What to Expect:
Successful Pre-AP student are task-oriented, proficient readers who prioritize their time and have parental support in their educationala endeavors. While quality of material and instruction is stressed over quantity, students and parents should be aware that this course does include more units covered at a faster pace than a regular class.
The Pre-AP Difference:
In my classroom, most of what makes a Pre-AP class different from the non-Pre-AP class is the level of discussion that comes from the students. Much of what happens in my class will be discussion among student, guided by the teacher. I might bring the same piece of literature to three different classes in one day, but I will still do three very different things in all three casses because the students will take the discussion to different places.
Since I believe that the learning happens in the struggle, I will bring my students a problem and ask them to solve it. Each different class might come up with a different solution to the same problem. The solution itself is not really what we're after. It's the learning that happens as students work together to find the best solution they can. It's the learning that somes when we have to offer evidence in support of our ideas. So it might appear as if my classes are often doing the same things, but each group of students --whether it's a Pre-AP group or not-- has a different personality and a different chemistry all it's own.
As we will be working on higher-level thinking skills, these students may be required to do more of their reading at home, especially AR reading, to give us the additional small group time needed for our activiites.