AP Summer Institute

AP U.S. History

July 21-24, 2008
8:00am - 5:00pm

Bill Polasky has taught history for 15 years - currently at Stillman Valley High School in Stillman Valley, Illinois where he is Lead Teacher for Social Sciences. He has been an AP* U.S. History Examination Reader for the past nine years, and will be a Table Leader at the Exam Reading again this year. Bill holds two BA degrees and an MA from Northern Illinois University, and recently earned his National Board Professional Teaching Standards Master Teacher Certification. He established the AP* History program at Stillman Valley and serves as a National Consultant to the College Board.

This workshop is geared to both experienced and new AP* U.S. History teachers. The course emphasizes methodology, the delivery of content, course design, and lesson implementation. Participants in this workshop will be able to design new or revise syllabi for AP* U.S. History courses. Key goals of particular attention in this workshop include: sharing strategies, pedagogy, educational philosophies, and frameworks associated with successful American History courses. AP* teachers establish familiarity with the wide range of multifaceted resources available to them and gain awareness of systematic avenues for improving student reasoning and writing skills. Objective and essay questions from past exams will be reviewed and testing strategies discussed with special focus on primary sources and the DBQ.

Check back for class syllabus.

* College Board, AP and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. Used with permission