The intent of this weeklong workshop in AP World History is to introduce the basic strategies, pace, and content of the course to teachers new to the program and to discuss essay evaluative procedures, note-taking suggestions, and recruitment thoughts for the more experienced teachers. Topics discussed will be determined, in part, by the needs of the workshop participants but typically include the following:
- The New Format: The extent to which your course needs to be “overhauled” or “tweaked” will be discussed with an emphasis on how the test has changed
- Textbook Selection: Different publishers will supply an assortment of textbooks for your perusal
- The Acorn Book: College Board says its what you need to successfully teach the course
- To Lecture or Not: There are alternatives: to what extent do you have to repeat what the text already says?
- Note Taking Strategies: Most of your students don’t know how to do it. This workshop has several suggestions that will get your kids beyond Cornell and make the textbook relevant.
- Is The Course a Stairwell, an Elevator, or an Escalator: One is too slow, one is too exclusive, and one is just right for you! Let’s talk pace.
- When Do You Hold Their Hand and When Do You Grab Their Throat: After all, It is A.P....and sometimes they have to just do it!
- Essays, Essays, and More Essays! Strategies, evaluative techniques, and rubrics. How do they evaluate them in Salt Lake City and how should you evaluate them in your school? You will read and we will evaluate.
- To Review Or Not: You better do it. And this workshop will have some tried-and-true ideas, including test-taking strategies, graphic organizers, and review terms.
- Sample Lesson Plans: A smorgasbord of lesson plans, some requiring as little as 5 minutes to prepare will be modeled with the idea of melding content with skills.
- The Nine Commandments of Teaching AP History: This is no return from the mountain but in reading for the College Board since the 1980s, I have put together a philosophy that might be worth sharing. I know they served me well over the years.
Besides the above, a dvd will be provided with best practices, sample essays and essay responses, multiple choice guidelines, and much more. Participants are asked to bring a thumbdrive and a copy of their classroom text.
