Integrating a New Multivariable Calculus Class
Starting next year, students will have another math course option through San Jose City College
By Joelle Gendzel
Starting next year, students will have another math course option through San Jose City College
By Joelle Gendzel
As it stands currently, students who take Advanced Placement Calculus BC in their junior year are given two options for mathematics in their senior year — A.P. Statistics or nothing at all.
Next year, juniors who have passed A.P. Calculus BC’s course and the corresponding test will now have the option to take a college course, Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations. The class is scheduled to be taught by a professor from San Jose City College on Pioneer’s campus during the school day and any students who attend would receive high school elective credit, as along with college mathematics credit so long as they pass the course with a C or better.
Assistant Principal of Instruction Brendan Simon sees this as an opportunity for advanced math students to further their skills and earn college credit at the same time. Unlike college level classes offered through Collegeboard’s A.P. program, this new course would require no A.P. exam to receive college credit.
“You can earn college credit, but there is no A.P. test,” said Simon. “The class is challenging because it is a high level math class, but it’s a great opportunity for those kids who want to try and push themselves. If you really love math, and you really want to excel in it, there is no ceiling to what you can do.”
Recent years have shown a trend of upperclassmen taking less classes paired with zero periods in order to start and end the school day much earlier. While the class draws from this group of students, as well as students who would traditionally enroll in AP Statistics, Simon does not believe adding the class will have a significant impact on scheduling. Simon’s ideal situation would have the class be offered during zero period to better serve seniors who want to get our early, but the final decision lies with SJCC.
“I don’t really see this adversely impacting other classes as much. There is still a demand to take AP (Statistics) and (AP Calculus) BC,” said Simon. “Seniors especially always want to leave early, if we can get something like that that makes sense for their schedule, I would try and make that work. We have to respect the wishes of San Jose City. We are really going by their rules when they are here.”
For juniors who take calculus, taking a year of statistics between two required calculus levels can be counterproductive. That’s why students like Damen Dao, 11, believe that bringing the class onto campus will allow juniors to become more deeply involved in mathematics and give them a leg up in college.
“Juniors who are taking calculus that don’t want to take A.P. Statistics their senior year have another option that actually interests them,” said Dao. “It makes more sense for two consecutive years of calculus rather than a gap year in between.”
Mathematics teacher and department chair Zohreh Moaven thinks this new addition is necessary because of the high number of juniors currently taking her class who might be interested in continuing their calculus studies into their senior year. In years past, students hoping to take the course would have to commute between campuses, however, with the class now being offered at Pioneer, more students will get the chance to take the college class.
“In A.P. Calculus BC, I have a lot of juniors. It is not a senior class anymore, it’s a junior class, so it makes sense to offer it on campus. It was not convenient to drive back and forth between two campuses,” said Moaven. “Some of my students are really interested in knowing higher level math before going to college, and don’t want to wait to take these courses.”
Next year, juniors who have passed A.P. Calculus BC’s course and the corresponding test will now have the option to take a college course, Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations. The class is scheduled to be taught by a professor from San Jose City College on Pioneer’s campus during the school day and any students who attend would receive high school elective credit, as along with college mathematics credit so long as they pass the course with a C or better.
Assistant Principal of Instruction Brendan Simon sees this as an opportunity for advanced math students to further their skills and earn college credit at the same time. Unlike college level classes offered through Collegeboard’s A.P. program, this new course would require no A.P. exam to receive college credit.
“You can earn college credit, but there is no A.P. test,” said Simon. “The class is challenging because it is a high level math class, but it’s a great opportunity for those kids who want to try and push themselves. If you really love math, and you really want to excel in it, there is no ceiling to what you can do.”
Recent years have shown a trend of upperclassmen taking less classes paired with zero periods in order to start and end the school day much earlier. While the class draws from this group of students, as well as students who would traditionally enroll in AP Statistics, Simon does not believe adding the class will have a significant impact on scheduling. Simon’s ideal situation would have the class be offered during zero period to better serve seniors who want to get our early, but the final decision lies with SJCC.
“I don’t really see this adversely impacting other classes as much. There is still a demand to take AP (Statistics) and (AP Calculus) BC,” said Simon. “Seniors especially always want to leave early, if we can get something like that that makes sense for their schedule, I would try and make that work. We have to respect the wishes of San Jose City. We are really going by their rules when they are here.”
For juniors who take calculus, taking a year of statistics between two required calculus levels can be counterproductive. That’s why students like Damen Dao, 11, believe that bringing the class onto campus will allow juniors to become more deeply involved in mathematics and give them a leg up in college.
“Juniors who are taking calculus that don’t want to take A.P. Statistics their senior year have another option that actually interests them,” said Dao. “It makes more sense for two consecutive years of calculus rather than a gap year in between.”
Mathematics teacher and department chair Zohreh Moaven thinks this new addition is necessary because of the high number of juniors currently taking her class who might be interested in continuing their calculus studies into their senior year. In years past, students hoping to take the course would have to commute between campuses, however, with the class now being offered at Pioneer, more students will get the chance to take the college class.
“In A.P. Calculus BC, I have a lot of juniors. It is not a senior class anymore, it’s a junior class, so it makes sense to offer it on campus. It was not convenient to drive back and forth between two campuses,” said Moaven. “Some of my students are really interested in knowing higher level math before going to college, and don’t want to wait to take these courses.”