Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - March/April 2011 - (Page 25)

I started learning math outside of school a er third grade when I realized that, with the help of computers, I could go beyond the rudimentary math classes offered in school and move ahead as fast as I wanted. Using CD-ROM so ware, I learned algebra well enough to test out of it, and then geometry and trigonometry. At rst, I worked with my father and grandfather, but then I was doing the exercises on my own. e “harder” the math was, the more interesting it became. For mathematical variety, I began attending UCLA’s Sunday Math Circle, where middle and high school students train for math competitions and are exposed to topics such as set theory, modular arithmetic, and advanced geometry. In sixth grade, when I was ready to tackle calculus, my parents decided that I needed to get proper credit and guidance, so they found an online course. I took Calculus AB through Stanford University’s Education Program for Gi ed Youth (EPGY), working on it at home, and then, with my teacher’s approval, during a geometry class. (I discovered that schools o en like you to sit in the prescribed class, no matter how far ahead you are!) en, a er taking Game eory at a CTY summer program, I decided to try CTY’s online course for Calculus BC. Jumping In When I began my online education, I had no school precalculus credit. My parents were worried that I wouldn’t be able to meet the prerequisite to take calculus, but we contacted the program and found that the administrators took into consideration classes and experiences outside of school and were exible with their guidelines. When I started CTY’s Calculus BC course, my middle school math supervisor gave me free time to learn on my own. Each day, I would go to the school library’s computer lab, log on to the website, and complete the interactive lesson, followed by problems to reinforce it. At the end of each unit, there was a take-home test. Whenever I needed help, I consulted my CTY teacher. Although the teachers are available by phone, I preferred e-mail. The system also has a “whiteboard” where my teacher and I could write on the screen simultaneously, like a chat room. (My supervisor at school could help, too, but, unlike the CTY instructor, he didn’t work with calculus on a daily basis.) At report card time, my math grade came from my grade summary from CTY. e course allowed me to work at my own pace, and I nished it in about a semester. This flexibility, too, is great; there have been times—such as vacations—when I’ve postponed the course for a week or two. I nished Calculus BC in January and jumped right into CTY’s Linear Algebra, a class I wouldn’t have otherwise taken until college. e dynamic of this course is di erent because it’s not entirely web-based. Instead, most of what I’ve learned came from the textbook. On a typical day, I read a passage in the textbook and then work through the problems that go with it. I scan my work and send it in. I get the instructor’s feedback in a day or two, and I’m always glad to see his commendations for the problems I did correctly and his constructive suggestions for the ones I got wrong. I had a vague idea of what linear algebra was before taking the course, but now I know how to use multiple variables in mathematical applications, which is essential in computer programming and other applied math. I am on the last chapter and when I nish, I’ll go right to Multivariable Calculus. The school article about my AP Calculus score was a nice surprise, but the math is the real reward. I’ve learned that if you really want to excel in something, you have to be self-motivated. Others can encourage you, but you have to love the subject to learn outside the box. The other key is opportunity. In this digital age, students are no longer limited by their age or by the courses their schools offer. CTY’s structured online courses have given me an opportunity that didn’t exist a few short years ago, allowing me to move ahead, to fill the gap between grade-school math and college. Aaron Anderson is a freshman at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, CA. When he’s not doing math, Aaron enjoys ‘60s rock and sings, plays guitar, bass, piano, and harmonica. CTYOnline offers students in grades PreK–12 challenging academic coursework throughout the year in mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, writing, computer science, foreign languages, and more. Find out more at www.cty. jhu.edu/ctyonline. See our website for additional distance education programs: www.cty. jhu.edu/imagine. www.cty.jhu.edu/imagine imagine 25 http://www.cty.jhu.edu/ctyonline http://www.cty http://www.cty.jhu.edu/ctyonline http://www.jhu.edu/ctyonline http://www.cty.jhu.edu/imagine http://www.cty http://www.cty.jhu.edu/imagine http://www.jhu.edu/imagine http://www.cty.jhu.edu/imagine

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - March/April 2011

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - March/April 2011
Contents
Big Picture
In My Own Words
Problem Solving
Orange County Math Circle
Number Theory
Count Me In
National Mathematics Competitions
Math at the Science Fair
Just My Speed
MathPath
When Origami Meets Rocket Science
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Making a Difference
High School Options for Gifted Students
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options
One Step Ahead
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - March/April 2011