By Brian Pham, Staff Writer
For most students at FVHS, AP European History (AP Euro) is their first or second encounter with an AP exam, but this is not the case at other schools. Other schools such as Marina High School and Westminster High School offer AP World History (AP World) as their AP history class for sophomores instead of AP Euro. But while this is the case at other schools, FVHS has its own reason for choosing to teach AP Euro.
In AP Euro there is less material to cover than in AP World. AP Euro covers the history of the European continent from 1500 CE to the present, while AP World covers the history of the entire world from 800 BC to the present.
Having less information to cover before the AP Exam in May allows teachers to prep students better for the exam, says Social Studies Department Chair Julie Chaicharee.
“Our AP European teachers have a solid foundation in the subject and our students score very well on the test. In fact the national pass rate on the last test was 58% and FVHS pass rate is 87%. Our AP European teachers eat, sleep and breathe the subject, and are adept in having our students truly understand themes, concepts and writing requirements.” said Chaicharee. “AP Euro has been a standing tradition at FVHS for decades, and as such allows teachers to have a solid foundation for teaching it.”
However, in AP Euro there are also opportunities to learn about other cultures outside of Europe. After the AP exam, students can discover different parts of the globe through collaborative history projects that allow them to explore some of the content of AP World.
“Doing so, our students will be exposed to not only the course of AP Euro, but also the history of the world through of their own choosing,” said Chaicharee.
Chaicharee also recommends that students who feel the need to learn more about the rest of world take World Geography Honors (AP World Geography).
“It is not just about maps, it’s designed for the strongly motivated, academically curious students who are interested in the global community, exploring social, political economic, political and environmental issues,” said Chaicharee. “The course is designed to inform our students of the world we live in and the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding through the lens of geography.”
