Re: My AP students' scores are in, but are they good enough?

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My AP students' scores are in, but are they good enough?

by AP Rookie

Jul 16, 2014

I've taught an AP course for the first time this year. about 1/3 of my class passed the exam. I tried my utmost to prepare them and I know they tried their best. I would say based on their Reading and Writing levels and the fact that our school serves an economically disadvantaged community, they did okay. My question to you is, is it normal to have a low percentage like this pass the first time you try teaching an AP course?

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Jo On 7/16/14, AP Rookie wrote: > I've taught an AP course for the first time this year. > about 1/3 of my class passed the exam. I tried my utmost to > prepare them and I know they tried their best. I would say > based on their Reading and Writing levels and the fact that > our school serves an economically disadvantaged community, >...See More

Jul 16, 2014

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Lit Teacher On 7/16/14, AP Rookie wrote: > I've taught an AP course for the first time this year. > about 1/3 of my class passed the exam. I tried my utmost to > prepare them and I know they tried their best. I would say > based on their Reading and Writing levels and the fact that > our school serves an economically disadvantaged community, >...See MoreOn 7/16/14, AP Rookie wrote: > I've taught an AP course for the first time this year. > about 1/3 of my class passed the exam. I tried my utmost to > prepare them and I know they tried their best. I would say > based on their Reading and Writing levels and the fact that > our school serves an economically disadvantaged community, > they did okay. My question to you is, is it normal to have > a low percentage like this pass the first time you try > teaching an AP course?

Are they good enough for whom? Who will know? Your administration? I might say that you offer AP in an economically disadvantaged community is great in and of itself.

And what do you mean by passed?? A score of 3 and above is considered good. I teach in an economically advantaged school and most of our students will score a 3 or above. It is not easy to pull a 5 on an AP test.

Your question seems to assume that next year you'll do things differently - how? I'd be interested to know what you would do differently to achieve higher scores?

And let's remember - AP does not want every student to be pulling 4s and 5s on their tests - if that happened, they'd toughen up the test. The point of standardized tests is to have a range of scores. If every student were to pull 4s and 5s, everyone - but me - would assume that the test wasn't hard enough.

We do not culturally believe in success if everyone achieves it - as a people we need failure to believe the success is real. It's an unfortunate thing that we are that way but it's a part of the American way. If no one fails, then we see the testing process as a failed one because we believe there HAS to be a range of scores.

My son recently graduated from med school and took his boards and you would think that we'd want every doctor to have done well on their medical boards. Every year the bottom 12% are failed - regardless of what their scores are! If it's a good year and everyone pulled above an 80, then you will fail with your 80 as the bottom 12% are chosen for failure.

Though they have not. But if they didn't fail somebody, nobody would believe in the results of the test.

Jul 16, 2014

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It depends on what specific course you taught. On 7/16/14, AP Rookie wrote: > I've taught an AP course for the first time this year. > about 1/3 of my class passed the exam. I tried my utmost to > prepare them and I know they tried their best. I would say > based on their Reading and Writing levels and the fact that > our school serves an economically disadvantaged community, >...See More

Jul 16, 2014

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hst@yahoo.com On 7/16/14, AP Rookie wrote: > I've taught an AP course for the first time this year. > about 1/3 of my class passed the exam. I tried my utmost to > prepare them and I know they tried their best. I would say > based on their Reading and Writing levels and the fact that > our school serves an economically disadvantaged community, >...See More

Jul 22, 2014

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Erin I teach AP Language to juniors in a small, rural, high-poverty community. We also have AP Literature (seniors). We find it varies a lot from class to class on passing--this year's seniors were a motivated bunch and of the 8 who took the exam, all 8 got 3 or 4. I consider 3 a pass because most colleges offer credit at that point. We don't have many ...See More

Jul 29, 2014

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