AP Calculus AB

Course Description: 

This class is designed to help homeschooling families succeed in their study of calculus by providing quality instruction and objective evaluation using Larson’s Calculus, 10th edition (Brooks/Cole, Cenage Learning: 2014). The class will cover the material studied in the first semester of the calculus sequence at a four-year college as well as prepare the students for the AP Calculus AB Test. Students will learn to use a sophisticated calculator that is required when taking the AP Test. This course will focus on having students fully understand the material so they can apply calculus to many different situations, and not simply memorize formulas and steps. Students will be expected to spend roughly two hours on homework daily, utilizing the online answer key to grade their work. Class will meet two days per week for one hour and thirty minutes each session for instruction. Since this is a homeschooling tutorial, parents will have the certain responsibilities as stated below.

Understand that this is an advanced placement class and not designed for the struggling or lazy math student.  Students will be expected to complete homework assignments before the subsequent class, participate in class with a working microphone, and proactively seek help when not understanding the material.

At the end of the course, students may attempt to earn college credit by taking the AP Calculus AB test. Each college has its own policy concerning AP credit, but many colleges grant credit for a course if the student scores a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP test. All AP tests for a given subject must be administered on the same day across the country by an approved facility, and the one for Calculus is given in mid-May (for this year’s date and time, see https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/exam-dates-and-fees). Liberty Tutorials students are required to arrange to take the test at such a facility near them, much in the same way that they would arrange to take a PSAT test at a local public or private school, and pay any fees associated with the test.

This course is a College Board audited AP Calculus AB course. Thus, students will receive an official transcript from College Board if they take the AP test and may label this as an AP course on their high school transcripts. The College Board will also send their AP test scores to colleges, and it is on the basis of the score alone that a college will decide whether or not to award college credit.

Testimonial:

Mrs. Flynn’s calculus AB course effectively taught me the fundamentals of calculus and prepared me for higher math courses, work in college, and the AP exam. Specifically, her explanations of limits, derivatives, and integrals have served me well through Calculus 2, Calculus 3, and Differential Equations. One of the features of the class that most appeals to me is the online classroom environment it is taught through, which allows students to ask questions as material is being taught and enables students to be called upon to work through problems during class. This was invaluable to me, as it motivated me to better prepare for classes and gave me a chance to own my work. In addition, Mrs. Flynn’s clear teaching style made sense of difficult concepts, while the expectations she articulated early in the year allowed classes to follow a smooth rhythm that maximized the time available. I also appreciated the feedback on work and encouragement she provided, as it increased my confidence in subject material and made it easier to work through difficult concepts. Likewise, the Larson text used was a great resource to me, providing plenty of useful problems to learn through and numerous concise tables in the back. Overall, I greatly grew through the course, becoming confident in Calculus I/AB material, prepared for the AP exam, and ultimately equipped for moving on to higher math courses.

Student from Maryland, Studying Engineering at Grove City College

Prerequisites: 

Students need to have completed Pre-Calculus through Liberty Tutorials with an A or B average or receive approval from the instructor.
It is recommended that students be at least 16 years old, entering 12th grade.
Parents of younger students should contact the instructor before registering for the class.

Materials:

  • Textbook:  Calculus, 10th edition by Ron Larson (Brooks/Cole, Cenage Learning:  2013).  New and used copies are available through Amazon.  (No access code is needed.)
  • AP Test Prep Book: AP Calculus AB Prep Plus 2020 & 2021: 8 Practice Tests + Study Plans + Review + Online (Kaplan Test Prep).  New and used copies are available through Amazon.
  • TI-Nspire CX CAS Graphing Calculator available through Amazon or TI-Nspire CX II CAS Color Graphing Calculator available through Amazon.
  • Pencil & Eraser (No Pens)
  • Notebook:  Spiral Bound or Loose-Leaf*
  • Graph Paper*

*Students may want to use a Graph Ruled Spiral Notebook for all of their work so they can draw graphs beside their calculations.

Technical Needs:

  • Adobe Acrobat Reader DC:  Download available free through Adobe.
  • Headset with Microphone

Student Expectations: 

Students will be expected to attend and participate in class, taking notes on the material covered.  An excellent practice is for students to write out all problems that the teacher works through in class because they notice details that they otherwise miss when they simply watch the teacher write the solution, they stay fully engaged with the class, and they have that work to refer to when completing homework assignments.  Students will be expected to complete homework assignments at home and grade them or have their parents grade them, using the answers in the back of the book or posted on dropbox.  Students will be expected to correct any missed problems—not just change the answers, but find the mistakes in their solutions and fix their work.  Students will be encouraged to ask questions about any problems they do not understand, either by email or during class.  Students must not seek access for tests before they take them and follow all test-taking rules.  They must not discuss details about tests with other students nor share tests with siblings or students who take a course in a subsequent year.  Students are expected to present themselves appropriately and treat others respectfully.

Teacher Expectations:

The teacher will begin class on time.  She will review homework and answer questions students have regarding missed homework problems.  If there is not enough time to answer all homework questions during class, she will ask students to ask any remaining questions through email.  She will then teach the new material, incorporating class participation in solving problems, as appropriate.  She will prepare and grade student tests, notebook quizzes, and test corrections.   She will give semester grades and evaluations.  She will contact parents and students by way of email when necessary.  She will be respectful and patient with the students, encouraging an atmosphere of respect for one another.

Parent Expectations:

It is the parents’ responsibility to determine that this class meets the legal homeschooling requirements of their state or over-sight group.  They are expected to pay for the class by the given deadline and to obtain the needed materials.  It is the responsibility of parents to ensure that students are not only attending class but also are engaged in the class.  Parents will either need to grade the homework or make sure their students are not simply copying answers from the back of the book if they are allowed to check their homework themselves.  Parents must take this responsibility seriously because it is through the homework that students truly master the material.  Parents will also administer the closed book, closed notes tests, ensuring that students do not gain access to the tests before taking the tests.  Parents are responsible for submitting the tests as well, being careful that students do not have the ability to change any answers before the tests are submitted.  If students have a problem showing respect to the teacher or their classmates, the parents of those students will be notified so they can deal with the problem.  If such a problem persists, the parents must realize that the students will not be permitted to return to class.  No reimbursement of payments will be made under such circumstances.

Grades:

Tests:  100 points per test
Notebook Quizzes:  100 points per semester
Semester Exams:  200 points per exam

Class Times:

Monday and Wednesday 2:00pm — 3:30pm  ET

Class Dates:

Last full week in August — Last week in May.  Please see the Calculus Homework Calendar for the exact dates and scheduled class cancellations.

Cost:

The cost is $600 per year per student.  Families enrolled two or more classes will receive a $50 discount per class.
Make payment by check payable to Liberty Tutorials.
Half of the payment is due with registration and will not be refunded if the class is dropped.
The other half is due August 15th.

In the event that a student joins a class late at any time during the first semester, the student will be charged the fee for the entire year.

In the event that a student joins a class during the second semester, the student will be charged $450.

Class Survey Option:

Previous Liberty Tutorials AP Calculus AB students may attend classes in subsequent years for free.  Students who want to keep the course content fresh during a gap year or those who did not earn a high enough score on the AP test to receive college credit may want to take advantage of this option.  Students who choose to survey the class may attend all classes and have access to class recordings, but will not take tests or quizzes, nor will they receive semester reports.

Registration:

Registration for the upcoming school year begins February 1st for currently enrolled students and their siblings.  Registration is open to all other families on February 15th.
Maximum class size is 15 students, not including students surveying the course.
Click here to register.

Contact Information:

info@libertytutorials.com

Teacher Credentials:

Math teacher Karena Flynn has a love of mathematics that stems from her appreciation of its orderliness and logic as well as her love of God, its Creator. She received a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in mathematics and minor in education from James Madison University. She maintained a 4.0 GPA in her math classes and graduated summa cum laude. Karena regularly tutored math during high school and college. She taught at a private Christian school for one year and in subsequent years has been homeschooling her children. Since 2010 she has been teaching math through Liberty Tutorials.