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Best Calculus Advice from the Classes of 2016+

“I used to never be able to understand math but this class is a very different story.”

General

• Don't underestimate the amount of time it will take to master an EKS. Calculus is hard, but so rewarding at the end. If you really put in the time and work, you will succeed. Try your hardest always!

• I know some or most of you will say that you math and aren't really a math person, but seriously you will become like one and actually understand Calculus. And make sure to ask Kondo questions, because she will really help and explain things.

• Don't be afraid to ask for help from your peers or Ms. Kondo! Help yourself you helping others too.

  • • Do not be afraid to ask Ms. Kondo for help; she really will explain anything to you.

    • Ask questions. Ms. Kondo is there for you and is always willing to help you with any questions you have. She wants to help you and really wants you all to succeed! Best of luck with your final math class at DVS seniors!

• Always make sure you understand your homework. I know it's tempting to copy the solutions, but don't do it. Calculus is a lot of fun if you understand it. No matter how it was in Pre-Calc for you, in Calculus it's a fresh start for all of you. So, if you had a bad grade, don't worry, Ms. Kondo doesn't judge.

• Calculus is strange and very difficult at times, but you have peers and Ms. Kondo (who loves math more than humanity, I'm pretty sure) to help you along the way. Take advantage of that.

• Don't copy hw. Actually study for every quiz and test. In this class, consistency is important. It’s really hard to pull up your grades because of how much content you'd need to catch up on.

• Don't be afraid of Ms. Kondo. She is the sweetest math teacher you'll ever encounter. Don't be afraid to ask stupid questions because odds are there are other students probably asking the same. Also you might want to keep all your finals and quizzes because those examples really do help for studying. Studying is crucial to pass this class. So study study study!

• If you're studying then use the resources in the Classroom folder. Remember that there is a big difference between learning and practicing. You need to practice each concept for at least 3 times the amount of time it took you to learn it.

• Pay attention in class and take really good flipbook notes. Also, take the time to understand the CPM homework, even though we all hate CPM. Start preparing for the midterms and finals early and do not be afraid to go to office hours for help. Ms. Kondo is basically there for office hours everyday. If you take Calculus Honors, manage your time well and balance out your work.

• My secret to success was focus. I went from a 2.8 sophomore year to a 4.2 my senior year. Paying attention and being engaged is the most powerful tool for your success and if you're truly committed, you will succeed

• Calculus is hard. Especially Advanced Calculus - it goes by quickly. To succeed, you need two main things - to truly understand why the math works and to practice hard at the content. Period. Regardless of how easily you first pick up the lesson in class, it's how you tie up those "loose ends" that counts. Leave your inhibition at the door and ask questions. Be uncompromising in doing so and you will be rewarded with a fuller appreciation of the math. Miguel Ceniceros of Co2015 said "find your Tony." Somebody who'll be patient and thorough in giving you a hand when you need it. Furthermore, Ms. Kondo is awesome! And super approachable, and she loves math so much, so DO ask her questions when you have them. Do the CPM and go to office hours to get your questions answered. Don't just copy the math help, because the Review and Preview is one half of CPM. Doing it right will not only enhance your understanding of the class work, I would go so far to say that it is crucial.

• Lastly, have fun! Calc is REALLY COOL, in and of itself as well as when it's applied. I believe in you.

Classtime

• My advice for you is to always participate and interact with the class. Participating really helps increase your understanding. If you understand the content you should help your peers because hearing yourself explain it helps you understand how it all works and that is true mastery. Do come to office hours and ask questions, take advantage of working in groups.

  • • Be proactive in class! Class is a waste if you're going to be confused the whole time. Ask questions. Help people. Take the initiative and you will do better on tests, I guarantee it.

    • It's really important to stay present in class. If you do that, ask questions when things are unclear, and get the flip book notes, you'll have all the tools you need for homework and preparing for tests. The homework load isn't hard, it's just a lot, but you quickly acclimate to a CPM every night. You can do it.

• My best advice for Calculus is just do the work, and ask questions. Calculus will be a math class that makes sense. Most people including me struggled in Pre-Calculus but when you start doing the work in this class everything will make sense.

• Keep very detailed and neat notes that include specific side notes that explain problems you face with any topic or problem. Highlight these side notes by either using pen or directly highlighting them.

  • • Annotating and highlighting your notes is really helpful for understanding the content.

• If you really need help, don't be ashamed to ask for help in class. Ms. Kondo does a really good job of being there for you and helping you. Another example, is that you should be prepared to make a lot of small mistakes, it could happen but it pays off in the end

  • • Ask Questions! I was always the student that was too embarrassed to ever ask anything, and for that reason I would fall behind. It wasn't until I asked A LOT of questions for understanding that I actually understood and succeeded in the class. Ask right then and there because it is best to get it out of the way in class before you forget about it and it becomes something being assessed on the test.

• Make sure you look at lessons you will have before the day Ms. Kondo teaches it in class. That way, you know enough about the subject you can ask questions about it and correct your mistakes.

• Do all the assigned homework and study from your flip book. Ms. Kondo does a really good job at giving you explanations on how to solve every type of problem.

• Just pay close attention in class and take notes. Ms. Kondo will put emphasis on important things so write those down for future tests! Do not be afraid to ask questions in class.

Homework

• I know cpm hw is annoying but if you do it with 100% focus instead of just half hearted effort, I promise you the material sticks.

• Give your homework and classwork the attention that it needs! Don't cut corners when it comes to these things because if you take your time, work on them throughout the year, quizzes and finals will not be so stressful. Make sure you understand every homework problem and CPM concepts.

• My BEST advice is to make sure to complete and understand the CPM homework assigned by Ms. Kondo.

• In order to be successful in class, you have to be truly understand every assignment you complete. As boring as some assignments may seem, they are deigned to help you in the long run. Yes, it may just seem like busy work, but I promise it's not. Something that got me through the year is repetition. Once you get a flow down, the problems will get easier and everything will start to make sense.

• Make sure to do and completely understand your homework. The better your homework is, the more successful you'll be. Tutoring is a great tool if you don't understand something.

• Do not copy off of other people's homework because at the end of the day it will save you time but it will affect your grade.

• Keep working hard

• Even when it seems difficult and confusing, don't give up. I promise it gets better. It may not be easier, but the more you practice, the better it gets.

• Don't get discouraged. Calculus is hard and takes a lot of patience and hard work. Keep practicing until you gain mastery on all of the EKS's and don't give up or assume that you'll be fine on tests or quizzes without studying. Take the extra time to review.

• No single person has ever understood calculus without work, help, and frustration. You can do well in this class, be willing to put in your all.

• Don't get down when you get a bad grade on an assessment there is always more chances to improve :)

• Always, always, stay motivated and push yourself to do better, and take advantage of Ms. Kondo, she's extremely helpful, caring, and really knows her stuff! Make sure you take advantage of office hours, after school reviews, and ask lots of questions. Your success in this class depends on you and your attitude. Stay positive!!

• The biggest advice that I could possibly give to you as a new calculus student is to always try really hard, and never give up. The reason why I say that is because math used to be my strongest subject, when I was younger, but it slowly went away until I came to Calculus. Ms. Kondo's way of teaching is very easy to understand and you'll see the bright side of math once again. And if it wasn't your strongest subject at first, it's okay because you'll get the hang of it eventually. 1st semester is a good semester to get used to the class and the way she teaches. It allows for you to grow as a student and learn the basics of calculus. In the 2nd semester, you really dig deep into the world of calculus and it only gets easier after it. Another word of advice for midterms, and exams, is to STUDY, STUDY, STUDY!!!!!! What worked for me was to study a week in a half before the test and by studying I mean practicing multiple problems. If you do, trust me you'll see the results and your photo on the wall. Remember, don't forget to ask questions because that is what teachers are for. To help their students as best as they can. You can do it! End senior year strong! <3 Good luck!!

• Don't ever give up on yourself. I used to never be able to understand math but this class is a very different story.

• Preparing for exams & quizzes

• Study everyday 2 weeks before a midterm/final. Office hours are good to show up to, but attendance to office hours does not yield a specific grade. Keep all your flipbooks somewhere you can find them easily. Those are the most important to keep. If you have questions, ask your friends because they are there to help you.

  • • Study for tests (even quizzes!!) starting a week before the test! Even if you think you know the content it's best to keep redoing problems. That way it becomes natural for you to do the problems and you will avoid making small mistakes.

    • Don't START studying the night before. That should be for review. Spend at least one day going over each EKS before a test.

• Find a study buddy (or study group) and get together and WORK. Studying for finals and exams are so much easier when you have other people to bounce ideas and thought processes with.

• Someone from last year said, "You get out of it what you put in". Make sure you actually do the study question assignments. I usually just copied old ones without thinking about them, and that did not help very much. Also, make sure to actually read the study guide.

• Practice as much as you can. Always ask questions. Go to office hours as much as you can and make sure to study with friends if you don't understand how to do it on your own. You can also go online for math tutorials. They are very helpful. And just have fun :)

  • • Study what you NEED. The midterms and finals have a lot of content packed into them. It's a good idea to review every concept, but don't waste your time and brain energy working through 20 problems on a concept you already know. Study smart y'all.

    • Practice, practice, practice! Even if you feel like you know the content, reviewing and doing practice problems can help you ace quizzes and exams.

    • PRACTICE! Practicing before a quiz or test may seem pointless especially if you feel like you know the content but practicing ensures that you will not do that concept incorrectly during the anxiety of an exam.

    • Do as much practice problems. It really helped me improve on how well I did on my quizzes and tests. Practice questions are a really good way of studying. I felt like actually doing the problems is more helpful than just solely going over notes.

    • When practicing for midterms it is very helpful doing the previous ones. If Ms. Kondo tells you to do a number of practice of problems for homework do more than what she asked for.

• Use the checklist for each midterm, you'll go through a lot of self loathing if you miss something that you forgot to study for.

• Study. Study. Study. There is no better way of accomplishing mastery on the content taught in class without going over the content at various times. Actually taking what you know and using it to solve a problem will put your skills to the test and will show you if you truly know the content. If you want to get better you have to make your own study guide. Create a study guide that has a diverse amount of problems that test different skills of an EKS. This will help you tremendously. Also, take the time to organize study sessions with your friends. This will help you all really understand the content.

• COME TO REVIEW SESSIONS AND ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS!!!

  • • The review sessions are a super good way to be further prepared for the midterms and so on. Make sure you are going to those! It's only one hour so make sure you ask the questions you need!

    • Make sure to annotate your work with definitions or questions you have. Also bring multiple problems to go over during review sessions.

• Frequently ask questions in class (both to your peers and Ms. Kondo; she loves answering questions!), go into office hours (as frequently as you can), take advantage of the review sessions for midterms (they help A LOT!), and start study for your midterms AS SOON AS SHE GIVES YOU THE OUTLINE. You will do great I know it! :)

• Find ways you like to study, not others, if it's weird, it's ok. Find a reason to study for and never forget that reason, no matter how deep in things you can get. Good luck.

• Complete the retakes even if you received a three.

Study Groups

• If you don't understand something, odds are one of your friends do. Put study groups together (or even just group chats) to make sure everyone knows about assignments, gets help before tests, and go to with questions. Especially before midterms and finals, it's super helpful to find a group and make study guides and flipbooks together to review. And the big projects can be confusing and require a lot of extra feedback/advice. Your friends are your best resource!

• Work with peers to go over questions and then teach each other. It's probably the easiest way to learn and retain that knowledge.

• Create study groups. You may understand what someone doesn't and vise versa.

• When deciding how to study for finals or midterms, I suggest studying by yourself first to give yourself time to figure out what you are struggling with, and later study with friends because they can answer your questions.

• Create study groups! It honestly is a blessing to have a group of individuals who you can go over problems with, and check each other if you see someone is doing something wrong.

• Office hours is awesome

• Office hours are an amazing tool to help you prepare for exams.

• You should come to office hours as much as possible especially when there's a quiz or midterm coming up. Ask as many questions as you can. You shouldn’t feel like you have to do everything by yourself, your table can help you out a lot.

• Make sure to go into office hours as much as possible and to go to the review sessions.

• I would advise you to attend office hours frequently and do lots of practice problems with group members. Even if you don't understand the topic, you will get a lot of benefit from it because you will be able to explain it to others. When doing this, you will be able to perform confidently and better on the any exam, midterm and or final.

• Take advantage of Ms. Kondo. She is a great resource and I feel like people don't use her as much as they should. Go to office hours and ask questions. Ask questions in class. She knows a lot about her subject and she wants you to know a lot about it too.

• Ms. Kondo is so approachable, so please please use her as a resource whenever you have any questions. Don't be afraid to ask questions in class.

• Good resources

• The best advice I can give you is to save all of your flipbooks, tests, and quizzes. They are the best guides to studying and they are great just to save go the future in case you encounter a similar math problem in the future. I encourage you to ask questions and get out of your comfort zone. Ms. Kondo is the kindest and most helpful person you will ever meet so don't be afraid to ask for help!

• Make sure to do error analysis CORRECTLY because they help a lot in preparing for the finals.

• Don't be basic and lose your flipbooks; they help.

• Keep all your flipbooks on you at all times.

Advanced Calculus

• Do not procrastinate on studying for midterms and finals. Take time to study even if it is just 30 minutes a day.

• Explore and find out what works best for you in terms of study habits. (i.e. form study groups, make study guides, etc.)

• For Calc honors, continue to study throughout the year. Push yourself to solve and resolve any problems you have come across, and make thorough study guides for yourself.

• Calc Honors - do your homework. Trust. Study man. Study. You can't finesse this class. Yes!!!! I love you!!!!

• My best advice for Calculus Honors is TO ATTEND THE REVIEW BEFORE EXAMS because we go over the exam checklist and go over any doubts/questions left in your head

• Even if you're tired, you should start midterm/final practice as soon as you get the outline because you'll have more opportunities to ask questions.

• This class is very high paced. When it comes time to finals, you won't have time to study everything. So, after each lesson, redo your CPM notes. This way you review what you just learned.

• Take advantage of all the study options Ms. Kondo gives you in preparation for midterms... they help a lot in Calc Honors but more importantly they'll be very useful once you get to college and take similar math courses.

• Calculus Honors is best described in one word - hard - I'm not going to sugarcoat it. The best advice I could give is to not be intimidated by calculus and Ms. Kondo. I know that the first couple of weeks can be intimidating for anyone, but things get better. Confide in calculus and Ms. Kondo, and things will definitely get better for you.

• Calc Honors can seem intimating because everyone is just so amazing, but do not be imitated to ask questions. If you have any doubt or confusion about the content, then I would always ask a question. Speak up for yourself because if you do not, then you will be left behind and even more lost.

• In order to find success in this Calc Honors, I highly recommend that you seek out outside resources. Personally, I like to use the "Calculus Workbook for Dummies" and Khan Academy. This advice can be applied to other classes because sometimes the teaching style of the class does not match your personal learning style. Many times, the outside sources may be easier to understand, and you can be more successful in the class!! Hope this helps :)

• Rather than complaining about any problems related to the classes, talk to Ms. Kondo! She is there to tell you!

• For calculus honors, I would recommend that you make sure you TRULY understand each and every bullet point on the study guide (don't lie to yourself).

• If you have a problem you don't understand, or one you don't see the point of, don't be afraid to try and follow the rabbit hole outside of class. You typically get the bigger picture once you see it pop back up in conjunction with something else.

• Once you in or not, some high quality advice would be to make many friends. You cannot learn this stuff on your own. Everyone knows something you don’t and working together will help you better understand that infinity can equal 1.

• If you are in the advanced Calculus class and didn’t fully understand a lesson make sure you do before next class, or you'll fall behind fast.