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Home > Features > Hosting AP Institutes on an HBCU Campus
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Hosting AP Institutes on an HBCU Campus
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by Dr. Rosalind Pijeaux, Hale
associate professor and chair of the Division of Education
Xavier University
Louisiana
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| | Xavier University of Louisiana: A Model to Follow
In the early '70s I remember working at schools with a majority white student body that had a large number of AP classes. Each AP class had a small number of students with ongoing student and teacher interaction. In these classes, students were challenged to question other students and their teachers (building inquiry skills); they had to be able to support any statements they made (demonstrating knowledge base); they were allowed to select their method for completing assignments (encouraging decision-making skills); and students were always doing research on various topics (developing research skills). In 1982 I was transferred to a school with a 100 percent African-American student body. There was not one AP class at this school. I began to question why this opportunity did not exist as readily for African-American students.
I determined that the African-American students were not expected to be successful in these challenging classrooms. And because the district did not support the professional development that teaching AP classes requires, their teachers did not want to teach such demanding classes. Instead, the district supported remediation and drill activity development, which is what the teachers focused on. Parents were not aware of the potential for college credit that AP classes could provide. To my surprise, even the African-American students did not know these opportunities existed.
Progress Through Information
When I obtained various positions of leadership in the public schools, I attempted to provide information to teachers, students, and parents about what AP classes were and how everyone could benefit by the offering of these classes. Although more teachers did receive the necessary training, only a few AP classes were offered. The reasons cited above still caused a lot of reluctance (and are, sadly, still in effect today in some school districts).
The College Board® has heard all of these calls for help from the African-American and other minority communities. It has provided information to all schools about the benefits of AP classes, and has offered training sessions for teachers and principals in minority districts. It has encouraged school districts to support teacher attendance at AP Institutes as a means of professional development, and has also provided scholarship opportunities to minority educators. Another very important step has been the development of Pre-AP and vertical teaming initiatives, which can provide a structure for preparing middle school minority students for AP classes.
The Xavier University Model
Now it is up to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to get on board. HBCUs prepare a large number of African-American teachers, and these same teachers return to HBCUs for continuing education. It should be considered natural for these teachers to learn about AP while completing their undergraduate education degrees, and for these new graduates to inquire at their schools about the possibility of becoming AP teachers. How can this be done? Other HBCUs have to begin where I did 30 years ago, by asking the question "Why aren't more AP classes offered in schools with predominantly African-American and other minority students?"
Xavier University of Louisiana has developed a model that other HBCUs can follow. The model introduces the concept of advanced placement to undergraduate education majors and provides information about how they can become AP teachers. The Advanced Placement Program is only one of a variety of initiatives that undergraduate education majors are introduced to that can be used to challenge students.
Hosting AP Institutes on campus allows undergraduates to be involved. They assist with planning and have the opportunity to meet many teachers from all over the world who know about the AP Program. At the same time, local minority teachers (some of whom are Xavier graduates) are encouraged to participate, and are given information about applying for scholarships from The College Board, their school district, or Xavier to help defray some of the cost. This effort results in more minority teachers who are trained AP teachers. Another result, which was not initially considered, is that these Institutes serve as recruitment opportunities for the university. While these teachers are on campus, they meet students and receive information about all of the programs offered. Some have heard about Xavier, but others have not. What better way to learn about a campus than to visit one! Hosting an AP Institute is a win-win opportunity for everyone involved.
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