By: Katrina Rodriguez-OwlFeed

Follow me on Twitter @OwlFeed_Katrina

Advanced Placement Calculus might be most students’ worst nightmare. It is also the class where every student might step back and think, “Do I really want to put myself through this?” Although the thought of math is scary, the teacher, Mr. Allpress, is not your typical old, mean, strict instructor: he is actually young, friendly, and laid back.

A goal Mr. Allpress has for this year, that probably most teachers have, is to get the gist of Common Core. “If we learn how to teach those standards, we will get to the place where all students are mastering the concept before they go to the next grade and therefore, have more people prepared,” Mr. Allpress said.

Common Core is stepping away from having a specific way to do a problem and turning into students having to think about a problem and come up with their own steps. “You’re going to forget those steps you’re taught, but if you come up with your own way of understanding [the material], then it will come back more quickly,” he said. Mr. Allpress knows that it’s hard to shift from the old AZ standards to something new, but once we get comfortable, we will be really prepared for higher education.

Mr. Allpress not only has a strong passion for AP Calculus, but also for his students. He spends a lot of his time before school, after school, and even on the weekends tutoring his AP students. “It was nice how [Mr. Allpress] was available to help on anything at anytime,” said former student Taylor Williams, class of 2015.

He expressed how one of his favorite things to “see is a student struggle and then watch them get it.” He takes great pride when seeing students feel good about themselves.

So why take AP Calculus? Mr. Allpress explained that even if your major does not involve math, “you’re going to learn a work ethic, study skills, collaboration, self-discipline, and time management” because that’s how he teaches the class.

Also, there is not a big time commitment compared to other AP classes. Mr. Allpress gives homework that takes about 15-20 minutes a night because he wants his students to have a life outside of his classroom. “The mental commitment is high, so you’ll have to do a lot of thinking, and push yourself mentality, but you’ll learn a lot from it,” Mr. Allpress said.

To Mr. Allpress, being an Owl means that you’re proud of your work and you’re respectful to the school and others. He claims “Agua Fria is the best” and all the history behind it makes AFHS a very unique school.