Mr. Meinzen's EHS Website

- Information
- Day 0
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Day 4
- Math Fun Day

Information for Students & Staff of Beijing 21st Century International School

Advanced Placement (AP™) - Official College Board™ publications

US (English) Website - overview of everything AP
China (Mandarin) website
Choose AP Brochure (English & Mandarin)
Choose AP Brochure (Mandarin)
AP Central Website -- detailed AP information Students, Parents & Professionals
Contact - Director, AP China Initiatives

Mr. Meinzen's Teacher Webpages & School Information

Resources for studying in America (local to Edwardsville, Illinois, USA)

Common Application - an online website that many universities use to simplify the student's application to their school. Some schools require additional information (usually written essay questions) beyond the Common App. Students may sign in after 1Aug14 to start their university application for 2015-16 school yar.
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE) - International Office
Mr. Kevin Paar & kaiwenlaoshi company - help for Chinese students with filling out applications (i.e. common application) to universities in the U.S.

Mr. Meinzen's tentative schedule while visiting Beijing [empty slots are to be determined upon arrival]

	Daily Teaching Schedule [90 minute periods]
	Period 1 (7:30-9:00)	Period 2 (9:00-10:30)	Period 3 (10:30-12:00)	Period 4 (12:00-1:30)	Period 5 (1:30-3:00)	Period 6 (3:00-4:30)	Evening
Day 1 (Saturday, Aug 2)	Arrival in Beijing
Day 1 (Sunday, Aug 3)
Day 2 (Monday, Aug 4)	ESL Class - A [4 periods total]		Math Class -C [3 periods total]	Math Class - D [3 periods total]			2 hours Math Fun night lecture
Day 3 (Tuesday, Aug 5)	ESL Class - A [4 periods total]		Math Class - C [3 periods total]	Math Class - D [3 periods total]
Day 4 (Wednesday, Aug 6)	ESL Class - A [4 periods total]		Math Class - C [3 periods total]	Math Class - D [3 periods total]
Day 5 (Thursday, Aug 7)	ESL Class - A [4 periods total]
Day 6 (Friday, Aug 8)
Day 7 (Saturday, Aug 9)
Day 8 (Sunday, Aug 10)
Day 9 (Monday, Aug 11)
Day 10 (Tuesday, Aug 12)	Depart Beijing

Day 0

Survey Questions for Students in Algebra & Geometry [please write in short English words or sentences]

General Questions

What is your Chinese name (in Hanzi)? ___________________
What English name would you choose to be called by your American teacher? ___________________
What is one general question you would like your American teacher to answer?
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What do you like to do for fun?
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What do you want to be doing 5 years from now?
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What is one extra-curricular activity you have never done but you would like to try?
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Math Questions

What is one of your personal most favorite math question?
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What is one of your personal least favorite math question?
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What math question would you like your American teacher to answer?
- _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How many hours do you study every day (circle only one number)?

Math: 0 hours, 0.5 hours 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 or more hours
English: 0 hours, 0.5 hours 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 or more hours
Chinese: 0 hours, 0.5 hours 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 or more hours
Science: 0 hours, 0.5 hours 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 or more hours

Day 1 - Numbers

Math Topic: Numbers & Statistics
Pedagogy: Discovery & Discussions using Sophist's Method
Guiding Question: What do numbers tell about me and my classmates? [Note: student's real names are not used]

Part 1: A single score in AP Calculus AB

	AP Exam Score	Questions (What will help you understand the story?)
Racquel Hart	2

Part 2: Students in an AP Calculus AB

	Ashley	Jack	Racquel	Questions (What will help you understand the story?)
Homework Average	3	4	5
Quiz Average	4	4	5
Test Average	4	5	5
Course Average	3	5	5
AP Exam	1	4	2

Part 3: Two different groups of AP students

Name (not real names)	Course Score	AP Exam Score	Questions (What will help you understand the story?)
Connor Rummel	1	1	AP Calculus AB
Jack Dempsey	5	4
Ashley Hummer	3	1
Racquel Hart	5	2
Morgan Stanley	3	1
Alex Kirkpatrick	4	1

Alan Bank	4	4	AP Computer Science
Chris Mac	4	3
Max Spencer	3	3
Herman Rivera	3	3
Wes Show	5	5
Jake True	5	5
Taylor Swift	5	5

Part 4: multi-year average in AP courses

Year	Average AP Exam Score of all students in AP Computer Science	Average AP Exam Score of all students in AP Calculus AB	Questions (What will help you understand the story?)
2014	4.0	2.2
2013	4.6	2.3
2012	4.7	2.0
2011	NA	2.6
2010	4.0	2.9

Day 2 - Graphs

Math Topic: Graphics using Numbers and Information (info-graphics)?
Pedagogy: Discovery & Discussions using Sophist's Method
Guiding Question: What stories do numbers & graphics tell?

Minard's 1840's Graphic with 21st Century Google Maps underlay

Minard's 1840 Graphic (originally in French, converted to English)

Day 3 - Algebra, Geometry into Calculus

Math Topic: Descriptive (English), Algebra, Numbers & Graphics (DANG) representations in math
Pedagogy: Group Project with Self-analysis of common math skills
Guiding Question: What do I know about my math skills?
Link to DANG Calculus Project

Day 4 - Evening Lecture on U.S. Schools

Topic: Preparing to attend a university in the United States
Pedagogy: Lecture [note: the following is Mr. Meinzen's opinions/insights and are generalizations...each school, state, education organization, etc. makes their own decisions with regard to supporting their "mission"]
Guiding Question: What can I do to prepare to attend school in the U.S.?

Short answers:

Learn to communicate in English (read, write, & speech).
Know yourself, know your priorities, and know your future goals (who do you want to become?).
Develop good study habits and find a balance between "work & play."
Seek out opportunities and make decisions that challenge your self-development.
Seek out opportunities and make decisions that improve your relationships with people who are different than you.

Background Information:

School Types :

Primary (K-6 or 8) & Secondary (7 or 9 - 12) - public, private, special-mission, and other (magnet, special education, etc.)
Universities - public (3-tier system), private, and special-mission
Most states in the U.S.--such as Illinois--require students to attend 13 years of free education (paid by taxpayers in the state and local community)
Post-secondary (college or university) is optional and cost is paid by family or by grant or by scholarship

College Entrance Testing Organizations:

Hint: when researching websites, if the address ends in ".org" then the organisation is usually not-for-profit. Also, search for the organization's "mission statement". If the address ends in ".edu" then it is usually a public school or university.
College Board (collegeboard.org) -

Provides several College Entrance Exams for High School (grade 11 or 12) -

AP are achievement tests and are subject-based with a detailed list of topics to be tested. The AP exams and courses are designed to be equal to or more difficult than college courses. Achievement scores try to measure how well you have learned a specific topic. AP scores range from 0 - 5 (lowest to highest).
SAT is an aptitude test, testing reasoning and verbal abilitie in three areas: Critical Reading, Mathematics, and a required Writing Test. Aptitude scores try to measure your ability to "learn"

Provides research when students or parents are looking for universities (see http://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search)

ACT (act.org)

Provides a College Entrance Exam for High School (grade 11 or 12) - ACT is an achievement test of English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, and an optional Writing Test.

What is "AP"?
- "AP" is the short notation for "Advanced Placement."
- From a student perspective, the AP is one or more exams offered in high school (usually 11th or 12th grade) that are specific to a course. For example: AP Calculus, AP Chinese, AP Computer Science, etc.
- A score on an AP exam--scaled from low to high is 0 to 5--tries to measure a student's understanding in a typical U.S. university first course. Many universities (but not all) will give credit for a first course if the student has a "good" AP score. Depending on the university, a 3, 4, or 5 is considered "good."
- For example: AP Computer Science (AP-CS) is a 3-hour exam that will ask questions that many college professors believe are important in their university's computer science course. An AP-CS score of 3 demonstrates that the student has learned sufficiently for 1 semester (4 months) of computer science or programming at their university. However, at the University of Illinois (UofI), a student must receive a 4 on the AP-CS exam to receive credit for their first Computer Science course for students enrolled as CS major. The course is labelled "CIS125." This is because UofI is a highly selective school.
- For a high school to say they offer an "AP" course, the teacher of that course must have official approval by the College Board (who "owns" the "AP" trademark). This official approval is very difficult and challenging for the school and the teacher to obtain.
How do I become an excellent university candidate in the US?
- Study and learn as much as you can from your teachers and get good scores. Especially AP courses.
- Log in to CommonApplication website after 1Aug to understand all the questions. The essays may take several weeks to complete.
- Research the type of university that best matches your interests or strong abilities and who you want to become in the future. Pick about 5 to contact (email) and/or apply. Investigate the university's "mission statement." The mission statement guides the adminstrators and admissions counselors goals in selecting students.
- Take the AP exams and other college entrance exams (SAT and/or ACT) but check the rules of the school to make sure what scores they "accept."
- Many universities are looking for students with good scores BUT they will select students with lower scores IF the student has demonstrated unique or unusual "good" behavior.
- Examples of a student who is "unusual": 1) begins a Go club since "Go" is not a typical American game or 2) begins a social service organization such as helping old people who have no family or 3) plays a competitive sport while maintaining good grades. All these demonstrates a "balance" between mind, body, & spirit which are good qualities of future leaders.
- Hint: many Chinese students studying in the U.S. believe that they have come ONLY to learn what the professors teach. A high school student in China should consider how they want to demonstrate that they are willing to do something unusual. Attend sporting events, join a club you know nothing about such as "Sasquatch-watching" club to meet new people, or design a project that will help your community, country, or world improve their lives.
- Two good question to ask yourself (because U.S. university admissions counselors may be looking for your answer) is: "What can I become to make this world (or universe) a better place?" and "What have I demonstrated in high school that shows that I am a leader in making a better world?"

Math Fun Day

Math Races

Group activity / Groups of 4-6 students / 15-30 min per game
Overview - Groups of students will race to see which can first correctly answer all of the questions on their worksheet.
Planning - Create several worksheets that have about 10 questions per sheet. Print different versions of each sheet if possible, each with an answer sheet and with a version ID number. Separate the answer keys and the worksheets.
Classroom Setup - Divide the class into groups with a team leader. Have them move their desks together. Ask each group to choose a name for itself. Write these names on the board (along with the student names) and use them to keep score. Ask each group to choose a runner. The runner is the student who will bring the group's answers to you and record scores on board.
Play - Give each group a worksheet. They must correctly answer each question on the worksheet as quickly as they can. They can divide the questions any way they wish. All of the answers must be written on the paper you gave them. When they have solved all of the questions and written the answers on the paper, the runner brings the paper to you. Check the answers, stopping as soon as you find one that is wrong. Give the paper back to the runner and tell them which question was wrong (Note: there might be other questions that are wrong that you didn't get to check yet.) The first group to get all of their questions correct wins three points. The second place team wins two points. If a team submits wrong answers three times then they are disqualified from that round. Once the first two teams are done, stop the round, record the points on the board and begin a new round.
To maintain discipline, tell the class that if a group is too loud, then all of the other groups will be given one point.
Reward the winning team or student with highest score. If multiple prizes are given, then allow highest scores to select their prize first. Alternatively, if everyone will receive at least one prize, the teacher may keep 4 prizes as "hidden math gems"...two that are special prizes and the other two that are basic prizes. The 4 hidden prizes can be kept for those who scored lowest so disappointment is not too great.

Mr. Meinzen - visit to Beijing 21st Century International High School

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." Winston Churchill

Information

Day 0

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Math Fun Day

Information for Students & Staff of Beijing 21st Century International School

Day 0

Day 1 - Numbers

Part 1: A single score in AP Calculus AB

Part 2: Students in an AP Calculus AB

Part 3: Two different groups of AP students

Part 4: multi-year average in AP courses

Day 2 - Graphs

Minard's 1840's Graphic with 21st Century Google Maps underlay

Minard's 1840 Graphic (originally in French, converted to English)

Day 3 - Algebra, Geometry into Calculus

Link to DANG Calculus Project

Day 4 - Evening Lecture on U.S. Schools

Math Fun Day

Math Races

https://meinzeit.com © John Meinzen 2022

AP® and Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the College Board. Used with permission.