Changes

Of course I think that people should stop smoking in the bathrooms and that traffic jams in the hallways are too abundant. But the Henry Clay faculty presumably tries to stop these problems from occurring. Obviously, this has been to no avail, and I'm afraid that the students are doomed to these annoyances until we graduate our senior year. However, I think that some changes can be made to ensure a healthier school experience, particularly in the more rigorous classes. Primarily, I speak of making AP classes more AP-oriented. If these classes are designed to gauge the student's preparedness for college, then shouldn't they be more reflective of the college experience? AP courses shouldn't be about assigning six times more homework; it should be about letting the student exhibit his or her independence and learn the material themselves, with the teacher functioning as a catalyst. Two classes I can think of that really put the responsibility in the student's hands are Mr. Pope's AP U.S. History course and Mrs. Minor's AP Chemistry course. Most days, the classes simply involve taking notes and digesting whatever the teacher says, similar to college. However, you will not score highly on the exams if you don't read the book or some online notes, also similar to college. These classes effectively mirror college education, and as such, they serve as accurate determinations of the student's college readiness. Fewer AP classes should utilize the "beat-the-material-into-their-skulls" approach. Only then will they serve their true purpose: to measure college aptitude.