AP Calculus Reviews for Class Taught by Susan Gilleran

One of the Best Classes I have Ever Taken! posted by Amanda Bilko on May 21 2008 at 17:34:32

My Fellow Students,

Either you’ve just made – or about to make – a momentous decision: to take PA Homsechoolers AP Calculus AB (henceforth to be known simply as Calc) or not. So, I assume now you want to know what you’re up against (otherwise, you wouldn’t be here, would you? )

Now for the first (and most pressing) question: Is it a ton of work?! Now, while the workload won’t turn you into one of the living-dead, it’s definitely enough to keep you on your toes. I always had enough work to keep me busy, but it was rarely overwhelming (just on some random days right before exams and one or two days when the load was REALLY HEAVY). But after a heavy load of homework, Mrs. Gilleran always made sure to give us a much lighter load the next day; so everything always worked out in the end. In general, I probably put in around 8-10 hours a week. My only recommendation is that you can’t fall behind in class. While probably not the most fast-paced course around, it’s still fast enough where if you fall behind it’s VERY hard to catch back up. So, the most important thing to say about the workload is that it is reasonable. You know that by definition any AP course is going to be more work, but it isn’t absurdly so.

I really don’t think that any course could prepare you better for the AP Calculus exam. Everything is designed with that one goal in mind; by the end of class you’ve done so many FRQs that the FRQs on the exam actually seem easy! (That was my experience, at any rate). We also spent a decent amount of time doing problems without a calculator, and also doing problems specifically designed to help you learn how to use your Ti-89. By the time the exam comes rolling along, you’ll have become a wiz at calculator shortcuts and at completing all necessary functions by hand quickly – both invaluable skills for the AP exam. In truth, everything that Mrs. Gilleran had us do was essential in order to learn how to take the AP Calculus exam well: we learned what to say and what not to say on the FRQs, how to use calculators efficiently, how to survive when we weren’t aloud to use a calculator.

Of course, one of the reasons this course is so great is because Mrs. Gilleran is always brimming with passion and positive energy, so you can’t help but enjoy yourself and get energized too! Her comments are usually sprinkled with a funny joke, and there is always a wonderful comic to read at the end (yep, I really loved those comics!) and she always managed to make the math fun. So, I would recommend this course to almost anyone: even if you hate math I think that by the end you’ll have at least developed an appreciation for the subject. In fact, I don’t think that anyone could ever regret taking this class. It is, without a doubt, one of the best classes I’ve ever taken.

Raves for Mrs. Gilleran posted by Natalie on May 21 2008 at 12:57:33

Mrs. Gilleran is a teacher who gives personal attention and encouragement to her students. She carefully answers any questions and responds to posts. Mrs. Gilleran prepared me well for the AP exam. Her comics and calculus jokes livened up her daily posts. I highly recommend Mrs. Gilleran's class. Now that the AP is over, I think I just might miss Calculus a little bit! :)

Awesome Way to Learn Calculus posted by Jessie Koehn on May 20 2008 at 12:18:04

I came into this class a little worried because it was my first AP class and an AP test sounded really scary. However, when I sat down and actually took it in May, I found that Mrs. Gilleran had prepared me excellently. I'm not sure yet what my grade is but I think I did well.

Mrs. Gilleran is an exceptional teacher. She explains concepts so that they are easy to understand and is always open to questions, promptly responding to emails. While challenging students to do their best, she is also very encouraging. Mrs. Gilleran made Calculus interesting and fun. She was actually my favorite teacher this year. :)

However, like any worthwhile class, this class requires hard work and dedication. It is not impossible, just challenging. If you are willing to work hard, I would definitely reccommend this class.

AP Calc With Mrs. Gilleran... posted by Nathan Albright on May 19 2008 at 16:47:57

Mrs. Gilleran’s AP Calc course will be difficult but rewarding. During the year, I noticed that our class started working on and getting comfortable with AP practice tests long before friends of mine who had taken AP Calc in public schools. Unlike some other online courses I’ve taken, Mrs. Gilleran made sure to give daily updates and in-depth discussions of the subjects being studied. It is also apparent that Mrs. Gilleran does not simply save the exact comments from the year before and reuse them. Instead, she will give personal insight into the material and post any answers to questions she might have received. She works very hard to make sure her students have everything they need to succeed. Her passion for the subject is apparent from the first week of class.

Before signing up for the class though you should be aware that the course requires a lot of time and work. Math doesn’t always come naturally to me, especially with some of the more abstract concepts covered in this course, so sometimes I had a difficult time comprehending and keeping up with the work. However, Mrs. Gilleran was extremely patient and understanding when it came to deadlines as well as helpful when it came to catching up.

I would not recommend this course to someone who is simply looking for a score high enough to exempt them from taking more math courses in college. I would recommend this course to someone who wants to do their personal best on the AP Test. Basically, this course is not for someone who is looking to get done with their last required math course, but it is for someone who is looking to form a strong foundation for further mathematical studies.

AP Calc with Mrs. Gilleran posted by Carla Atwi on May 19 2008 at 15:51:54

Dear Prospective Students,

Mrs. Gilleran's class is an excellent online AP Calculus prep course! I especially enjoyed the fact that Mrs. Gilleran took the time to write up often several pages of comments every morning, explaining concepts and problems in DETAIL and ending with a famous quote and a math comic. Take this course at the risk of being infected with a love of higher mathematics. :-) I highly recommend this course!

Carla Atwi

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