English with Mrs. Lamp

AP Lit teachers want everybody to hit the ground running if at all possible. We know there are often quite a few schedule changes during the first week (or two) of school, especially when kids aren’t fully aware of what AP Lit entails. Clearly, that’s not good for anybody. We don’t want kids missing instruction in the class they eventually switch to, and we’d like to cut down on roster changes all around. For these reasons, I’m advocating an honest first-day chat with our AP Lit classes.

I use a simple Self-Assessment PowerPoint. This approach ensures students are in the right place from the start, or at least from day two onward (which is a huge improvement over schedule changes in week 2 or 3!).

You can easily make one yourself & see what a game-changer it is! Here’s what to discuss:

1. Clarify Your Expectations: By addressing responsibility, skills, interests, and mindset, you can paint a clear picture of what AP Lit demands. Students can then honestly assess if they’re ready for the challenge.
2. Promote Self-Reflection: Ask specific questions to encourage deep, insightful thinking about academic habits and aptitudes. This metacognitive exercise is good for your high-level learners to practice, and it has a practical purpose, too. Ask them to think about whether they typically enjoy literary reading & writing. Whether they typically do their readings and homework or not. Whether they want to be in a rigorous & challenging course like AP Lit…
3. Foster a Growth Mindset: Discuss how best to face challenges and handle feedback, setting the tone for a year of continuous improvement, resilience, and coachability.
4. Emphasize Participation: Highlight the importance of active engagement so you can prepare students for the dynamic, discussion-based nature of AP Literature & Composition class.
5. Manage Expectations: Addressing homework load upfront helps students realistically consider their ability to commit to the course. Use this time on day one to have them really THINK about whether they are ready for the time & energy commitment AP Lit represents.

A well-planned presentation like this for DAY ONE of AP Lit will help you break down the complex expectations of AP Lit into manageable parts for the kids to digest. The students who truly want to be there will be excited and ready for the challenge, while the ones who are in over their heads will be prompted to speak to you or the counselor about their schedule, ASAP. Just be sure to warn them that some kids overthink or talk themselves out of a good thing when AP really is the RIGHT place for them; tell them that if they think that may be them, they should speak with you or their previous year’s English teacher about the decision before dropping the class!

By implementing an “Is AP Right for You” chat on day one, you’re not just helping unmotivated and unprepared students get themselves into the more appropriate schedule choice – you’re also empowering everyone in the class to take ownership of their learning journey from the start. Everyone can see and understand what’s to come and what the class will be like and require.

If you’re ready to add something easy to your first day that will stop late-in-the-game schedule changes and set up ALL of your students for success, implement this self-assessment strategy DAY ONE!