Why AP Tests Don’t Stimulate Curiosity or Passion
If you’re a parent of a high school student, you’re probably counting the days until the last AP test. Kids are stressed out about taking these standardized tests that they think will make or break their chances of getting into a great college. First of all, colleges now realize the dilemma they’ve caused by encouraging students to take AP classes, and they’re retracting their previous admissions rubrics. What really bothers me about AP courses is how they’re taught and what students do to ensure a score of 4 or 5 (on a scale of 1-5). AP classes instill the antithesis of what education and learning is all about.
Teachers require students to memorize textbooks, workbooks, readers, flashcards, and other materials and drill the students starting on the first day of classes in August and continue until late April. The teachers only cover what is expected to be on the test so students don’t have the opportunity to research or engage in interesting discussions about the subject matter. As a matter of fact, students pressure their teachers to stay focused and only teach what they absolutely need to learn. When teachers add interesting stories as a tangent to the core material covered in class, students and their parents actually complain. Huh? It’s really a high-stakes game for everyone. Students need to score high for their college applications and the school evaluates the teachers based on how well the students score on the AP tests.
One of my clients created a formula to memorize the years each US president held office (really?) and then an acronym to memorize the presidents’ party affiliations (does this need to be memorized?). “Good” teachers give extra credit points to students who get 100% on the presidents test. So both teachers and students hyper focus on memorizing names, dates, places, and events. Parents and students love “good” teachers because they organize a fail-proof plan to ensure that the students memorize all of the information and prepare them to answer the multiple-choice questions. They require students to write “AP” essays and memorize terms.
The students neither have time nor interest in learning anything that is not covered on the test. It kind of reminds me of the Chinese education system. With classes of up to 80 students, the teachers only teach concepts that can be drilled and memorized. Students don’t conduct research or do any type of analysis simply because the teachers couldn’t grade it. Teachers don’t ask analytical questions or require students to speculate or solve philosophical, political or social issues. This type of education certainly doesn’t inspire students to create, solve, or imagine.
Our kids need to explore concepts and delve deep into the sciences and humanities. At Merit Academy, our full-time students aren’t allowed to take AP classes because we want them to learn the material without wasting the entire year preparing for a standardized test. The universities appreciate the depth and breadth covered in our Honors courses and our students aren’t penalized for not taking a zillion AP classes. Learning should be fun and interesting. It breaks my heart to hear so many kids tell me they hate English, history, or the sciences. AP classes are destroying curiosity and innovation.