In 2015, I (somewhat last minute) found out I would be teaching AP Chemistry. I was pretty excited for the challenge but not feeling super prepared. I signed up for the only AP Summer Institute I could find that still had openings. It turned out to just be a four day problem-solving session and was not super useful. The main message I left the institute with was, "don't expect any of your kids to pass the test the first year."
And I thought, "Yeah okay but that doesn't apply to me because 1) I work really hard and 2) I am going to be following the curriculum and pacing of a veteran AP Chemistry teacher who would be teaching the other section that year!” Admittedly, this is a pretty unique experience.
As the 2015-2016 year went on we moved through the material really quickly and had over a month before the test to do review and take practice tests. At this point, I wasn't sure about my students' understanding and throughout the year I had encountered a lot of classroom management issues that I didn't expect out of AP students. Still, when the test results came out that July, I was surprised that not a single one of my students had passed. I was disappointed--but not in them.
Last year, I had a lot more confidence in the material, I incorporated design projects, inquiry, more practice, more feedback, and we slowed down! At the end of the year I knew students would pass. Even if the test is really hard, when students understand the material they should do well, right? Maybe some would even get 4s. They deserved it. I deserved it.
Then July came. Once again, there was not a single passing score in my class. Admittedly, the other class only had one student pass. Despite all the confidence I had in May, I found myself questioning: which is a better indicator of what my students know? That impossible test? Or my own observations and assessments? I even began to wonder: do I have enough experience to be trusted to properly prepare and assess my students?
I know that when it comes to a high-stakes, 3+ hour test, there is more at play that just whether or not students understand the material. Looking ahead to the 2017-2018 year, I know that I could teach more to the test, do less inquiry, and teach more test-taking strategies. I know I could do these things, but I would have to sacrifice some of the things I know to be best practices when it comes to helping students understand chemistry. Last year, I regularly gave students upwards of 30 minutes to work on free-response questions in groups. They asked each other questions, argued about their answers, and eventually reached conclusions I knew they understood. This is science. I know that when it comes to these questions on the test, they are expected to answer (alone) in about 10 minutes. If I change these practices, maybe more students will pass and maybe not, but am I really helping them beyond the test?
