Teachers expand A.P. program knowledge with crash courses

High school teachers take summer classes too.
The University Summer Session is partnering with the College Board this summer to present the Summer Advanced Placement Institute, a program aimed at helping current or prospective high school Advanced Placement teachers to satisfy the growing demand for Advanced Placement courses.
“This is the second year we’ve run a more extensive Advanced Placement Institute. However, the English Language and Literature Advanced Placement Institute is a program that has been happening for quite a few years,” said Bernadette Power, program coordinator for the Summer Advanced Placement Institute.
The success of last summer’s program led to the addition of courses for more A.P. programs, including studio art, human geography and Spanish language, she said.
Power said this year’s program will take place in two sessions, one from July 13-17 and one from July 27-31.
The Institute will be held at the University Inn and Conference Center on Douglass campus, where instructors and out-of-state participants will stay, Power said.
For the first time, participants are offered the option of earning up to three graduate-level credits or 30 hours of professional development upon completion of the program, she said.
Power said the program gives teachers the chance to advance in their careers.
“Many of them are either Rutgers graduates or were drawn by the Rutgers name,” she said. “Now with the offering of graduate credit, it’s becoming more popular.”
School of Arts and Sciences sophomore Rebecca Lullio said she took an A.P. English Language and Literature class in high school, but she feels she was not challenged as much as she could have been.
“I think that this program can be a benefit to teachers looking to improve their curriculum,” she said.
The attending instructors are high school A.P. teachers who are accredited with the College Board, Power said.
“Many of the instructors are readers for the A.P. exams, as well. They gather in their respective disciplines, read exams and grade them,” she said.
Power said this gives the teachers information about the students’ abilities who take the exam and where they need to improve.
Both new and experienced teachers are invited to attend the Institute, Power said.
“The teachers are so dedicated. It’s nice to see that they care about their students and want to see them succeed,” she said.
School of Arts and Sciences junior Alexandra Bancroft said A.P. classes challenge students, but a great teacher can make the experience worthwhile.
“It’s great that Rutgers recognizes this and is working to make it more of a reality,” she said.
Power said last summer’s Advanced Placement Institute had 83 A.P. teachers in attendance.
“We hope that last year’s participants came away with a positive experience at Rutgers and brought that back to their students,” she said.