The Fruits of Our Labor?

As a teacher of Advanced Placement Language and Composition, the almighty AP exam looms large at the beginning of each school year.

Before each school year begins, weeks are spent in training, developing course outlines, and revising the mistakes of the past. Once school starts, from the first day to the last, preparation for the AP exam takes place daily. Every single day of the course is spent preparing students for a test that proves more rigorous than any freshman English course in the United States.

This year, my students read two independent novels of their choice, The Life of Pi, The Scarlet Letter, Beloved, Ethan Frome, The Awakening, The Great Gatsby, Night Mother, Song of Solomon, and Raisin in the Sun. They wrote one research paper, two literary criticism papers, twelve out of class essays with revisions, five complete practice tests (with a total of 15 essays included within those tests) five journal entries per week, and more timed writes than I can recall. I know this is an inordinate amount of work to require of students. Even worse, it is an insane amount of work to require of any teacher to grade.

And it was all done in preparation for the almighty AP exam.

Exceptionally difficult multiple choice questions and three essays, one of which requires formatting, citing, and the incorporation of sources, all done within time restraints are more than asked of any undergraduate English major. The thought of all of this being done for just three credit hours of entry-level college composition is ridiculous.

The greatest tragedy in this situation lies in the fact some of the students came into the class woefully behind the mark. Scoring below the recommended forty-five percentile on the PSAT and having low grades in previous English classes, some of the students really did not have a fighting chance. Other students entered the course with absolutely no idea of the high level of work, rigor, and expectations needed for success in an AP class.

Across the country, the “non-profit” College Board advocates that all students take at least one AP course. Well, at the price of each test, this is not a surprise. The “non-profit” College Board also advocates that any student, regardless of prior ability, be given a chance to take an AP course.

I agree that all students deserve to be challenged. I agree that all students should be in classes ripe with rigor and relevance. However, what mandates that this should only occur in AP classes? Shouldn’t this be every single class where college-bound students are enrolled? How did College Board and AP come to patent high expectations for students?

Amazingly, my students defied expectations and did exceedingly well. 76% of my students passed this impossible test.

And what does this mean, exactly? Well, I don’t know. Personally, it means that its time to get started again. The year is over and in just three weeks, the new year will kick off with a bang.