AP Euro may be reinstated for 2012-13 school year

After 92 juniors expressed interest, the social studies department has decided once again to offer an Advanced Placement European History course.

The course will be taught by social studies teacher Jerry Sheehy, who taught the class three years ago. AP Euro ran for a year before interest petered out and only 20 students signed up.

“We didn’t talk about it in our AP classes,” social studies teacher Matt Torrens said. “We just assumed kids were going to sign up, but they didn’t. This year and last year, we’ve been talking about it, so kids are more aware.”

In order to increase participation, the social studies department began taking polls to see if students would be interested in the course if it were to be reintroduced into the curriculum. Torrens said that the informal surveys yielded 111 requests for AP Euro last year, and 92 this year. Despite the level of interest shown, the class will not be offered unless students actually sign up for it in the spring.

According to assistant principal Brian Safine, the course must be submitted to the College Board as a reinstated class.

AP Euro covers material from the Renaissance up to around the 1980s.

“It’s a slightly different path than you take in World History,” Sheehy said. “Different things are emphasized. You go into greater depth, as far as things that are happening in Europe.”

Sheehy said AP Euro thoroughly explores historical figures such as German chancellor Otto von Bismarck, French emperor and president Napoleon III and artist-inventor Leonardo da Vinci.

“There’s definitely more social history,” Sheehy said. “I enjoyed teaching the class because it was fun material and had a different take. We get to dig in a little deeper into some interesting figures, because your sole focus here is European history.”

Junior Michelle Chan is looking forward to taking the class after her experience in World History.
“I’m excited to take AP Euro,” she said. “I really enjoyed history last year and it would be interesting to focus on Europe with all its dictators and wars.”

Although students may relate AP Euro to sophomore World History, Sheehy stresses that AP Euro is “a demanding class.”

“The writing is different from what you do in APUS history. It’s more demanding in AP Euro, if that’s possible. There’s a lot of writing and reading, because it’s a college class,” Sheehy said.

To keep students engaged while learning about different leaders in Europe, Sheehy hopes to limit the use of lecture style of teaching and instead utilize other strategies; for example, a trial involving Bismarck would explore the “cunning, ruthless, master of realpolitik.”

Junior Deepak Ravikumar is interested in combining his skills from World History and APUSH in next year’s AP Euro course.

“I think by the time students are juniors, they’ve learned some of the content in AP Euro from sophomore year,” Ravikumar said. “Then, by senior year, they’ve learned the style of taking notes and studying for a social studies AP class like APUSH.”

Because AP Euro is not a class that students can take in place of U.S. government, Sheehy suggests that interested students should talk to their counselors as they figure out their schedules.

Senior Mishi Maniar was disappointed that she didn’t have the opportunity to take the class.

“I am extremely interested in learning the perspectives for both sides rather than just what we learned in APUSH. I would have loved to learn about the Renaissance periods and medieval times,” said Maniar.

A challenge that Sheehy faced when teaching AP Euro was finding a correct balance for his students.

“You’re trying to prepare them for the AP test, but at the same time many students will say that they are not taking the course solely for the credit. They’re taking it because they’re truly interested in European history,” Sheehy said. “I’m always trying to aim for that 50/50, so it’s not all about the test.”

Sheehy’s first AP Euro was comprised of mainly seniors and some juniors, the majority of whom stayed motivated throughout the year.

“Hopefully, there may even be enough interest for two classes,” Sheehy said. “I loved teaching AP Euro. It was great. I really enjoyed the subject matter and I’m looking forward to teaching it again.”