AP + Snow=Uh Oh

While many of us students were enjoying the snow-pocalypse, the teachers at T.C. were having panic attacks, especially the AP teachers. Altogether ACPS has missed ten full days of valuable school time. For the AP classes, this is one of the worst things that could have happened.
With the plan to make up lost time still in question, many AP teachers are contemplating the best way to cover all necessary material for the AP exams in early May. The AP exam test dates will not change under any circumstances for any of the subjects, and so far, the three scheduled make up days are all after exams, which is potentially bad news for the students taking the exam. According to AP Biology teacher David Keener, even the best way to make up the lost time will not be enough to prepare the students for the exam. “I am planning on moving at a much faster pace than usual,” said Keener. “This means that there will be more pressure for students to keep up with me, which means the time they put into studying will increase [dramatically].”
Keener also noted that afterschool sessions have been discussed as an alternative to speeding up the class, but if the option became popular amongst teachers, it would become very difficult to schedule sessions for students that are in multiple AP’s and participate in spring sports. Teachers have also had to contemplate skipping over lessons, including labs, in order to cover all other material. This could cause a problem for AP science classes because essays on the exam could potentially include a crucial lab that was skipped over.
Students, in order to help out their teachers, should prepare themselves for a faster pace, and remember that now more than ever studying and cooperation are key factors to success. AP US/VA Government teacher Andrew Orzel has a few helpful suggestions for students. “Students need to be willing to work independently and willing to reach out to teachers for help, and most teachers are willing to help after school. Teachers are just as stressed out as students about preparing for the exams.”