AP Euro was most definitely a positive experience overall, though that is not to say there weren't many a nights that I would have rather taken a zero than finish an assignment. It was a very dense class that covered a considerable amount of history in more detail than past history classes. I liked the class because Mrs. Salz tried her best to make each day different and entertaining. There were very few periods, if any, that were just lecturing, and there were several days that she planned fun activities with us that still stick out. She gave us food so I'll never forget the stages of the Thirty Years war. I also noticed that Mrs. Salz took an interest in every one of us and did her best to make sure that everyone was involved and felt included. We really did become our own little AP Euro family and out of all the APs I took this year I felt like this class bonded the most. I also enjoyed having class discussions about a period or event in history where everyone had to make an input. I felt like I learned the most during those discussions. I will say, though, I was not a fan of the reading checks. The quizzes themselves weren't horrible, but the reading is dense and the font is smaller than a typical textbook and the chapters averaged to about thirty pages each. I also didn't really like the Socratic seminars, especially since people were required to talk x amount of times and graded on the quality of their input. I do see the value in the seminars, however I felt like certain people ended up dominating the discussions, every time, and other people had a hard time finding a break in the rhetoric to chime in. Though I loved this class and learned a lot from it, one suggestion for improvement would be to have more timed, in class individual writing assignments. I felt the least confident on the written portion of the exam, and some of my friends mentioned that they struggled with it as well. Written assignments may not be the most enjoyable however the practice is invaluable on the exam. Overall, though, Mrs. Salz is a great person and the best AP Euro teacher I could have asked for!
SURVIVAL GUIDE TO AP EURO:
1. Time Management: Do not wait until the day before a reading check is due before you start the chapter. It's very dense material that you will have to know for both the quiz and the exam, and what you put into the class is what you will get out of it. I recommend dividing the amount of pages you have to read by the amount of days you have to do the assignment which will give you how many pages you should read a day. I did this and found that the reading was a lot more manageable.
2. Take Notes: Take notes on everything. You will have a lot of in-class discussions about what you're learning about, and Mrs. Salz will write stuff down on the board as the class talks. Write it down, even if you never look at it again because it'll help the information stick in your brain more.
3. Corrections: Whenever you have the opportunity, correct your reading checks. They will be the lowest grades you have ever gotten in your entire life. A lot of kids at the top of the class aren't prepared for the kinds of grades they will get in this class, but don't be embarrassed because everyone else failed too. Mrs. Salz lets you correct your reading checks and you get half the points back. It'll help you understand what you got wrong and you will get something out of correcting the quiz besides points back.
4. Group Work: Do your part. Don't be the guy that everybody hates to work with because you don't pull your weight. It'll only hurt you in the long run and it will make your classmates frustrated if you don't do you work. And don't wait until the last minute either. Be considerate that your classmates have a life outside of school between family events, work, and athletics. Communicate with them and follow through with what you say you'll do.
5. Participate: Don't be afraid to participate in class, even if you get the information wrong! Believe me, nobody really cares that you got Louis IV and Louis VI confused, or couldn't remember that Anglicanism was started by an English king. If you participate and get it wrong, you'll retain that information better for the next quiz or exam. Seriously, don't be self conscious in this class or any class, for that matter. You're in school for you and your learning, not to impress your classmates. You're taking the class because you don't know the material, not because you're the expert. Speak up and don't be bashful when you get things wrong!
6. Plan Ahead: Mrs. Salz gives you a calendar at the beginning of every month with all the assignments and reading checks for the whole month. We are all busy people. If you know you have a sporting event the night before a test or reading check, do the work in advance. Mrs. Salz is good about giving extensions, so if you really need it, advocate for yourself and she is likely to give you one. However don't take advantage of her kindness because she won't want to work with you in the future.
Regardless of whether or not AP Euro is your first AP, this is a very rigorous and demanding course. However, it is very doable even if you are taking several other APs and are involved in sports and other clubs. The key is time management and making good use of class time, whether it be being focused on the classwork, taking notes, or actively participating in the conversation. The more you do in class is the less work and studying you'll have to do at home. Take the class one day at at time. You got it!
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