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Advice for New AP U.S. History Teachers
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by Martin Kelly
Florida Virtual School
Florida
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Strategies and Techniques
Before I began the first day of teaching AP U.S. History, I felt I was prepared for the rigors about to be placed upon me. I had been teaching for several years and had dedicated a great deal of time to my teaching career. I felt that my knowledge of U.S. history and experiences teaching middle and high school would give me a good foundation for teaching AP. There were so many fascinating points of history that I wanted to pass on to my students. I believed that my students would be just as thrilled as I was to learn about history. I assumed that they would understand the rigors of a college-level course. However, I quickly discovered that I was mistaken. Nothing quite prepared me for the adventure I was about to begin and the amount of work it required. Luckily, during my first year of teaching AP, I discovered or was led to the following strategies that truly helped smooth out the transition:
- Attend an AP workshop.
These wonderful AP forums happen around the nation and are designed to create an environment where teachers can learn and share. The workshop I attended gave me many ideas that became invaluable to me as a new AP teacher. We covered the intricacies of the exam and numerous strategies for preparing students to be successful in the AP Program.
- Find a mentor.
Look for a successful AP teacher, someone who has been down this road before. Your mentor doesn't even have to be teaching in the same subject area. But he or she does need to have an accurate picture of what it takes to be effective. They can help keep you on an even keel. If you are the only AP teacher at your school, then try to make contacts through workshops or join an online Electronic Discussion Group for your subject area.
- Get parents involved.
Until I became an online educator with Florida Virtual School (FLVS), I did not realize the importance of parental involvement. I wish I had known this information when I was teaching in the traditional classroom. Many people feel that these "good" kids can or should take care of the rigors of AP on their own. Many of them do. However, by creating an environment where parents are active members of the educational workgroup, you are providing students with more support for rigorous study and a better shot at passing the exam.
- Use the College Board resources.
The resources available for free at AP Central and available for purchase through the College Board are numerous and very valuable. As a new AP teacher, I referred often to the sample outlines covering the curriculum. I saw several approaches to teaching the vast amount of information I wanted to cover and blended them to meet my own needs and style. However, sample outlines are just the tip of the iceberg. The College Board offers so much more: from the APCDs to sample tests and essays.
- Streamline your workload.
One of the biggest shocks for a new AP teacher is the massive workload. There is much to do, and in the end, you are ultimately accountable for the results. You must find ways to cope with the stress of the job. First, I found it important to pace the curriculum so that we could get through it without burning out. I used the recommended syllabi to pace the course. I created some "relief" assignments for students that allowed for creativity and fun as a change of pace. I also relied heavily on rubrics and some standardized comments to tackle the mountain of essays.
As a new AP teacher, it is also important to face some hard facts about the challenges that are commonly faced in the school and community. Following is a short list of some of the challenges you may encounter as a new AP teacher:
- Colleague misunderstandings
Many people have the misconception that the AP teacher's job is easier because the students are the "good ones." I have found that while they are often very bright, AP students still have their challenges and can sometimes be just as trying as any other class. It is an interesting experience to be faced with a classroom of precocious 16-year-olds itching for a chance to demonstrate their intelligence and opinions.
- Workload
In many schools, AP teachers have fewer students than other teachers, which can lead to colleague jealousy. However, the work seems to be inversely related to the number of students you have. There is much more to prepare and to grade. In order for your students to be successful, they need to write, and then write some more. While you need not -- and probably should not -- mark every writing assignment, you still need to do a great deal of intensive grading with in-depth comments on each student's work.
- Scores
AP teachers are often judged by the scores their students receive. You can spend extra time and do everything humanly possible to prepare your students for the exam, but there is no assurance that the majority of students will pass -- especially if you teach in a school that is inclusive in AP participation. Instead, you must learn to measure yourself by your successes and by individual improvements in student learning that you observe each year. Keep in mind that the course, and not the exam at the end, is the most important part of the Advanced Placement Program.
- Gatekeeper philosophy
Schools that emphasize and judge teachers by scores are often very exclusive in the level of students they allow into their AP courses. I am fortunate in that FLVS wants to provide AP courses to any student who has a desire to take the course, so there are no gates to prevent students from enrolling. Of course, some prerequisites have to be met, but we do not require PSAT or SAT scores for entrance to our AP courses.
My first year of AP has been an awesome experience. The Advanced Placement Program has given me the opportunity to improve as a teacher and as an individual. I have learned strategies and techniques that will carry over into a non-AP environment. By becoming an AP teacher, I faced the challenge of improving as a professional while truly feeling the importance of my job as an educator.
Martin Kelly has taught social studies for 10 years and is currently in his second year of teaching AP U.S. History. He developed an online AP U.S. History course for the Florida Virtual School, where he currently works as an instructor and course editor. He also guides the About.com American history site, where he writes articles and collects quality resources for those interested in American history.
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