it is only fair that people can work and learn in a way that fits them best. Stronger students can go ahead, others can schedule more 1 on 1 time. The course is masterfully crafted in a way that curates to each and every student and brings out their full physics potential.

Mr Karps is really changing up how physics class is taught, and the next generation of students is experiencing it.