Mathematics

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Faculty member named Most Influential Teacher

Upper School mathematics teacher Nicholas Tkach has been recognized as a 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholar Most Influential Teacher. Since 1983, each U.S. Presidential Scholar has been offered the opportunity to name their most influential teacher. Each distinguished teacher is honored with a personal letter from the Secretary of Education. This year, U.S. Presidential Scholar Ben Choi ’22 selected Mr. Tkach (who also serves as faculty advisor to Potomac’s It’s Academic team, of which Ben is a member). Congratulations, Mr. Tkach!

The Mathematics Department at the Potomac School believes that math is a powerful tool necessary for success in a wide variety of fields and lifelong endeavors. We seek to provide every student with the opportunity to realize her or his full potential as a mathematical thinker, and we make the commitment that all students should feel fully supported and challenged.

We want our students to be effective problem solvers who think logically and critically, and we emphasize the importance of creativity and resilience in working through challenging, non-routine problems. When we establish skills, the emphasis is not on rote memory, but on working through logical and developmentally appropriate processes that students understand.

To every reasonable extent, mathematics courses are sectioned so students may progress at a rate consistent with their ability. The final decision regarding placement for individual students is left to the department. Calculators are used throughout the curriculum; graphing calculators are required for classes beginning with Algebra 1.

Problem-solving

Concepts are first introduced in a way that provides a concrete referent and that leads to greater facility when the ideas are later expanded to a more abstract realm. Our classes are designed to foster communication and collaboration. Students are encouraged to take intellectual risks, to share their ideas, to seek out alternative approaches to problem-solving, and to develop new ways of thinking.

Requirements

The minimum requirement in mathematics is the completion of departmental courses through Geometry and Algebra 2. It is expected students continue in mathematics after fulfilling this requirement. Where possible, students are strongly encouraged to enroll in mathematics courses throughout their entire Upper School careers.

Course Spotlights

Extended Algebra 2

For students with a strong foundation in Algebra 1 and Geometry, this course emphasizes multiple representations of functions and fluency between them, through guided collaborative exploration and class discussion.

Data Analysis & Probability

Through simulations, experiments, and collaborative and independent projects, students explore the roles of data and randomness in daily life, and develop tools to make sense of uncertainty.

Extended Precalculus

A preparation for studies in calculus, Extended Precalculus explores numerical, graphical and analytical approaches to real valued functions.