Introduction to  Calculus Parents' Corner

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The Introduction to Calculus course is designed to prepare students to take college calculus by introducing them to one of the main topics of beginning calculus - derivatives.  Students work with derivatives graphically, numerically, analytically, and verbally.  Emphasis is placed on derivation of formulas and solution of real-world problems using advanced technology.  Calculus techniques are applied to problems in economics, social science, physics, chemistry, plane and solid geometry, trigonometry, and other areas of mathematics.

Goals

My goals for the year include the following.  Each student will:

• Learn beginning calculus skills so that students will confidently enter a first semester college calculus course.
• Be able to use the concepts of calculus to solve a broad spectrum of real-world problems, assisted by computers and graphing calculators.
• Grow in his/her appreciation for the God whose wisdom, power, and love created and sustains the mathematical structures of the universe.
• Grow in his/her appreciation for the discipline of mathematics: its historical development, its relationship to other disciplines, and its structural beauty.

Calculator

All Calculus students are required to have a Texas Instruments calculator model TI-Nspire CAS.

Equipment

Click on Equipment to see a detailed listing of equipment needed for the course.

Class Policy

Click on IC Class Policy to get a detailed listing of class policies dealing with grading, late assignments, missed tests, required tools, etc.

Assignments and Tests

Click on IC Homework to find a chart for listing the homework problems that are due for each day of the current unit and the date of the next test.  The chart will also indicate any upcoming laboratory assignments or special problem set.

Parental Help

Parents can help their student in calculus in several ways.  When your student is absent from school, remind him/her to borrow class notes from a classmate and copy them into the notebook.  If your student complains at home that he/she is "lost" in class, encourage the student to ask a classmate for help or to come to me.  I am usually available during DC time.  No appointment is necessary at this time; students may just stop in to my classroom H104.  Students may also ask for an appointment to see me during a study hall or after school.  If you wish to sit down and work with the student at home, that too can be helpful.  However, you should take a few minutes to look at the notes from class so that you can explain the problems using the same terminology and procedures shown in class.  Parents can confuse a student when they try to explain the mathematics in ways that are very different from what is being done in class.

Finally, parents can help by making sure that students are not neglecting the homework.   At the start of each chapter, the student will receive an Assignment Chart that lists every assignment for the chapter being studied and the date on which it is due.   The date on which the test will be administered is also listed.  Click on IC Homework to see the current Assignment Chart.