Do you need help with AP Calculus? Are you spending hours on homework but not scoring well on tests? A Calculus study group can help you prepare for tests and improve grades.
As an AP Calculus teacher, I saw many accelerated/honors students struggle in math for the first time. Some lacked important pre-requisite skills from Algebra, Geometry, and Pre-Calculus. Others weren’t used to the rigorous test questions. It wasn’t their fault; previous math courses taught students how to solve problems and students would replicate the process. In AP Calculus, students are expected to generalize concepts and apply the problem-solving techniques to new situations like graphs and tables, when most of the homework is looking at functions.
Some of my students overcame these obstacles, while others sadly continued to struggle all year. The students who stayed after school to work with me in a smaller group setting gained confidence and understanding. Ultimately, their grades improved.
I created an online Calculus study group to replicate this, to help AP Calculus students improve their understanding, confidence, and grades.
Now, instead of being in the classroom, I tutor AP Calc students. I often see that test questions are more difficult than homework questions, resulting in low test grades. I know your grade doesn’t reflect your ability.
I believe you can learn Calculus and be successful in it. I explain concepts simply and in multiple ways to ensure understanding. I am obsessed with results, improving student confidence, Calculus understanding, and grades:
To date, for my AP Calculus students who reported their results in an anonymous survey, 100% of students passed the AP exam: 61% earned a 5, 22% earned a 4, and 17% earned a 3. Additionally, 80% earned an A in class and 20% earned a B.
If you’re not getting the results you’ve hoped for in AP Calculus, you need to try something different to get better results. A couple solutions would be to:
Solve different problems, ones that are more aligned with tests. Check out the best resources to study for AP Calculus tests. These resources have the rigor of AP exam questions, which are likely more aligned with your test questions.
Get a tutor. Find the most effective AP Calculus tutor.
Join a Calculus study group.
The best way to study for math is solving new problems. The benefit of having a tutor or a study group is they can provide new, quality Calculus problems. Problems from previous AP exams, or if you're able to find an AP Calc teacher as a tutor, they can provide their past tests. If you can’t afford a tutor or paid study group, check out the free resources I linked in #1 above to study for Calculus tests. However, for my study group, Calculus Crew, I offer scholarships for students in low income families.
Benefit of a Calculus Study Group
I offer both individual tutoring and small group tutoring in a Calculus study group. The benefit of joining Calculus Crew, my online Calculus study group, is that it’s the best value. You get more access to working with me, so you'll get results quicker. And it's a more affordable price.
With individual tutoring, we can cover a full week’s worth of class content in one hour. Therefore, students typically attend tutoring once a week for one hour. Individual tutoring is $90/hour*. With four weeks during most months, that would average to $360 per month. I mention that because Calculus Crew is billed monthly so I wanted to make prices comparable.
With Calculus Crew, AP Calculus/Calc 1 students meet me online for group tutoring sessions twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-8pm ET, and have access to extra notes and practice problems between sessions in a Google Classroom.
While I love tutoring one on one, I am excited about the progress that students have made in Calculus Crew meeting multiple times a week and having constant support.
The cost for Calculus Crew is $247/month*. It’s more affordable and students get to meet me twice as much. Faster progress is made in meeting more often! Historically, I have had about 5 students enrolled in this community, so instruction is still personalized (in fact, if only one student shows up for a session, they get an individual tutoring session for about $30).
I designed the group so that all of the students are at the same level: they understand the homework and can apply the various Calculus techniques, but the test questions are more challenging than the homework. Group sessions focus on those challenging questions and incorporate previous AP exam questions, along with answering any questions students have.
There is a third option, VIP Calculus Crew, a combination of individual tutoring and Calculus Crew. In addition to the two weekly group sessions through Calc Crew, students get a 30 minute individual tutoring session with me each week. The cost is $397/month*, comparable to the cost of individual tutoring, but with the opportunity to meet three times a week instead of just one.
Calc Crew sessions are similar to an after-school help hour with the teacher—they’re optional and students can show up as long or as little as they need. For example, if only Tuesdays are convenient, or if students have to come late or leave early because of sports, extracurriculars, or work, that’s completely fine.
Individual tutoring or Calculus Crew?
I know you likely spend hours on homework so you don’t need a lot of extra practice, just different practice. Because your test questions are more challenging than homework questions.
If you’re struggling with homework problems, individual tutoring may be better. This will allow time to reteach concepts from class, and solve homework problems together. If you can do most of the homework problems but have low test scores, Calculus Crew would be ideal because we can focus our time on solving more rigorous questions, including my past test questions and released AP exam questions.
Why Calculus Crew?
You’re not the only one to struggle in math for the first time in AP Calculus. Calculus Crew is composed of students in similar positions, and those students are improving their understanding, confidence, and test scores. I am confident you can have the same results!
The benefit of working with me is that I previously taught AP Calculus and graded the AP exam. I am familiar with the sequencing of content, so we can review key concepts and preview upcoming concepts. In grading the AP exam, I know trends in questions that show up each year and how to ensure your notation earns all possible points.
Worried about the individualization of group sessions? To ensure students in this group are mastering the content, students receive a drawing tablet in the mail. They use the tablet to demonstrate their problem solving on individual whiteboards so I can assess each student's understanding. Then, based on how students are solving the problems, I use breakout rooms to individually help students.
If you look for other Calculus study groups, most are only one session to review for the AP exam. Calculus Crew continues all year to ensure a solid understanding of Calculus to be fully prepared for the AP Calculus exam.
To learn more about Calculus Crew, to see videos of group sessions in action, and to join our thriving group, visit the Calculus Crew website today. You can get better test scores.
*Prices as of August 2023. Prices may increase over time; accurate pricing can be seen on the Calculus Crew website.