Deriving Derivatives with AP Calculus AB (OM4AB) Teacher Assistant Maddy Manning-Bi

In this article, the Board of SASS interviews AP Calculus AB teacher assistant Maddy Manning-Bi. We hope that this article will help current and future AP Calculus AB students in their academic journey!

What did you enjoy about AP Calculus AB (OM4AB)?

I really enjoyed the structure of the class, the concepts we learned, and my first semester teacher, Ms. Fielder, who had to go on maternity leave second semester. Personally, the concepts were always very intriguing and interesting, from learning the function of limits to basic integral and derivative work. Moreover, the class was always well organized in terms of work assigned, test dates, individual classes, and what was expected of students.

What challenged you the most in AP Calculus AB (OM4AB)? How did you overcome those challenges?

I felt the most challenged by preparing for the AP exam this year. I’m always nervous when it comes to AP tests so usually, I use a Princeton Review book and begin reviewing during the first semester. I continued to work on hundreds of practice problems and went through the entirety of the book during the second semester. However, with COVID-19 and the changes to the exam, it felt incredibly difficult to prepare and even to stay concentrated on the exam, what with everything happening both personally and academically. In the end, I did my best and was content that I persevered and still took the test!

What tips do you have that could be useful to students taking AP Calculus AB (OM4AB)?

For students taking AP Calculus AB, I would say that if you are confused about a topic or have questions, always feel free to reach out for help! There’s no need to feel embarrassed if something doesn’t quite make sense. Your teachers are there to assist you, and the same for visiting peer tutors and Teaching Assistants. Also, I would suggest working on as many practice problems as you can: whether you’re studying for a test or simply trying to improve your skill set for a specific section of the course, practice problems will only make you a stronger mathematician.

About how much time did you spend a week working on assignments and preparing for discussion sessions in AP Calculus AB (OM4AB)?

I would say that I spent an average of ten hours a week working on assignments (which included work on Wiley Plus and written samples of problems), studying quizzes/tests, and preparing for actual calculus class (including watching and taking notes on required lectures and reading our textbook in advance). Additionally, I tried to watch all of the optional lectures for the class every week, stay after class to ask questions if necessary, and attend review sessions for exams.

What did the typical week in AP Calculus AB (OM4AB) look like?

I had calculus classes on Monday and Wednesday, so over the weekend I would go through next week’s lectures, take notes, and look over my homework. Personally, it was more beneficial to go through and finish my homework either before each class or right after every class finished. By the time I would go to class on Monday, I would already have completed that class set of homework or be halfway through it. This allowed me to stay on top of the discussion during the discussion section. If I had a quiz/test coming up, I would review the homework sets and my notes the week before. After Wednesday’s class, I would occasionally stay for additional time if I was struggling with a particular problem or just had questions pertaining to the material.

What was your favorite topic covered in AP Calculus AB (OM4AB)?

My favorite topics that were covered would have to include basic derivative work and integration. I thought it was really fascinating how you could continue to alter a number in contrasting ways through these two processes. I had a fun time learning and distinguishing between different rules such as the chain rule, integration by parts/u-substitution, power rule, exponential rule, and constant multiples. To be honest, doing homework on these topics at the end of a long day became quite soothing :) !

Do you have any resources (i.e. study tips, useful websites) to share with students who want to take the course?

As always, I would definitely recommend watching Khan Academy videos for additional information and for clarification on confusing topics and terminology. I definitely used this website more than once when I was having trouble grasping a concept. Besides this, please watch the class lectures! I know they are time consuming but they honestly assisted me so much in both understanding problems and preparing me for discussing in class. Like I said before, continue working on practice problems. While that in itself takes additional time that you may not have, if you can just try a few extra problems every once in a while, you’ll be able to retain these skills and techniques for later math class (if you are planning on taking more).

If you took the AP exam, how well did AP Calculus AB (OM4AB) prepare you for the AP exam? How would you recommend studying for the AP exam outside of class?

Unfortunately, I did not feel well prepared for the AP exam. However, I do not blame my instructor or the course! I believe I would have felt much more confident had the test format been normal for this school year. With the change in exam, it became virtually impossible to know what to expect, let alone to study adequately, in my opinion. AP Calculus AB itself was a wonderful course where I learned a surplus of information and techniques that will help me in future classes. Sadly, the AP exam this year was not testing this type of skill set, but rather the ability to read through 1-2 confusing word problems that were not a measure as to how knowledgeable a student was. With the hope that the tests will be back to normal this school year, I would definitely recommend using some type of practice test guide (Princeton Review, Barrons, past AP test, etc.) to assist you with your studying. Once again, I cannot stress enough the importance of working through practice problems and seeking help if needed from your instructors or your peers!

Maddy Manning-Bi is a teaching assistant for AP Calculus AB and can be found on the Writing and Tutoring Center. Her office hours are Friday 7 - 9am Pacific.

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