More about Mr. A

President & CEO, Lead Faculty of Mathematics & Physics Program Design

As the creator and president of MA³ Academics, Michael Appelhans has spent a lifetime pursuing perfection of his craft. His passion and excitement for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering has led him down a truly remarkable road, culminating in this program. He received his M.S. and B.S. in Civil Engineering Summa Cum Laude from the highly acclaimed Engineering Program at Purdue University. His teaching experience includes tutoring, mentoring, and teaching at various institutions including Lake Champlain Waldorf High School, William A. Wirt High School, Indiana University Northwest, Purdue University North Central, Colegio Trener (Lima, Peru), Minneapolis Community College, Purdue University Calumet, Purdue University, Vincennes University, and most recently at Ivy Tech Community College. This wealth of experience at both secondary and post-secondary schools, coupled with a rigorous education, has given him a unique perspective and understanding on how to deliver the highest quality virtual education.

Here are some of his most notable accolades:

• Pioneer in Virtual Instruction
• Pioneer and Advocate for Open Education Resources (OER)
• Frequently rated in the 99.9 percentile out of a million students surveryed over a four year period nationwide in categories such as: committment to student learning, student interaction, preparedness and organization, and more.
• Alumni Hall of Fame Nominee, Minneapolis Community College
• Perfect 4.0 GPA Recognition, Purdue University West Lafayette
• CRC Press Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award, Purdue University Calumet
• Mathematics, Science, and Computer Award, Minneapolis Community College
• Award of Excellence for Outstanding Achievement As Minneapolis High School Champion In Mathematics 24 Contest, Minneapolis Public Schools.
• Outstanding Mathematics Achievement, The Council of Presidential Awardees in Mathematics.

For more about Michael, including publications, additional accolades, volunteer work, and more: HERE.

More about Teaching Philosophy

I think it is important to be very well versed in the subject that one is teaching. A teacher should know his/her subject thoroughly. I think it is necessary to understand the history of a subject; it is important to know where the information comes from and how its development transpired. But this is not enough. An exceptional teacher should have a well-rounded wealth of knowledge. He/she should be able to see the connections of his/her subject to other subjects. Exceptional teachers not only know the theoretical aspects of their field, but they know the applications of their field to the real world. They also understand the relevance and importance of their subject to other subjects, i.e., there is nothing that I cannot relate to mathematics (or physics).

Exceptional teachers have a passion for the subject that they teach. They see the inherent and intrinsic beauty in their subjects. However, they are not blinded by their own interests as to miss the beauty and importance of all fields of study. An exceptional teacher is sensitive to the subjects that their colleagues teach; they see the value in the totality of a curriculum.

Teaching is an intensely social occupation. Teaching can be understood from the perspective of “performance;” teachers often need to entertain in the process of transferring skills. Exceptional teachers are performance artists who are experts in their field and possess excellent communication skills.

Being fluent in mathematics, I enjoy using my skills in sophisticated ways. I enjoy the challenges of teaching sophisticated mathematics to students of higher mathematics; however, the challenges of teaching math to students who are just beginning to count are no less challenging. To say, I prefer teaching higher level mathematics is not accurate with my experience. Since I understand mathematics as a complex whole, I understand how each part of mathematics fits within that whole. My enthusiasm derives from meeting students where they are in their process, and to develop their skills in relation to what they need to know next. In my opinion, it is just as worthy an accomplishment for students to learn to multiply fractions as it is for students to recognize the power in an applied differential equation.

• Pioneer in Virtual Instruction
• Pioneer and Advocate for Open Education Resources (OER)
• Frequently rated in the 99.9 percentile out of a million students surveryed over a four year period nationwide in categories such as: committment to student learning, student interaction, preparedness and organization, and more.
• Alumni Hall of Fame Nominee, Minneapolis Community College
• Perfect 4.0 GPA Recognition, Purdue University West Lafayette
• CRC Press Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award, Purdue University Calumet
• Mathematics, Science, and Computer Award, Minneapolis Community College
• Award of Excellence for Outstanding Achievement As Minneapolis High School Champion In Mathematics 24 Contest, Minneapolis Public Schools.
• Outstanding Mathematics Achievement, The Council of Presidential Awardees in Mathematics.

Testimonials

Over the decades, Mr. Appelhans ("Mr. A") has forged countless relationships with his students, and those he has mentored and tutored. Whether it was over one semester or many years, Mr. A had a positive impact on the lives and careers of those he worked with. Here are just a few of the testimonials from students, parents, and colleagues.

When I was in High School, I was struggling with Algebra 2 Trigonometry. I met with Mr. A at least once a week for the whole school year, to help me better understand this subject. He was patient and took any amount of time needed to make sure I understood each problem we reviewed. Everytime I had a test in class, he was always encouraging and enthusiastic which helped me believe in myself and my ability in this subject. I would not have passed the class or understood any part of the material without his help. Currently I am a senior in college at Valparaiso University in Indiana. I will graduate in May of 2022 and I already have a job in sales lined up! I couldn’t have made it through junior year of high school without Mr. A!

Testimonials

Over the decades, Mr. Appelhans ("Mr. A") has forged countless relationships with his students, and those he has mentored and tutored. Whether it was over one semester or many years, Mr. A had a positive impact on the lives and careers of those he worked with. Here are just a few of the testimonials from students, parents, and colleagues.

When I was in High School, I was struggling with Algebra 2 Trigonometry. I met with Mr. A at least once a week for the whole school year, to help me better understand this subject. He was patient and took any amount of time needed to make sure I understood each problem we reviewed. Everytime I had a test in class, he was always encouraging and enthusiastic which helped me believe in myself and my ability in this subject. I would not have passed the class or understood any part of the material without his help. Currently I am a senior in college at Valparaiso University in Indiana. I will graduate in May of 2022 and I already have a job in sales lined up! I couldn’t have made it through junior year of high school without Mr. A!