The introduction of the AP Micro and Macroeconomics course at TCS High School has promoted the school’s goal of opening doors to students by blending academic rigor and practical knowledge.
The AP Economics course was introduced to establish solid foundations in economics and teach students to apply the thinking process of an economist to their daily life decisions while leveraging the advantages that Advanced Placement courses offer. The course outline encourages students to think critically and change the way they think about economics, creating a space for academic and personal growth.
“There was a desire to provide students with a foundation in economics while at the same time taking advantage of the Advanced Placement opportunities regarding college credits,” Mr. Giraldo, AP Economics teacher, said.
The motivation behind introducing this AP course is aligned with the goal of TCS to allow students to open their doors by choosing the path they want to pursue. While many people believe that economics is only relevant to business owners and governments, it’s a concept that involves rational thinking to make the best decisions. Because of this, all students benefit from the knowledge they gain in this course.
“I’ve always been interested in how economics function and how economic policies impact our daily lives. I also saw it as a way to challenge myself academically and potentially earn college credit,” Emilia Quintero, senior, said.
Despite the huge effort to implement new courses to benefit students, setting up the AP Economics course hasn’t come without challenges. Being a course that wants to leverage practical knowledge with AP benefits implies having to obtain the right instructional materials that align with the AP curriculum, but offers students a dynamic learning experience. Furthermore, Mr. Giraldo’s transition to asynchronous teaching due to personal reasons has impacted the way students reach out to him for help. Nonetheless, these challenges are being tackled to offer students a comprehensive experience that aligns with college-level expectations.
“Obtaining the right instructional materials and problems with the AP Classroom platform not always working for students have been significant hurdles,” Mr. Giraldo said.
Students have had mixed opinions on the way the course has developed. Students like Quintero have found it rewarding and challenging, easily adapting to the adversities in the course and always seeking to apply the course knowledge to their lives. Nonetheless, it’s understandable that some students are confused or upset, the expectations for this course are high, and it has seen a rough start. The TCS HS community has been guaranteed a rapid response to the challenges to meet the high expectations and provide the economics students with the best possible course.
“We’ve had a few changes in the dynamics of learning in the class but I feel like he’s been really assertive on how to provide the material and what material to provide. We get various lessons and update videos from him and I feel like that really highlights his presence,” Quintero said.
As a whole, TCS is always looking to add variety to its curriculum. The ability to select classes in high school has a positive impact on students since they are able to pursue their interests from a young age. The challenges faced are unfortunate but part of the ride; everything is being done to provide students with a dynamic, comprehensive course and serves as a valuable lesson for future instances of course additions.
“Whether we realize it or not, economics is at the heart of everything we do. Having a fund in this area improves our approach to choice making.” Mr. Giraldo said.