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[quote=Anonymous]AP NSL to become available for freshmen
BY COMMON SENSE STAFF ? NOVEMBER 12, 2010

Next year, the Advanced Placement National State and Local Government (AP NSL) course, formerly offered exclusively to students in 10th-12th grade, will be available to all freshmen as well.

Social studies department Resource Teacher Gaytania Maslow proposed the extension of the course to freshmen.

Principal Dr. Michael Doran, Maslow and other staff members in the social studies department believe that if Wootton is going to provide freshmen with the opportunity to take a challenging course,  it would be sensible to offer a more manageable course such as AP NSL. AP US History is currently available to freshmen, but it is one of the most rigorous AP classes offered at Wootton.

Before changing anything, however, Maslow and Doran visited other high schools in Montgomery County to gather feedback about the performance of their freshmen in the course. After receiving positive feedback from high schools such as Walt Whitman, Walter Johnson and Richard Montgomery,  Doran confirmed the decision to open the course to all incoming freshmen.

He believes that AP NSL is a more reasonable opportunity to offer to freshmen because it would be easier to handle.

“If we’re going to offer AP courses, it seems to make sense to offer a course that’s a better fit for the students,” Doran said. “If they don’t like it, they don’t have to take it; it’s always been up to them.”

Social studies teacher Fevronia Cresham sees eye to eye with Doran.

“I think AP NSL would be more accessible than AP US History to freshmen,” Cresham said. “It could be really good training for freshmen if they make the effort. It prepares them for the more challenging AP classes.”

AP US History (AP US) is a more rigorous course than AP NSL because of its curriculum, which covers a greater period of history and therefore calls for a wider recollection of information.

The essay topics are also more specifically delineated than those in AP US.

The advanced course demands more time and effort from freshmen than they are used to.

“[AP US] is a bit harder than AP NSL, which is why NSL might be a better entry for freshmen into an AP course,” Maslow said.

Through taking AP NSL, freshmen could develop the AP skills necessary to transition smoothly and be successful in more difficult AP courses available to 10th graders.

Also,  a student who chooses to take AP NSL during freshman year would would be able to take the NSL HSA test in 9th grade. This means that there would be fewer exams for sophomore students to take during the HSAs.

“We’re trying to encourage more students to become involved in AP courses,” said Maslow.  “I think it could be very good training for freshmen if they make the effort.”

Based on Wootton’s reputation, Maslow does not anticipate that freshmen will struggle with the course.

“Students at Wootton who take challenging courses don’t just take them; they do well in them too,” Maslow said. “We’re always looking to have students take more rigorous courses, and it seems to me like it matches students’ skill sets.”[/quote]

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