AP history and classical don't mesh?

[Chez J]

In looking at the AP history courses, it seems that one would have to abandon the four-year cycle of history we WTMers like so much. Have you managed to stick to it still? If so, what texts did you use to do that?

Lesley

[transientChris]

WHile my oldest did do his high school in the 4 year manner and it worked well for him, we abandon that with our younger girls who one did the 4 year cycle once as a logic stage and the other one is on her second rotation. WIth our second, medical issues called for a change and with our third, she likes textbooks and will be doing those instead.

[st_claire]

I would think one would be able to ace the AP history test if one followed the WTM. What areas of the test do you feel are not covered?

[Chez J]

The courses are AP World History, AP European History and AP American History. World history covers 500 AD to present (but can go earlier); European History covers 1500 to present. So, you can't go from say Ancient Egypt to the fall of Rome one year, then Middle Ages and Reformation the next year, etc.

The test could be passed by a student following TWTM, I agree. It's the courses that I am looking at.

Lesley

[st_claire]

Do you need to follow their courses to take the test? I thought anyone could take the test and get credit.

[FloridaLisa]

Good question. I would imagine it would be a good deal of work to mesh the two. From what I've seen and experienced with AP courses, they are fact-driven. There is a tremendous amount of information that the student must be able to recall and synthesize for the AP exam. TWTM, during the high school years, is literature driven. As set forth in the book, the student creates a context page and researches the history behind the literature, but it's not nearly as fact-heavy.

Lisa

[meet me in paris]

Do you need to follow their courses to take the test? I thought anyone could take the test and get credit.

My understanding is that anyone can take the test and get credit, but you cannot list "AP World History" as a course on their transcript unless they actually take an AP-accredited course with an AP syllabus.

Does that make sense? :glare:

[Chez J]

Good question. I would imagine it would be a good deal of work to mesh the two. From what I've seen and experienced with AP courses, they are fact-driven. There is a tremendous amount of information that the student must be able to recall and synthesize for the AP exam. TWTM, during the high school years, is literature driven. As set forth in the book, the student creates a context page and researches the history behind the literature, but it's not nearly as fact-heavy.

Lisa

Hmm. Could I do TWTM method as literature instead of history, since it literature based?

Lesley

[st_claire]

My understanding is that anyone can take the test and get credit, but you cannot list "AP World History" as a course on their transcript unless they actually take an AP-accredited course with an AP syllabus.

Does that make sense? :glare:


Why would that matter so long as you have the test results?

[Chez J]

The AP designation is owned by the AP college board. You have to have them certify your syllabus to legally call it AP. They will approve a homeschooler's syllabus, but you have to submit it for approval.

[FloridaLisa]

Why would that matter so long as you have the test results?

Some of the schools we have looked at use AP two different ways. The AP (or IB or dual-enrollment) designation allows the student to weight the grade earned in the course -- Florida universities and colleges will add 1.0. For grade weighting, the student would have to have the AP designation. The AP test score is used by Florida schools to award college credit. The AP class designation isn't important for college credit; just the AP test score. That's my understanding at this point.

Lisa