The new Magnet bundle of joy
Magnet sophomore practice presentations, one of the key components of AP Seminar. The bundle prepares the students for their junior year and obtain more AP credits to benefit their GPAs. “[This is] a true collaborative bundle,” Mrs. Theaker said. “It is hopefully going to provide a really wonderful sort of basis for writing and research going forward for these Magnet students.”
September 19, 2017
The Magnet sophomores’ schedules changed this school year, transitioning to add in a new class called AP Seminar taught by Jenna Essenburg bundled with AP English Language by Lindsay Theaker.
“It’s been a seamless process, and I think students see us as one team, one goal,” Theaker said.
Previously, Magnet sophomores took World Literature and Chemistry bundled together to help students become better prepared for Advanced Scientific Research (ASR) in the near future. The AP Seminar and AP Lang bundle replaced World Literature and Chemistry. Sophomores still take Chemistry, but only as a single semester class.
“I like to think that Mrs. Essenburg and I are very supportive teachers, and having us year long helps build better relationships [with students],” Theaker said.
The sophomores’ new class, AP Seminar, works on writing and presentations, the exact skills needed, and previously untaught, for ASR. It will also undergo a name change to AP Scientific Research next school year.
AP Seminar, an advanced placement class, comes with heightened difficulty to rival that of a college class, but this year, students manage their classes well with help from their teachers. Eventually, the AP credit will benefit the GPA of the student and make them more appealing to colleges during the application process.
“Lots of students say that they feel really supported and aren’t overly stressed out and that their writing has already improved,” Theaker said.
Pushing for success, the AP Seminar teachers work hard to see their students prepare for the leap to junior year while also learning new writing techniques and how to efficiently use them.
Mrs. Essenburg truly captures the AP Seminar experience with her thoroughly decorated classroom full of writing tips and tricks. Posters litter the room and add character to the classroom, offering ideas to stimulate creativity. “It has been a very seamless process for the both of us. Mrs. Essenburg and I are also very close and aligned with how we sort of view education as well, and so I think that we have some similar teaching philosophies and I think that kids sort of see us as one team, one goal.” Mrs. Theaker said.
