success in chem requires grit!

To succeed in school:
1. Focus: Concentrate on tasks, avoid distractions.
2. Determination: Have purpose, unwavering commitment.
3. Organization: Manage assignments, notes, schedules, deadlines.
4. Responsibility: Be accountable, own your academic progress.
5. Discipline: Cultivate study habits, time management.
6. Curiosity: Embrace thirst for knowledge.
7. Proactive: Seek resources, ask questions, participate.
8. Resilience: Bounce back, learn from failures, adapt.
9. Perseverance: Maintain work ethic, don't give up.
10. Resourcefulness: Use available tools, find solutions.
11. Self-motivation: Excel, pursue growth independently.
12. Attention: Be present, listen, engage in class.
13. Critical thinking: Analyze, question for comprehension.
14. Collaboration: Work well with peers, seek diverse perspectives.
15. Balance: Prioritize academics, activities, and well-being.

meet the teacher

Hi! I'm Michael Woodward and I love interacting with awesome high school students and teaching chemistry. I work at Esperanza High School in the Placentia-Yorba Linda school district. I am honored to say that my family lives within our school district, my amazing wife also teaches here, and my two daughters proudly go to its schools. This is an amazing school district and I am excited to bleed cardinal and gold. Go Aztecs!

I am a nerd at heart; I do teach chemistry after all!  Here are some things that I enjoy doing: playing chess/card games/board games, building things for the house, contemplating the universe, photography, watching the San Francisco 49ers win, playing fantasy football, filling out March Madness brackets, playing with my two quirky daughters, and watching great movies while eating buttery popcorn. I love my career and enjoy each and every school day.

I designed this website to be a source for my students to locate information regarding our class. i hope others may find it a useful source of information to help them succeed in their chemistry classes. tutoring is also available to local students, but not to my current students. a session consists of a rigorous 90 minute in person lesson given by an ap chemistry teacher with a decade of experience. covid era teaching killed my desire ro do online meetings so i do not offer online tutoring sessions.

united states Marines are renowned for their resilience and ability to embrace tough circumstances, a concept known as "embracing the suck." This mindset embodies their unwavering dedication to their mission, regardless of the challenging conditions they encounter. From enduring harsh weather conditions to facing intense combat situations, Marines willingly accept the difficulties inherent in their line of work. Through rigorous training, they develop mental and physical toughness, allowing them to push through adversity and come out stronger on the other side. By embracing the suck, Marines demonstrate an unyielding determination, unwavering loyalty to their comrades, and an unparalleled commitment to accomplishing their objectives, no matter the hardship.

if your mission is to get a certain grade in chemistry, you will need to embrace the adversity you will encounter at some time in your chemistry class. marines don’t run from tough situations, they run toward them. successful chemistry students don’t run from tough concepts or lengthy & complex problems, they tackle them. a simple shift in your mindset will do wonders for you and you will amaze yourself at what you can and will accomplish. this is what i mean when i reference “Embrace advesity”

this is me lifting ammo boxes at camp pendleton during their educators workshop. it is a week long eye-opening adventure that allows educators to see how marines are made. we are put through many of the same drills that boot camp recruits are put through. we experience for ourselves what their first days on the yellow footprints are like as well as attend their graduation from boot camp. it is a wonderful program and if you ever get the opportunity to participate, i highly suggest that you do!

embrace adversity

embrace adversity