As the end of the school year rolls in, every sophomore has to choose between taking Advanced Placement English Language and Composition or English 3 during their junior year.

A.P. English Language focuses on the art of rhetoric — a skill that employs language with the intention to persuade an audience. A.P. English Language reforms the way students think, allowing them to articulate their thoughts and ideas more effectively, taking it a step further from the level of analysis students do in English 3.

Upon the departure of last year’s A.P. English Language teachers, Jennifer Wei and Michael Stultz, a new team of A.P. English Language teachers has stepped in to facilitate a strong learning experience for the juniors.

This year, teachers Holly Estrada, Victoria Daniel and Genevieve Thurtle will be taking over. While Daniel has taught the course before, Estrada and Thurtle are teaching it for the first time.

“It’s so fun to get to work with some of the students … that I’ve had before,” Estrada said. “It’s very exciting to … take the foundation from being an English 1 and 2 Advanced Standing teacher] and build on it.”

Estrada and Thurtle will continue to teach freshman English 1 AS, along with English teacher Dena Johnson.
“I see myself as a writing coach,” Thurtle said. “To me … supporting [students’] development as writers and speakers [is really exciting]. I also really appreciate the sophistication of the thinking in A.P. [classes].”

Estrada and Thurtle attended a seminar conducted by the College Board over the summer about teaching A.P. English Language.

“[We discussed] a … very practical approach about what really matters to help students succeed not just on the exam, but to become better, more precise [and] thoughtful writers,” Estrada said.

The new A.P. English Language teachers have updated this year’s curriculum.

“We’re cutting one novel [and there are] some units that I’m not doing [anymore],” Daniel said. “But that is because of the new schedule, which has reduced some instructional time. I’m not going to rush through a book … I’d rather do fewer things [but do them] well.”

This year, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston is replacing Beloved by Toni Morrison as it is shorter in length. There There by Tommy Orange and The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, are still core texts of this year’s course.

“Beloved was a good book,” said senior Lloyd Walter. “I can understand why they replaced it because it was kind of lengthy and it was a little confusing, but I definitely think it was a good book to look at rhetorical devices.”

Additionally, students this year will not be reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

“I was actually looking forward to reading The Great Gatsby because it’s such an iconic [book],” said junior AJ Cruz Parada. “[Everyone reads] The Great Gatsby in high school … I want to know what the story’s about.”

Senior Hannah Hsiao, on the other hand, feels differently about the removal of The Great Gatsby.

“I know a lot of people really like The Great Gatsby, but I [feel] like, There There and Beloved are both focused on minorities and their stories and their struggles,” Hsiao said. “On the contrary, The Great Gatsby is about the struggles of rich people and their love life … It wasn’t as meaningful to me.”

The A.P. English Language teachers hope to ensure their students’ overall growth and development as stronger readers and thinkers.

“I want them to take away the fact that language really matters,” Thurtle said. “It doesn’t matter what kind of writing you do. It has an impact. Language is incredibly powerful and can be used as a tool in … different ways.”

The current bell schedule limits the material the students can delve into. However, the teachers are still focused on developing students’ skills.