This past July, I had the opportunity to take part in the College Board's AP Summer Institute at Auburn University for the AP English Language and Composition course. AP Summer Institutes provide insights into the AP curriculum, AP exams and also aim to provide materials for teachers. As I am teaching AP Lang this year, this program was ideal in providing a solid foundation from which I can design and teach the course.
The course was run by an experienced AP Lang teacher from Arkansas with a profound online presence on YouTube and TikTok. Well known for providing impressive materials and thorough instructions, Coach Hall was able to share valuable lesson plans, handouts, and insights into what is successful and interesting for students in the AP Lang classroom. For instance, she shared a detailed unit on introducing and practicing rhetorical analysis. More specifically, the introduction to the rhetorical situation using Nike commercials is something I will definitely implement in the class this year. The Institute also provided a forum to exchange materials with other teachers.
In addition to being a source for materials, the APSI explained in detail the different parts of the AP Lang Exam. As a first-time teacher of this course, this information was invaluable. We examined each part of the test by looking at past examples and were able to practice grading the exam, which allowed us to calibrate our own grading with the different rubrics of the College Board. For example, for the free-response question section, we looked at the rhetorical analysis prompt and example essays from two years ago on an excerpt from a memoir. We also looked at recent examples from the synthesis section and the argumentation section. I will certainly integrate all of these aspects into my course as I help to prepare students for the exam in May.
All-in-all, this summer institute was an intensive course which gave me all the tools to teach the AP Lang course this school year. I am grateful for Darlington and the members of the administration for allowing me this opportunity. I am hopeful that I can attend another APSI for experienced teachers in the future.
Professional growth and development are high priorities for Darlington. Each year, faculty and staff members participate in a professional growth cycle that includes professional learning communities, professional development days, and the ability to apply for professional development grants which fund conferences, travel, workshops, instructional supplies, outside speakers, and more. This blog series will highlight some of the opportunities that faculty and staff have participated in since they were awarded 2025-2026 Thatcher Grants last spring.
