Dear Parent or Guardian,
Welcome to the Advanced Placement program at Technical High School. AP World History is the first of many opportunities for your child to be academically challenged during his/her time at Tech. The entire program has been very successful in challenging and preparing students for the rigors of college academics. The AP® World History course provides a lens through which to understand history and a foundation from which to view the complexities of today's global arena. Its emphasis on encounters and interactions provides a framework that is especially important. The general contours of our AP World History course, in terms of content covered and skills developed, are shaped by the six themes and the "habits of mind" that are outlined in the Course Description provided by the College Board. These overarching themes and the habit of mind foster critical thinking and encourage students to develop their own abilities and to truly be part of the learning process. The course, which adopts the periodization approach to analyzing global events and interactions from the foundations of history to the present, is designed to challenge students to become critical thinkers with a broader knowledge base of world history. One goal for the course is to provide an engaging and rigorous curriculum that motivates students. The long-term objective is for students to demonstrate an understanding of how the big picture of world history assists in understanding the complexities of today's global arena. Additionally, it is expected that students who wish to take the AP Exam will be prepared for that challenge. It is my hope that you will continue to support your child in her/his academic career. In the past parents have asked what they can do to help their child. The main difference you will notice is the level of reading necessary for success in this class. The quantity as well as the reading difficulty level will be noticeably more challenging than previously encountered by students. As a result, most will struggle initially and may need your support. I suggest the following guidelines:
1. Review the readings with your child in casual conversation.
2. Assist your child with reading management and homework schedule.
-Help establish some short term and long-term goals. Take breaks.
-I support a strict regiment, but do not typically give daily reading assignments. Students know their schedule better than I do, I am asking for your help in managing their time. Please help you child review the material, challenge him/her to improve the reading time, possibly keeping track of how many pages in an hour are read, and making it a game to see if the rate per hour can be improved. This helps maintain focus on the material as well.
-It is my expectation that students should be reading for an hour a night.
3. Help find and maintain a proper balance of studying, eating, physical activity, and sleep.
4. Do not do the work for them.
This class will also have exams that will consist of essay and multiple-choice portions. I have attached several items for your information. They include: Study Hints, Reading Hints, and Test Preparation Hints. I also suggest independent study groups, which develops a camaraderie that allows for the development of different views and mutual support between the students, especially as they prepare for the national exam. The final attached item is a letter of excerpts from last year's AP World students who wrote to this years class, detailing how to be successful in the class. Please contact me if I can be of further help. Thank you, and I look forward to a great year.
Respectfully, Kazimir Gazdzik