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What does AP stand for - All Play????

by Greendawn

Feb 25, 2015

I'm a 29 year veteran high school history teacher. I have an MA in History and have been an adjunct instructor at a local community college. For years I have taught "Honor's World History" to 10th graders. Last year I was asked to teach an AP class, AP European History. I accepted. Our school is largely composed of low socio- economic students and our pass rates on A.P. exams (except Spanish) have been abysmal. I selected a textbook, attended an AP summer institute, and threw myself into creating my class. I gave my incoming students a summer assignment (maps and a novel to read called "Sophie's World." (Excellent)... I was told by the curriculum director that students would be dropped from the class if they did not turn in their summer work. There was no other screening mechanism in place to determine if students were ready for the class. It was the first time sophomores on our campus take an AP class. Up until this year AP classes were for Juniors and Seniors. (A....See MoreI'm a 29 year veteran high school history teacher. I have an MA in History and have been an adjunct instructor at a local community college. For years I have taught "Honor's World History" to 10th graders. Last year I was asked to teach an AP class, AP European History. I accepted. Our school is largely composed of low socio- economic students and our pass rates on A.P. exams (except Spanish) have been abysmal. I selected a textbook, attended an AP summer institute, and threw myself into creating my class. I gave my incoming students a summer assignment (maps and a novel to read called "Sophie's World." (Excellent)... I was told by the curriculum director that students would be dropped from the class if they did not turn in their summer work. There was no other screening mechanism in place to determine if students were ready for the class. It was the first time sophomores on our campus take an AP class. Up until this year AP classes were for Juniors and Seniors. (A.P. U.S. History is taught in 11th grade.) When the beginning of school rolled around, out of the 80 students enrolled in my 3 A.P. European History classes, 25 failed to turn in the assignment. I was under the impression that these students would be dropped as per the assurance of the curriculum directed. The day before school started my principal informed me that all of those students would not be dropped. I felt that the administration had caved to parental pressure. I insisted that my principal tell my classes why those students were allowed to stay in my class. In retrospect, I think this is when my real problems began. As with most first time A.P. students, many struggled at the beginning of the first semester. After about a month of school, my principal informed me that "several" parents had complained about the rigor of my course. I deduced that "several" parents was most likely one influential parent who happened to be a teacher at my school. My principal never suggested that I change my curriculum, homework load, test format, pacing, or any changes. I assumed that it was natural for parents to complain about the rigor of an A.P. class, especially for a 10th grader who is taking an A.P. class for the first time. By the end of the semester almost of the students who had failed to turn in the summer work had fail. I had very few failures among those students who had completed the summer work. A few weeks into the 2nd semester, my principal came into my classroom and asked me to meet with him after class. At this informal "meeting", he informed me that more parents had complained about my class and I told him it was probably because I had made in my homework policy. I told him I would modify my change to make it less rigorous. He never told me to modify my homework assignments and never said I was doing anything wrong. Again, I took his comments as a "heads up" that parents were still complaining about rigor. I had no idea he had any thing else in mind. Last Friday, my department chairman came into my class and informed me that I would not be teaching A.P. European History next year. I was stunned. I asked for a meeting with my principal and my department chair. The meeting got heated quickly. One of the many issues which arose was our school's A.P. philosophy. I asked the principal if his opinion about me teaching the class would change if my students scored high on the A.P. exam. He said no. He reluctantly admitted that he was upset about an alleged comment that I had made at a faculty meeting criticizing a books that the staff was being asked to read. The meeting with the principal and the department chairperson lasted 45 minutes. I was never told I had done anything wrong. I was never asked to modify my class. I was never told which parents were complaining. I was never observed teaching this course. I was informed that our school cares more about inclusion and opportunity for students because of the culture of poverty we live in than their performance on A.P. exams. I was also informed I was a "good" teacher but was "old school" and it would be better for everyone if I didn't teach the class next year. I feel horrible. I was under the impression that I was asked to teach A.P. European because of our school's past lack of success on the A.P. exam. What I found out was the opposite. The administration were uncomfortable with my rigor and drive and didn't want to deal with parental complains or other issues associated with preparing students to succeed. I am not naive. I know administrators are in a difficult position. But, the message I got was that our students can't do well on A.P. exams and that I was wrong I trying to push them in that direction. I am at a loss and am very disenchanted about my calling as a teacher. I have never had my professionalism attacked before. I thought A.P. was intended to provide students a mechanism to earn college credit in a rigorous academic environment. I was very skeptical about teaching A.P. and had turned down opportunities to teach it in the past. It seemed to me to be a bit elitist and esoteric. But when I finally decided to teach it, I jumped in with both feet, only to be cut off at the knees by my principal. I asked him near the end of the meeting why I was told in February that I wouldn't be teaching the class next year. He said they needed to make a change and that they didn't want me to "waste my time" preparing for a class that I wasn't going to teach next year. I am dumbfounded. I have heard horror stories about how education has changed and have had colleagues who have run afoul with administration. I NEVER THOUGHT IT COULD HAPPEN TO ME!!!! Boy was I wrong... It seems to me that I am being removed from teaching A.P. because I am too committed to preparing my student's to succeed

Bill t (now retired) I really wish more people had responded to your post. I guess this is just a tough nut to crack, huh?

I haven't posted on the GATE board in years but felt compelled to post this time.

I'm an "oldie" here on teacher's net; I was present when this site first became active decades ago, so I've been around the block a few t...See More

May 20, 2015

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