So we got our scores...now what?

Hi! A lot of people viewed my post yesterday about waiting for scores and worrying about scores, caring too much about scores. So I thought I'd write a follow up. Only one student got a lower score than I think they assumed they'd get (or I thought they'd get). Though I am overall happy with their scores, this doesn't make anyone else reading this feel better and hopefully doesn't make anyone feel worse. 

It's not always this way. I remember the year of 2021. My AP Lit students are juniors and a few got 2's that really expected a higher score. It was back when they all wrote on paper and I remember one boy in particular had incredibly bad handwriting and he was a much better thinker than he was a writer. It was tough to face him (and a few others) who had gotten lower scores than they wanted when they came back in the fall for AP Lang which I also teach. This kid kept bringing up his "failure" in class and it made me so uncomfortable.  And, of course we want then all to pass. And we all know that there are kids for whom a 2 is a victory and that there are kids who will write, "Tell Mrs. Johnson I'm sorry, but I decided not to write this essay" at the top of Question 1 on the exam.

Someone who read my post yesterday on waiting for scores said that it reminded her why she doesn't look at AP Lang facebook for a couple weeks after the test: so many people are writing, "It's my FIRST year but I had 100% pass rate."  "I am so PROUD of my kiddos....everyone got a 4 or 5!" "I am SHOCKED...these are the highest scores ever in our school's history." (I didn't say any of those things, but I knew what she was getting at.)

If someone calls a happy poster out for "victory sharing" (because it feels kind of like sticking it to people whose scores did not "blow them away") then they are criticized by others for not "celebrating another person's success." I think we probably should always be happy for people who are happy about a victory. (I mean, schadenfreude is not the answer.) It just seems weird though, to post online about high scores knowing over half of the people you're writing to probably are not as elated as you are. Maybe instead you could tell your mom or your spouse or your curriculum director.  

I was a speech coach for several years and when a student who worked their a$$ off on an acting piece would get a II and not go on to state, they'd be crushed and I'd be crushed. Undoubtedly, putting ourselves out there, working really hard for something we want and then being disappointed is a crusher. It isn't fair. However, AP scores at least should not be public--your score won't be marked on butcher block paper in the cafeteria causing people to cheer or cry in front of their peers.

I teach at a pretty privileged public school. We're just north of a university (kind of an affluent suburb  heavy on college professors' and researchers' kids). There's definitely an academic vibe. Because of this, kids feel pressured to get "better than a 3." I feel that same pressure. But when I read online about people who work in rougher situations with struggling students, I remember that the privilege that worries me is still privilege. You really can't compare scores from school to school.

This year on the AP Lit facebook site Brian S. made kind of an official post where people could write about their scores. I thought that was a good idea.  I checked it out this am and didn't see anything too awkward there. If we're honest, when we read through those we are generally not looking for the opportunity to celebrate someone else's victory as much as the chance to feel a little less professionally alone.  

So anyway, I hope you feel ok about your scores! I hope you are proud of all those kids brave enough to take one of the toughest classes in the school  and then take this crazy test. If it was an off year, please don't be hard on yourself.  A woman once said to me, "We all just do what we can." It seemed a little resigned at the time, but she was trying to make me feel better for a SNAFU I had caused. It helped. I think that is pretty much true for most of us all the time.  If you are an AP teacher, you should feel good--it's a really hard academic position with extra work and extra stress and you're probably doing it because you're extra smart and want a challenge. I give you permission next time you are frustrated that someone posts something  about their surprisingly very high scores to write, "bite me."  Well, you have my permission, but I'd just think it instead of writing it.

Guru Susan Graves Barber on AP Lit facebook usually writes a helpful post for all of us the day the scores come out--thanks to Susan!