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ACP Calculus at THS
Indiana University's M211 |
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Introduction
One of the goals of this course is for students to achieve a level of understanding and competency that will allow them to score well on the ACP Exam and receive college credit for their work this year. Achieving this goal requires dedication and a willingness to work hard both in and out of class.
ACP Calculus is a rigorous and demanding course. Students will find it to be more difficult than any other math course they have previously taken. The work in ACP Calculus is college-level work. Being successful in this course requires dedication and hard work. The expectations for students are also set much higher in this course. Students will need to dedicate more time and effort to math than in previous years. Students will be expected to complete all assignments. Students are also expected to work and learn independently. Along with these greater academic challenges come greater rewards. This course is excellent preparation for future college mathematics courses, and students will get a lot out of it, provided they put the proper effort into it.
"Grade-Shock"
Since this is an ACP level course, some students may experience "grade shock." This means that some students who have typically received high grades in previous math classes may find themselves getting lower grades in this class, especially at the beginning of the course and again near the end of the course. As with any class, this usually means that the student needs to be patient, seek extra help, and put extra effort into studying and doing homework assignments.
How to Succeed in ACP Calculus
#1 Suggestion: Keep up with the assignments & complete them to the best of your ability. Over the years, I have found this to be the best indicator of a student's success.
#2: Remember that the goal of an assignment is to understand the material - not just to get the problems done!!!!
#3 Treat Assignments as Practice Tests: Close to 75% of your score on assessments will be determined from your solutions to free-response questions. For these problems, the correct answer counts for as little as 25% of the total score. The rest of the points are awarded on the quality of your solution to the problem. This means that if you have correct answers for all problems - with no (or disorganized, or incomplete, or unreadable) supporting work - you will fail miserably. If you have a few incorrect answers, but well-organized, complete solutions that use proper mathematical vocabulary and symbolism - you will generally do well. You should use your assignments as an opportunity to practice presenting well-organized mathematical solutions to problems.
#4 As a Special Note: The majority of the errors that students make on assessments are not Calculus mistakes, they are algebra, geometry, and trigonometry mistakes.
#5 Take Good Notes and Keep Them Organized: Good notes are essential for success in any math class. They are essential for review for tests as well as for reference on homework assignments.
#6 Become as Self-Sufficient as Possible: There are several students and just one teacher. Time is too valuable for you to just wait for help. Use your class notes, my website, and Google for sample problems that might shed some light on your difficulty. Learn tenacity - don't just "fold" at the first sign of difficulty!
#7 Apply 5 Simple Rules:
Contacting Me
Students, if you have any questions, please feel free to seek help early. I am available M, T, W, TH, and F from 7:45am to 8:00am and during 2nd Advisory.
This invitation also extends to parents and/or guardians, who are encouraged to contract me whenever they have questions or concerns.
Finally, I would like to assure you that I will do my best to create a positive learning environment throughout the school year. Together we can all have a successful year.
Thank you!
Mrs. Cole
One of the goals of this course is for students to achieve a level of understanding and competency that will allow them to score well on the ACP Exam and receive college credit for their work this year. Achieving this goal requires dedication and a willingness to work hard both in and out of class.
ACP Calculus is a rigorous and demanding course. Students will find it to be more difficult than any other math course they have previously taken. The work in ACP Calculus is college-level work. Being successful in this course requires dedication and hard work. The expectations for students are also set much higher in this course. Students will need to dedicate more time and effort to math than in previous years. Students will be expected to complete all assignments. Students are also expected to work and learn independently. Along with these greater academic challenges come greater rewards. This course is excellent preparation for future college mathematics courses, and students will get a lot out of it, provided they put the proper effort into it.
"Grade-Shock"
Since this is an ACP level course, some students may experience "grade shock." This means that some students who have typically received high grades in previous math classes may find themselves getting lower grades in this class, especially at the beginning of the course and again near the end of the course. As with any class, this usually means that the student needs to be patient, seek extra help, and put extra effort into studying and doing homework assignments.
How to Succeed in ACP Calculus
#1 Suggestion: Keep up with the assignments & complete them to the best of your ability. Over the years, I have found this to be the best indicator of a student's success.
#2: Remember that the goal of an assignment is to understand the material - not just to get the problems done!!!!
#3 Treat Assignments as Practice Tests: Close to 75% of your score on assessments will be determined from your solutions to free-response questions. For these problems, the correct answer counts for as little as 25% of the total score. The rest of the points are awarded on the quality of your solution to the problem. This means that if you have correct answers for all problems - with no (or disorganized, or incomplete, or unreadable) supporting work - you will fail miserably. If you have a few incorrect answers, but well-organized, complete solutions that use proper mathematical vocabulary and symbolism - you will generally do well. You should use your assignments as an opportunity to practice presenting well-organized mathematical solutions to problems.
#4 As a Special Note: The majority of the errors that students make on assessments are not Calculus mistakes, they are algebra, geometry, and trigonometry mistakes.
#5 Take Good Notes and Keep Them Organized: Good notes are essential for success in any math class. They are essential for review for tests as well as for reference on homework assignments.
#6 Become as Self-Sufficient as Possible: There are several students and just one teacher. Time is too valuable for you to just wait for help. Use your class notes, my website, and Google for sample problems that might shed some light on your difficulty. Learn tenacity - don't just "fold" at the first sign of difficulty!
#7 Apply 5 Simple Rules:
- Understand, don't memorize!
- Ask why, not how.
- See every problem as a challenge.
- Learn techniques, not results.
- Make sure you understand each topic before going on to the next.
Contacting Me
Students, if you have any questions, please feel free to seek help early. I am available M, T, W, TH, and F from 7:45am to 8:00am and during 2nd Advisory.
This invitation also extends to parents and/or guardians, who are encouraged to contract me whenever they have questions or concerns.
Finally, I would like to assure you that I will do my best to create a positive learning environment throughout the school year. Together we can all have a successful year.
Thank you!
Mrs. Cole
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