Reply to How is the elimination of APs going for your DC

Forum Index » Private & Independent Schools

Reply to "How is the elimination of APs going for your DC"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Just avoid any school that both has no AP AND doesn't offer the tests.

I think only GDS around here falls into that category.

That way you always have the option to take the test if you want.[/quote]

You can sign up to take tests at Whitman, Churchill and Basis so it's not a big deal.

For anyone who cares, you can ask the teachers what is different about their class vs the AP and most can specifically explain what is different about their class. APs are required to follow a certain order and use AP tests/quizzes. For some private school advanced/upper level classes that replaced APs, the course will cover the AP information, but not on the schedule or using the quizzes/test the AP prescribes. Or they may omit a section in favor of another or add in something extra (ie labs, different novels, extra text books/primary sources, etc). [/quote]

All of the standardized tests have tricks and hacks to get the best score.  Dedicated AP classes will focus on those throughout the year.  It is 99% teaching to the test if they want students to get a 5. Many will take practice tests or do many practice questions so that test day is totally familiar.

A good instructor will hammer those tricks in.  But that's the debate here - is it more important for your DC to learn the test or more about that field of study?

It's close to impossible to do both well, not in the limited time.[/quote]

Our school does not teach to the test and leaves it to the ambitious kids to self teach 'tricks and hacks' if there really are such things.[/quote]

Our school teaches them but does it after school or during Saturday sessions in April so that the class time is spent productively. It’s possible to do both.[/quote]

Same.  Many of our cover them either throughout the year as part of exams or in fourth quarter right before the exam.

Also, teachers determine the syllabus for an AP class. Sure there is a framework of topics/materials that need to be covered, but that is true for most standard courses in HS.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics