<p>I started my Pre-Calculus class some two weeks ago. I did not get the teacher I was expecting, a brilliant, Indian physics teacher who almost always teaches Pre-Calculus. No, I got stuck with a tiny little Asian woman with the thickest accent you can imagine. When she says "the median of a triangle," she actually says "The midget of a triangle." Her tests are brutal, long, and unforgiving. For the first test, out of the 35 students, only 1 passed with a 72%. To top it off, she does not assign any homework nor does she give quizzes. Your grade is based solely upon a test every Friday. As you know, yesterday was Friday. I think I failed this test as well despite three hours of study the night before. She just had too many problems to complete in that one hour and fifteen minute time frame. I don't know what to do. I am the valedictorian of my class, so I can't even think about dropping the class and going to what you would call Algebra 3 (we call it Advanced Functions and Modeling) because the class is so simple. It wouldn't challenge me at all. </p>
<p>In my other math courses, I have done well. I received a 95% in 8th grade Algebra 1, a 96% in Honors Geometry 9th grade, and a 93% in Honors Algebra 2 10th grade. I don't understand what has happened. Is Pre-Calculus really this difficult? Are some of the stories I have read on CC about Calculus being easier than Pre-Calculus true? Do you have any study tips for me?</p>
<p>It would be nice to play the "blame the teacher" card, but I would like to think it is something I can help. Although the bleak truth of it all may be that some parents need to call her. I really hate to do that, though. Most of the science and math department has looked over the first test and said that it was too long and too collegiate. Well, the second test was "shorter" being 18 questions, but most of the questions had questions within them, such as 3) solve question a // solve question b // solve question c // solve question d --- number 4) repeat the same process.</p>
<p>As you can tell, the situation got no better.</p>
<p>I don't feel I can talk to her, because her English is not that good either. :-(</p>
<p>Being a Math teacher and having 3 high school children myself, I can't help but feel for you. You have a few options. Two you have already mentioned...1) drop out and go back a level 2) stay in and suffer through this class. However, have you thought of other options? In our area students can go concurrent once they are juniors. My kids did that. You could just drop out and self study to prepare for Calculus and then go straight into college calculus. Most colleges would look at your transcript and see that something must have happened to cause you to change streams in the middle of your junior year. Or, you could stay in the class and suffer through and hope the grading gets better, but if not, plan to retake the credit through an online program. I would suggest speaking with your school counselor and this teacher's administrator. Teacher's like this usually want to be good teachers, they simply don't understand the process here.</p>
<p>Self Study is a good idea. A good book is the best instructor there is. Consult the "good" indian teacher for some good books and try to learn it yourself.</p>
<p>Actually, I just had a big discussion about it with my mother. She says that I need to get her the physical copies of the tests and a list of grievances regarding her teaching style and tests from all of the top students in my class. She will then go to the principal to get everything straightened out. My mom says if nothing else, just drop the class and go to Advanced Functions and Modeling. I said that if I do that, I will still go to AP Calculus AB because I can just study the information I miss on my on over the summer. I really want to stay in Pre-Calculus because I want a challenge, but I don't want to fail.</p>
<p>Right now, I am in the process of contacting all of my fellow top students to get some stuff together. Things have to change. I am sure the principals at my school will do something if I, the valedictorian, am failing Pre-Calculus. This is her first year teaching the class, so something is going to have to get corrected. She hasn't been teaching for long, so it is going to be easier to mold her.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Her tests are brutal, long, and unforgiving. For the first test, out of the 35 students, only 1 passed with a 72%. To top it off, she does not assign any homework nor does she give quizzes. Your grade is based solely upon a test every Friday.
[/quote]
Preparation for college? Which I'm guessing doesn't even have weekly exams.</p>
<p>Weekly exams are a requirement of my math department. Every class in the math department has to have a test every Friday. Bureaucracy for the win.</p>
<p>I'm kinda in the same boat, got a crappy teacher that was not supposed to teach precalc this semester. I'm holding down a 70 (69's a F). </p>
<p>Best thing I can suggest is try harder next semester? I'll pull of a D this semester (horrible), but next semester is algebra for us and no trig, so I plan to shoot for a A or B like normal and come out with a C hopefully. </p>
<p>I'm also a senior (yes in precalc...), so if I don't pass, I don't graduate. Theres a couple others in there and we are all worried about it, most of the class has a an F, one guy has a 46. </p>
<p>So, try hard the rest of this semester and try harder next semester? good luck.</p>
<p>Also, check with your school, after two weeks, if you had dropped it at our school and placed into AFM, you would receive a WF on your transcript (Withdrawal-Fail), so make sure your not hurting yourself by dropping it. For studying, if your given a book, use it and do the sample problems, also, use the internet to find problems and solutions, it may help.</p>
<p>Hey Sligh, I can tell you that my pre-cal class (as you know) is nowhere near that. 99 baby.
I had the same conversation with myself about my online APAH class... I was wondering if I was smart enough to be successful... and I was really worried... for me it was freshman naivety. It turns out the class is just crazy (Superindendent's pick for Governer's school who has a perfect GPA in her 5 AP classes says it is by far harder than any other course she has.), and I was unprepared with how to study.
I thought I would fail at first, but it turned out fine. (I would assume I won't get killed by college adcoms for a high B/low A in an AP class freshman year.)
I would ask if I could transfered out of her class to the other person's class and I would talk to her first, even as a formality.
For most counties in NC there is a grievance policy for public schools. </p>
<p>I don't remember the exactly words, but I believe if you end up with a bad grade, you can either take legal action or something and enter a statement on to your transcript about the class. </p>
<p>Of course, to be fair, I had a 100 in my 8 week Geometry class, and the class average was a 57. The class wasn't hard. Do you enjoy math? </p>
<p>I would also make sure she is actually following the SCS, and if she taught in an Asian country, over there almost no one gets an A in any class.</p>
<p>I would prefer your PreCal teacher over mine.</p>
<p>We get ridiculous amounts of homework and every bit of teaching is rushed.</p>
<p>She doesn't give homework, which means it is up to you to do some problems each night on your own until you understand the concept (instead of ridiculous amounts of them) and study a bit. I believe that is more college like, and is my ideal class. </p>
<p>If you keep up with each day's lesson, and then review a bit Thursday night, you should be able to do well enough to pass.</p>
<p>By the way, Pre-Cal also broke my 4.0 and math has always before been my absolute strongest class without ever cracking open the book to 'study.'</p>
<p>I think it's just naturally a challenging class. But I've been seen the Calculus classes and they are much smaller, with everyone sitting towards the center of the room right in front of the teacher and overhead and it looks like there's much more time for teaching each individual. Looks much easier IMO.</p>
<p>Yes, it was the night <em>before.</em> I believe I forgot to point out that I do study other nights of the week, it is just that I placed special attention to the night before the test.</p>
<p>Well, I know my 4.0 is going right down the toilet! ;-)
I guess I will just try harder, or attempt to find a different perspective from which to try.</p>
<p>No, my valedictorian rank is not at stake. My GPA is so freaking high in comparison to the lower ranks that it is not even funny. My three college classes this year have seriously put my Weighted GPA at an amazing level. The 2-9 ranked kids are taking crap like "Advanced Weight Lifting" and "Advanced PE" for filling up in between honors classes. I will take my free college hour credits and upped GPA, thank you!</p>
<hr>
<p>No, killing wasn't in the agenda! I was thinking more along the lines of different ways to study! ;-) You seem to have that insane mind that I have as well. ;-)</p>
<p>Don't they only weight UNCGI classes as honors? </p>
<p>Advanced PE? 0_o</p>
<p>__</p>
<p>LOL Like that movie where one lady kills her friend's husband and expects her friend to do the same, only with respective art and pre-cal teachers?</p>