Mathematics Department Profile Al Reiff, Jr. Twelve years at Taft Harvard University, BA; Wesleyan University, MALS Currently teaches Algebra II, Senior Calculus, Advanced Placement AB Calculus, and Advanced Placement Statistics Calculus is generally considered appropriate for only the top-flight high school students. For decades, the only calculus offered at Taft was Advanced Placement—college level material geared only for the best math students. Starting with the Class of 1991, Taft now offers Senior Calculus. This course is open to the average math student who has the appropriate math background, largely seniors. I find this to be the most worthwhile course I teach. We cut throught the mystique of calculus. We take ideas and concepts radically different from what has been previously studied and make them accessible to the average student. Calculus relies on the skills acquired in earlier courses, so it serves as a culmination of the last three years of math skills while taking those skills and moving in a dramatically new direction. Most students in Senior Calculus do not view themselves as “good” math students, but when they realize that they have tackled the toughest topics in a high school curriculum, their feeling of accomplishment is the best part of teaching.
Karla Palmer Three years at Taft Harvard University, AB; Wesleyan University, MALS Currently teaches Algebra II, Geometry, Precalculus, and Advanced Placement AB Calculus More than anything, I love an opportunity to mess around with numbers, whether it’s having a student try to factor a large number (like her phone number), generate a list of Pythagorean triples, or just learn tricks for doing calculations in her head (can you square 215 without pulling out a calculator?). We don’t have a course in number theory, but I’d jump at the chance to teach it; most of the math learned there isn’t generally regarded as useful, but I think the more a student “plays” with numbers the less intimidating math becomes. My guess is that the student who is good with the arithmetic and can see patterns will probably also have an easier time with problem solving on a higher level.
Course Offerings
Honors Algebra II
Advanced Placement BC Calculus
Algebra I
Advanced Algebra and
Functions and Graphs
Honors Algebra I
Elementary Functions
Precalculus
Geometry
Senior Calculus
Honors Precalculus
Honors Geometry
Advanced Placement Statistics
Statistics
Algebra II
Advanced Placement AB Calculus
Independent Project in Mathematics
Taft Bulletin
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