AP Calculus BC students learned from college professors during class in a webinar presentation.

Friday, February 4, 2022 – AP Calculus BC students in Wanda Burns’ class participated in a live presentation sponsored by Texas Instruments with host Dr. Steve Kokoska and Dr. Tom Dick on Monday morning in Burns’ classroom at Mountain Brook High School.

Burns participates in a ‘Monday Night Calculus’ webinar that meets monthly to work on problems and discuss methods for teaching and interpreting calculus. During the January 10 meeting last month, she won the prize of having Kokoska and Dick teach one of her classes.

Steve Kokoska is a former Chief Reader of the AP Calculus test and Tom Dick is a former test committee development member.  Both are involved in improving content and technology efficiency for present teachers, are highly respected by those involved in the AP Calculus program, and are very close to present operations.

“Having my students learn from them gives validity to what we do in the classroom on a daily basis,” Burns said. “It is a fresh voice for my students and opens their eyes a little bit more to college-level teaching.”

Burns had the ability to choose what Kokoska and Dick taught during the 45-minute presentation. In preparation for an upcoming test, they spoke to students about polar applications and commonly missed assumptions or conclusions about polar functions.

Time is crucial in a college classroom and Burns noted that college professors move at a much faster pace. Students logged into their Chromebooks and joined the video call with Kokoska and Dick and immediately started solving problems, answering questions, and interacting with the professors via the live chat feature.

“I’m thankful for the Monday Night Calculus professional development and the opportunity it provides to enhance my teaching and also directly helps my students,” Burns said. 

Students can receive up to two semesters of college credit from successful performances on the AP Calculus BC exam. Burns’ students have a great track record on the AP Calculus test and this experience will only help them when test time comes in May.