Many AP U.S. History students find themselves walking to Mr. Keith Baker’s room after school several days a week. Prominent historical figures line the walls, as well as a poster outlining the different components of the AP exam, which he credits to his wife.
When I first printed out my 27-page review guide in January, I actually felt scared for the first time. Half the bullet points on the review guide had gone in one ear and out the other, so I was pretty much toast. I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of resources out there, and sometimes I still don’t even know where to start: insert Mr. Baker’s review sessions.
Every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of the school week, Mr. Baker invites all APUSH students to join him in A248 until 2:20. At each review session, he goes over anywhere from one to three periods of the APUSH curriculum and all at light’s speed.
“Reviews with Mr. Baker helps me refresh and reinforce my memory with the content we have been learning over the past year,” junior Ethan Turner said.
Turner, an APUSH student under the newly-appointed Ms. Erin Kloster, notes that he “isn’t used to” Mr. Baker’s speed of teaching.
Mr. Baker focuses his time on lecturing both in his classroom and after school. After teaching APUSH for several years, he seems to really “have a handle on it,” according to junior Maya Sundar.
Mr. Baker proudly states that simply by being in his class, students are guaranteed a 50% pass rate, and by attending review sessions, that goes up to 58%.
On the other hand, many students are encouraged to study on their own. Junior Gabriella Hill has attended several of Mr. Baker’s review sessions, but turns to external resources as well.
“Mr. Baker’s review sessions have been very helpful and he provides a great summary of the content that reinforces ideas,” Hill said. “On my own time, I’ve been watching Heimler’s History videos and started the 30-day study plan that he provides.”
Heimler’s History, a YouTube account run by Steve Heimler, is dedicated to helping APUSH student’s optimize their learning and reviews all the chapters in the curriculum.
Although I’m not nearly as committed as Hill, I’ve watched my fair share of Heimler videos. He’s able to provide a free 30-day plan, as Hill notes, and a full series of video notes for purchase. Heimler is able to cater specifically to students’ needs and recognizes the low attention spans of our age group. His videos typically range anywhere from four to 30 minutes.
As the exam looms on May 10, both APUSH teachers and online resources encourage you to begin studying. There’s no designated strategy, so the myriad of options reflect the diversity of students’ learning styles. No matter the outlet or resource, students are expected to begin their studying strategy now. In the end, the hope is that you walk into the exam with your shoulders high and your mind full.
