My AP Class has 9 Students!!!!
So two days after writing about how my AP class only had two students, I was delivered seven more today - in the middle of class. With no warning whatsoever, and while I was in the middle of teaching, two counselors brought seven students to my door. A few of the students walked in the room of their own volition, but watching them get the other students into my class was quite the spectacle. A few of the students were resisting the AP class like a cat being held above a tub of water. The counselors ended up literally shoving a few through the door against their will (not exaggerating here).
So ten minutes into my lesson, my lesson was completely shot. There was no way I could continue teaching about the topic I had scheduled when the vast majority of my class had just come out of a non-AP class that had begun the year with industrialization. I scrambled for a new lesson plan and pulled something less than stellar out of nowhere.
So here I am, left with the dilemma of how to catch seven kids up to two kids four weeks into an AP class. I have no idea what I'm going to do, but I'm not entirely happy and neither are the kids. A lot of them just stared at me the whole time, and when I told them how much work the class would be - well, you should have seen their looks of disapproval. This is going to be quite the test.
So ten minutes into my lesson, my lesson was completely shot. There was no way I could continue teaching about the topic I had scheduled when the vast majority of my class had just come out of a non-AP class that had begun the year with industrialization. I scrambled for a new lesson plan and pulled something less than stellar out of nowhere.
So here I am, left with the dilemma of how to catch seven kids up to two kids four weeks into an AP class. I have no idea what I'm going to do, but I'm not entirely happy and neither are the kids. A lot of them just stared at me the whole time, and when I told them how much work the class would be - well, you should have seen their looks of disapproval. This is going to be quite the test.
so what was the reasoning for the reluctant additions? It seems like they have been pulled from regular classes against their will. Was it the counselors or their parents? Weird. Have fun with that. =)
ReplyDeleteIf anyone can draw a cat to water, it's you.
ReplyDeleteThe reason for the reluctant additions (I think) is that the school is REALLY trying to push AP for all. EVERYONE has to take AP English, and I think they'd like everyone to take AP social studies. They're trying to build the program, and I think they know two students is kind of a waste of money. They also have quite the reputation to live up to since 90% of their inner-city population went to college last year. I'm not sure how it will work out. I think these kids want to graduate high school, but they don't want to do AP work. However, if they don't do AP work, they'll have to take the class over again. It's all about raising expectations for urban youth as far as my principal is concered. We'll see if it works.
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