AP U.S. History has been a rite of passage for many Colorado Academy sophomores since the early 1990s. Their odyssey begins in May when I meet with the enrollees, lay out the expectations, announce the summer reading assignment, and offer encouragement. While some emerge from the meeting a bit disheveled, most are confident, buoyed by the fact that they have demonstrated the requisite talents to take the plunge into a course that is supposed to be the equivalent of a college level course.
Fast forward to the first day of classes, and the tensions quickly mount. The many thoughts occupying students’ minds include: “Oh my goodness! What did I sign up for? How am I supposed to read thirty pages of text in one week? Was he serious when he said that we would have a quiz each week? How am I supposed to write an in-class essay in thirty-five minutes?”
For the past six years, I justified this approach knowing that it ensured my students’ preparedness for the advanced placement exam while preparing them for the quantitative rigors of college. High exam scores may justify this approach, but I am convinced that the AP curriculum, the pace of the course, and the comprehensive exam do not demand the qualitative rigor that liberal arts colleges seek from their top applicants. The curriculum does not demand deep conceptual learning, long-term mastery, nor the development of research and analytical skills that enable independent inquiry and learning—skills that the most competitive colleges demand from our students.
The AP U.S. History exam places too much emphasis on factoids, and not enough on patterns and understanding. The College Board gives students data (key people, events, and other turning points in America’s past) with...
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...rt of the Upper School to abandon AP altogether?
No. This history department made this decision on its own based upon the reasons noted in the above essay.
6. When I was in high school, my high AP scores enabled me to earn college credit? Is this not a good reason to keep AP U.S. History?
That is difficult to say. Yes, most public universities award college credit that may be used towards graduation with scores of 4 or 5 on humanities-based tests. However, a growing number of private, liberal arts universities have either limited their application of AP exams or abandoned them altogether—especially in the humanities. At Stanford, for example, AP examinations do not satisfy the General Education Requirements, with the exception of the University Foreign Language requirement. In addition, they often do not apply to those students who seek a history degree.
Walens, Susann. A. United States History Since 1877. Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, CT. September 2007.
Gorn, Elliot J., Randy Roberts, and Terry D. Bilhartz. Constructing the American Past: A Source Book of a People’s History. 7th ed. Vol 2. New Jersy: Pearson Education Inc., 2011. Print.
... a tedious process, but the change can have immense, positive effects for the future college student. The ACT and SAT that supposedly measure a student's learning potential through multiple-choice questions should be replaced by a test of a student's desire to learn determined through the analysis of essays, recommendation letters, and school or community involvement. This change can result in a more academically motivated freshman class. Standardized testing in its current form does not accurately measure most students' learning potential. It does not allow for diversity and creates a huge hurdle for many potential academic achievers. An adjustment to a diverse, open testing format of the ACT or SAT and a stress on the student's other academic accomplishments can accurately measure the student's desire to learn, therefore measuring the student's learning potential.
Stefoff, Rebecca, and Howard Zinn. A Young People's History of the United States. New York: Seven Stories, 2007. Print.
Waldo E. Martin, Jr. and Patricia Sullivan. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2000. U.S. History in Context. Web. The Web.
‘I am going to fail’ was the very first thought that crept into my mind on that very first day of class. Before I stepped into the classroom on the first day, I felt pretty good about my writing. I had done previously well in English, and didn’t think this class would be much of a challenge. This all changed on the first day of school, when my professor talked about the level of reading and writing expected for this class. I remember thinking ‘I don’t read, why couldn’t I have been born someone who likes to read? !’
For some students, the time they have in the classroom is not enough for them to grasp the topic. While teachers usually offer a period for students to see them for extra help, some students do not have time for this. Most students have commitments outside of the classroom, such as m...
Today, schools are making it a priority for teachers to follow the strict guidelines of a “one size fits all testing curriculum.” Educators must prepare students for the tests that could make or break their future. This curriculum is focused only on teaching students what they need to know in order to pass the test. “Because the test is based largely on the memorization of facts, teachers will have to teach their students these specific facts instead of teaching for deep comprehension and understanding of material.” (Martin, 309) As a result, students do not learn the true lesson. Although it is highly important that students pass “the test,” this strictly based curriculum is ignoring the important academic skills and fundamentals needed for their future, even beyond the years of high stakes testing; without these needed skills students will be left in the dark once they have graduated from high school. Students often learn on different levels and their educational requirements are not being met with the “one size fits all” approach. Those who create these tests tend not to include those who learn on a different educational level; rather their focus is pointed towards the money rather than on the success of all students. Children need to learn sk...
...s of the Americas, what was their life like, and how did it change when Columbus arrived ,’ wrote a student of mine in 1991. ‘However, back then everything was presented as if it were the full picture,’ she continued, ‘so I never thought to doubt that it was.’” Most students after high school, fail to analyze controversial issues in our society. What citizens know about our past is what they have learned in high school history courses.
“SAT I: A Faulty Instrument for Predicting College Success.” Standardized Testing. Ed. Cynthia A. Bily. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2011. 106-11. Print.
Becker, S., & Glover, L., & Wheeler, W. (2012). Discovering the American Past: A Look at the
For those in high school already starting to focus on college, there is a drive to do well in all areas of their character to boost the appearance of their college application. Students usually try to excel on the SATs, maintain a high GPA, and involve themselves in extracurricular activities in order to become the well-rounded, “renaissance man” or woman that colleges can’t surpass. Students understand that it is important to try their best in everything that they do, but should a three-hour, multiple choice test be a deciding factor on whether or not a person gets accepted into a college? Critics of the SAT accuse it of being classist, racist, a poor reflection of academic promise, and plainly unnecessary. The idea of the SAT is has potential
What is failed to be conveyed when recruiting students for AP classes is that there might be a chance that a college credit is
Why am I taking AP United States History? To be quite frank, I didn’t really think about it until you asked. I just knew that it was the harder class and all of my friends were taking it. But now that I have put some thought into it, my understanding three key reasons: college credit, knowledge, and self motivation.
Imagine sitting in a class, completely bored out of your mind. This is not difficult considering everyone has taken a class like this somewhere along the road of their education. Not every class can be exciting and we should know that. Now imagine every class is of this level, with no “break”, or elective, classes incorporated into your day. Although this may not apply to all private schools, there are many that focus on specific topics. So even though the...