OXFORD, Miss. – Teachers, administrators, counselors and
coordinators from across the region are to gather at the
University of Mississippi in July to gain insight and
direction on implementing and conducting successful
Advanced Placement programs in their school districts.
The third annual UM Advanced Placement Summer Institute
includes two sessions for teachers and a new session for
administrators.
Session One for teachers runs July 7-11 and features Pre-AP
Vertical Team English, Pre-AP Vertical Team Mathematics,
Pre-AP Vertical Team Science, Pre-AP Vertical Team Social
Studies, Spanish Language, and U.S. Government and
Politics.
Session Two for teachers runs July 21-25 and features
Calculus AB, U.S. History, English Literature/Composition
and English Language/Composition.
The APSI provides teachers with an overview of the
curriculum structure and content of specific AP courses.
Teachers not only focus on developing AP curriculum for
their own schools, but they also hone their teaching
skills. Particular attention is to be given to the
relationship of the APSI workshop to the AP exam.
Session Three is a new session for administrators,
counselors and coordinators. Slated for July 28-30, this
session, taught by College Board staff and consultants,
provides attendees with the knowledge to develop, manage,
coach and coordinate successful Advanced Placement
programs. The institute is designed for those with all
levels of experience.
“We are eager to bring educators and administrators to the
APSI at Ole Miss,” said Mary Leach, AP Summer Institute
coordinator in the Division of Outreach and Continuing
Education. “We not only want to create a beneficial
learning environment for them, but we also hope to have a
hand in the enhancement of student high school
curriculums,” Leach said.
Fees for each session include a $50 non-refundable deposit,
as well as $550 tuition per person (add $25 for Pre-AP VT
Science). Discounts are available to vertical teams of four
or more teachers from the same school district. The tuition
fee includes the cost of instruction, packet and all
training supplies, four lunches, one special dinner, breaks
and breakfast refreshments. Tuition does not include
housing, but teachers are encouraged to stay at the Inn at
Ole Miss. Most workshops reach capacity enrollment early.
For more information, contact Mary Leach at 662-915-7847 or
mleach@olemiss.edu or go to
http://www.outreach.olemiss.edu/ProfDev/teacher/apinstitute.html.
Both new and experienced teachers are encouraged to attend
the workshops to gain knowledge of course content and learn
teaching skills and classroom strategies necessary to
prepare students for the AP exam and college success.
“These teachers will learn how to teach the analytical
skills that are necessary for college level work,” said
Lynne Murchison, director of credit programs for the
Division of Outreach and Continuing Education. Murchison
has 25 years experience teaching AP English literature and
composition, and she prepared the equivalent online class
for the university’s Independent Study High School.
“AP teachers are trying to raise the level of student
thinking,” she said. “They are teaching students how to
problem solve, and how to analyze, synthesize and evaluate
information.”
The new session for administrators, counselors and
coordinators is also expected to be well received.
“We had an overwhelming number of requests from teachers
attending last year’s APSI for training session for their
principals and counselors,” Leach said. “We felt that there
was a genuine need to bring the staff from the College
Board to assist in training administrators, counselors and
coordinators. This session has been offered for the past
two years in Alabama at Auburn and at the University of
Alabama, but to my knowledge, this is the first year this
type of training is being offered through a summer
institute in Mississippi.”
To learn more about Outreach and Continuing Studies, visit http://www.outreach.olemiss.edu/.