My experience from my Calculus II class, and my takeaways from it.
Overview
Calculus II, the second class of the Calc series (out of four), focuses on integration. Integration is simply “elevating” or creating a bigger function than what you have. For example, if you have a function “a,” you integrate it to get “A.”
The opposite of integration is differentiation, which is in Calculus I. Differentiation is the direct reverse of integration, so getting “a” from “A.”
I barely passed Calculus I class the Summer prior, and I had to get back on track to perform at my best, Calc II included. The stakes were pretty high, but I knew I had it in me to succeed, and thus, delivered it in Calc II, which is the essence of this example of work.
I got a 2.0 in my Calc I class; I ended up with a 3.8 in Calc II.
The personal importance of the task
Calculus II is a quintessential class for advancing in most STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields and my case was no exception. Furthermore, I had just switched to Mathematics from Computer Science; I had to take Calc II in either case.
In my situation precisely, I had to excel in my Calculus II class because I had just come from a devastating Calc I experience. I wanted to reignite my faith in Mathematics- that I could do Math once again - and succeeding in Calc 2 would give me the much-needed confidence to surge on with my degree.
Tasks accomplished
I did quite a handful in Calc II. I took all the measures I could as I didn’t want to leave anything to chance.
From the basics, I was punctual and ever-present to class. The instructor filtered class attendance into the course grade, so attendance was mandatory.
I ensured to turn in my homework on time. The class’s homework was on WebAssign (like the Canvas for STEM courses), computerized and automated such that it grades you immediately on input. This way, the instructor never quite saw your homework unless you approached her during office hours for assistance. Homework was around 12% of the total grade, and if you did everything right, both homework and attendance were free points.
I liked collaborating with Jay, my study buddy. He was experienced, knowledgeable, and knew his thing in Math. Jay and I initially connected in Calc 1, and we sprouted an alliance ever since. He was very instrumental in my grade improvement in Calc II and all the classes that followed, given that we were both Computer Science majors. Jay, too, transferred to UW, but we went our separate ways because our paths changed major-wise. We still talk, though.
For exams, I strictly followed the instructor’s advice and study recommendations. I followed her topics keenly and executed them strategically while practicing for exams two weeks prior for better preparation. If they worked, great! If not, try another way.
Leadership Competencies gained
My exhilarating Calc II experience garnered me the competencies of self-understanding, resiliency, optimism, reflection and application, analysis, synthesis, and excellence.
Self-Understanding
Enhancing one’s understanding of one’s personality, beliefs, capacities and interests so as to develop a greater depth of understanding of oneself in order to engage in more authentic and productive
behavior.
Taking this class engaged me to understand my limits and note my capabilities, especially coming from a class I thought I loved but the outcome proved otherwise. I’m not sure how I got the heart to attempt the class despite bombing Calc I, but I usually think I could have avoided most of my Summer circumstances.
I reasoned that I regrettably took a full credit load over the Summer, plus the instructor was unfriendly, based on his class reviews. I also admit that I was afraid to drop the class despite the leeway because I invested so much into it that people would notice my absence if I dropped. However, I am equally glad that I still took the class because I could have faulted my graduation plans if I missed that quarter.
Regardless of that setback, I believed that Calc II would be a unique experience and better if I envisioned it that way. I knew that nobody else would save me unless I saved myself, and I had no choice but to march headstrong into Fall Quarter, not knowing what to expect from Calculus II.
Resiliency
Bouncing back or recovering after a setback for both one’s well-being and success and being better able to face stress, challenges, and adversity in the future.
I knew that I had failed Calc I, and I acknowledged that. I determined to bounce back in Calc II.
Calc II in itself was a class on resiliency where I had to take my experiences in Calc I, convert them into lessons, and act them out in Calc II. I made some mistakes, and others were out of my reach, but most importantly, I was willing to learn from my failures to rewrite my success.
I asked questions in class whenever I couldn’t understand a concept. I visited my instructor during her office hours more times than I ever did in any other of my previous classes, and I spent more time on the homework, solving each problem meaningfully. Overall, I delved into the intricacies and the small stuff of my studies and left no pebble unturned, no matter how tiny it was. Every moment counted, especially if it had me correcting my previous wrongs, then so be it.
Optimism
Exhibiting an optimistic outlook by identifying the positive aspects of a situation and displaying a “Cando” attitude to foster a sense of hope, inspire oneself and others, and maximize the positive aspects.
Tied to the initiative competency, I had reason to believe that Calculus II would be better than Calculus I. The instructor had a far much more positive review than my Calc I professor; she was fun to be around, relatable, tenured, and also the head of the Mathematics department at Highline College. I had much faith in her.
Aside from my instructor, I was also glad to receive much academic help during the class. My friend, Jay, was one of them, and to whom I credit for his friendship. Another resource was the MESA Center at Highline College. MESA stands for Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement; it caters to a community of college students who empower each other with resources such as tutoring and workshops, all to help students in their classes. Not only did I get academic assistance from MESA, but I’ve also fostered professional connections and personal friendships with whom I still communicate today.
In all, I became optimistic during Calc II because I attained the much help I couldn’t find in Calc I. I learned from my mishaps, and while I couldn’t guarantee my success in the class yet, I didn’t let that stop me from enjoying myself and taking my time in it.
Reflection and Application
Reflecting on experiences, considering the learning gained through reflection and acting in accordance with this learning.
Heading into Calculus II was a clear cut way for me to reflect on my Mathematical interests after Calc I. It had me thinking what went wrong, and how I could remedy the situation.
I assessed and noted some factors that detered me from performing in Calc 1: a schedule overload, an unengaged instructor, no tutoring resources, and also not much time invested in teaching myself the subject. Once I noted these four impediments, I quickly made adjustments for me not to repeat the same in Calc II.
I reduced my credits in-take per quarter to something lightweight then went for a more engaged instructor who I liked - Fardad Razmehr. Afterwards, I enrolled for the MESA and received weekly Math tutoring from their workshops, and then finally, I cleared my schedule of most non-essential activities for me to focus on studying Math solely.
Analysis
Dividing and examining information in detail to have a more comprehensive understanding of the information as a whole in an effort to identify causes, factors, features and impacts of the information.
They say Math is purely mental - I couldn't agree more with that statement.
Calculus is all about thinking mentally and applying the methodologies one has learned into an applicable result. In other words, as much as it's a plug-and-chug given the formulae to find the answer, it's more than that - it entails reasoning, logical arguments, systematic processes, and repeating until one finds a solution. These are some of the applicable criteria in Mathematical analysis.
Whenever I faced a new concept, I first wondered if I ever encountered it before in perhaps a precious class, whether in high school or Calc 1. After that, I would (re)learn it to understand it's applicability, then practice it on a few questions. Most of the time, I got the answer right, but if not, I dug deeper to learn what made the answer wrong. If it still didn't make sense to me, then I collabed with my friends to brainstorm on the same.
Synthesis
Identifying a central theme by integratingseparate elements into one unified whole. This gives one a perspective that would not otherwise emerge if each piece of information were examined discreetly.
Calculus II was entirely on integration of functions, or rather, "transforming a function upwards from A to B." Envisioning it this way, I understood that every concept I had to learn in this class must add up to the mega-concept of integration.
Analyzing and compressing everything to one was not an issue. I started by learning the integration techniques like integration by parts, direct integration, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, among other techniques. I also processed the Riemann Sum, a fancy way of saying, "all the numbers in this sequence will add up to X," for example. Finally, I enjoyed applying them to real-life scenarios which, undoubtedly, need Mathematics. Some examples include how long it would take a tank to fill if two taps poured water into it at, say, X liters per minute, with one emitting water out of the tank at Y liters per minute. Another practical example was finding the area of a farm if two land owners agreed to expand their borders by this much.
Excellence
It gives one’s best effort to put forth one’s best work.
I think at this point, I can characterize excellence as one of my inherent attributes.
During my time in Calc II, I never let anything up, mainly because I had little to lose. This scenario reminds me of a quote similar to the following words, “There is no man more dangerous than the one who has lost it all- it cannot get any worse for him, so he will take far much greater risks and succeed much higher than he fell.” In Fall 2019, I was that man.
Whether be it in asking questions, doing homework, or seeking the teacher’s office hours, I neither relented nor hesitated to up my best. Instead, I made sure I always put my best foot forward and acted humble enough to seek help and acknowledge my failures and weak points. This act did me a favor in most cases as I constantly went outside my comfort zone to understand 1-2-3 or another basic yet indirect formula.
I became determined to learn, and nothing could deter me from trying my best in so.
Lessons learned and future-oriented statement
Calculus II built not only my GPA but also my resiliency.
In both hindsight and foresight, I’ve realized that life, just like Calc II, will be no walk in the park. There will be highs and lows, upsides and downsides, but resiliency will push me through such scenarios in life. If I can survive such a class using what tools I have at my disposal, then managing life, too, shouldn’t be much of an issue.
Resiliency and problem-solving will be two vital career skills for whatever career I venture into, either employed or self-employed. In either case, I hope to inspire my team and colleagues with my outlook on solving problems headstrong as they arrive. I also hope to learn from others who have experienced the same situation in one way or another. Of course, I understand that I won’t quite know everything, but that won’t stop me from learning better alternatives. That way, I’ll learn people’s thought processes in overseeing such situations, then apply them to mine for the best outcome.
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