Welcome to the final #APTeach chat of the school year. We are happy to have you! Tonight we are discussing PD and preparation. Please tell us your name/where you are from/your involvement in AP.
#APTeach Heather from Branson, MO. I teach AP Chemistry at Reeds Spring High School. This was my first year teaching AP chem and looking forward to growing the program!
A1. Always refresh a bit!!! Revisit the things I did that didn’t work and see what new things I want to bring to the class for next year!! The summer is always about making me better for the students! #APTeach
A1 - I'd like to be better at embedding test prep into the curriculum so that students don't feel as much test pressure in May. I hate to over-emphasize the test since LEARNING is the key objective. #APTeach
A1: I am using this summer to go over my first couple units, review my assessments, and looking for ways to include more technology into my everyday lessons #apteach
A1: We are hoping to move as many 2's to 3's as possible. With summer supports and more time for teachers and students to meet outside of class during the school year, we hope the extra time helps create a culture of achievement #APTeach
The reading is such a time to pick brains of colleagues while away from home. I really enjoy the best of both worlds. I do struggle to walk away from the material for a small amount of time and put the year behind me. Then get excited to start again!! #apteach#lovewhatiteach
A1: after just sending off the final bills, I’m looking forward to reading and being present at my first Midwest RegionalCouncil meeting to help plan the next CB forum! I’m excited to learn about what is new and how to support my amazing AP teachers and students.#APTeach
A2 - AP Lit Ss read a novel and then journal about their reading experiences in addition to everyday and not-so-everyday life experiences over the break. Goal - read and write, but not so much that they feel like they are in school. #APTeach
A2: Students in my class had to read the first chapter. Now students in our school have three different programs ranging from writing skills to culture building that they can take advantage of. Most of our programs are geared towards first time AP students. #APTeach
A2: In AP Stat students do work with basic graphs and simple statistics then find real news/research articles and analyze the information/data presented. Teaching them early to think critically about data #APTeach
Taking approximately 40% of the time to go through all major material and introduce all units then using the remaining 60% of time to cover all major material again and adding in all of the 'less-tested' material...want to make use of the spacing effect. #apteach
A1: My goal this summer is reflect on how and how often I have my students write. I need to figure out how to integrate more writing without me drowning in grading. #APTeach
A2 - AP Lang and APUSH teachers were trying to coordinate their summer plans so they don't overburden students taking multiple courses - SMART! I've reduced my summer assignments in recent years too. #APTeach
A2: For APUSH I have students do some work on Time Period 1- some primary and secondary readings. One writing response on Why Study History? I did this last summer and helped immensely with overall pacing. We hit the ground running in August. #apteach
Taking approximately 40% of the time to go through all major material and introduce all units then using the remaining 60% of time to cover all major material again and adding in all of the 'less-tested' material...want to make use of the spacing effect. #apteach
A1: Goals for upcoming year is to develop a schedule and stick to it! Also revamping my course because I know how all my students are prepared for AP Chem next year. #APTeach
A2. I have my AP Human kiddos read an article and work on some current events. They have no idea what being a 9th grader or this class will be so I tread lightly but intro rigor too. It exposes them to what the next year is going to look like. #apteach
A fair approach, too. Do you start before or after Labor Day? I know teachers who start late feel like summer is critical to make up for lost time....
#APTeach
Question 3:
How do you work with colleagues at your school in the summer? How/Are you able to work with other folks in the AP community in the summer?
#APTeach
Question 3:
How do you work with colleagues at your school in the summer? How/Are you able to work with other folks in the AP community in the summer?
#APTeach
A3: this is tricky because people are out of town, writing curriculum for the district, attending PD, teaching summer school...i feel bad asking for more of their time. It’s so precious. #APTeach
A3: Summer is the best time to sit down with counterparts. I also love doing google hangouts with other school leaders in the summer. DM me if you want to schedule a time to chat AP! #APTeach
A3: Summer is the best time to sit down with counterparts. I also love doing google hangouts with other school leaders in the summer. DM me if you want to schedule a time to chat AP! #APTeach
A3: I collaborate with a former colleague in Omaha, NE. We share ideas back and forth and give each other a sounding board. I also collaborate with people in the National AP Chemistry teachers Fb group. I am also attending an APSI this summer. #APTeach
As the only AP teacher for AP US History in the building, it’s tough to collaborate with others. It’s opportunities like this that serve as a collaboration and help give me ideas. #apteach
A3. If you have never done a reading they are great for this and it grows your PLN!! I love twitter and online stuff over summer because I can do that at the pool, or around the fire pit…or while waiting for a practice to be over!! #apteach#golfmom#baseballmom#tennismom
Cynthia Platou, I teach AP World at Wilde Lake HS in Columbia, MD. A1: Plan to improve my method of introducing FRQ skills. Have had to adjust so much. #APTeach
A4. I think a summer assignment can intro some skills….and build culture by making a creative element to the class. Something that says you are about to do something really cool this upcoming year, and we are in it together!! #APTeach
A4 - You need student buy-in and that is dependent on the culture in your building. I try to make learning interactive and fun but also develop a student respect/regard for the value of learning. And that takes time. And it's a juggling act that I'm not all that good at! #APTeach
A4. I think a summer assignment can intro some skills….and build culture by making a creative element to the class. Something that says you are about to do something really cool this upcoming year, and we are in it together!! #APTeach
A4: I feel that the biggest area is to just get them exposed to taking an AP level course. We have some first AP students coming in so giving them college level readings helps set that tone of what to expect come August. Setting that college level culture is big #apteach
@AndrewSharosAP When you say "summer supports" what does that mean? Summer assignments or something more involved like a bridge program? Curious! #apteach
A2: In previous years, we had kiddos read How to Read Literature Like a Professor and connect 3 chapter to a novel on the AP Rec Reading List of their choice. We’re trying online book clubs this year to increase a culture of reading. #APTeach
A5: I know there are ways to increase scores...but I’m not a pushy AP Coordinator, so for me, I can send information about when and how to access, then we regroup in the fall with our data . #ApTeach
A5. Reflecting on scores comes in a variety of ways! Remembering this was one day of their lives and doesn’t define them or you. But a good time to see where there might’ve been a missed opportunity from the data. Reflect, Redo, Reflect again! #apteach#alwayslearning
A5. Reflecting on scores comes in a variety of ways! Remembering this was one day of their lives and doesn’t define them or you. But a good time to see where there might’ve been a missed opportunity from the data. Reflect, Redo, Reflect again! #apteach#alwayslearning
A3: I am getting ready to head to KC for my 2nd year of reading for the AP Lit. exam. Reading showed me how crucial writing is to be successful on the Lit exam. There’s another AP Lit teacher in my building, but any PLC time I have puts me w/ my soph. colleagues #APTeach
A5: I am not sure what to expect with this year’s scores. 1st yr with APChem, they weren’t prepared with Chem I. We did a lot of review. Which meant we didn’t get through all the curriculum. #APTeach
A5 - Scores are scores and while they can inform us and are important, they are one of the many tools we use annually to improve and serve students. #APTeach
A6 - Not this year, but it is one of my long term goals. Maybe next year? Maybe it will be at a location that's cool? Houston... sweating just thinking about it! #APTeach
Thank you for being here for a summer version of #APTeach. We will be back in August. Enjoy the summer. Rest up. Connect with colleagues. Commit to making this the best year yet!
We are taking the 4th of July week off and will chat again in August. The topic for August is "The 1st week of an AP class"
Have a great summer and please use #APTeach for the cool things going on in your space!
