AP Euro! AP World! APUSH! AP Art history! Oh boy, there are a lot of history courses to choose from -- and I can only assume you have time for one intense history class this semester, so you definitely want to make sure you picked the right one for you. AP European History is probably going to be the more difficult of the group -- but that should not be a deterrent. It is harder simply because you have not been exposed to all the many, many (many. many. MANY.) conflicts in Europe on such a scale. That said, it’s also one of the most entertaining classes history has to offer. You get to learn about defenestration, which then starts a war. A long one. Yes, you definitely have to pay attention a little more (and know when you’re getting lost in one of France’s revolutions) and keep a pad and paper handy for questions, but when you’re done, you absolutely know how to take notes and focus for history courses. AP Euro lets you understand a little bit more about our world and why countries today behave the way they do; it sets up the fundamentals for connecting dots to every region in the world. If you’re a self-motivated student who doesn’t mind a little bit of confusion and a little bit of pushing your own study-train, AP Euro is a great, challenging fit for you. AP World, of course, covers ... the world. Most students take a world history class sometime prior to the AP World option, so you should already have some exposure to world history in general -- which is good, since AP World covers an awful lot. That also means that AP World is unable to go into the minute depth of a course like AP European history, so you won’t necessarily get the same level of detail. That said, there is a larger emphasis on the role of each region in shaping our world today, so you can certainly broaden your picture of our current climate. If you’re a student who wants a strong, fairly detailed overview of where everyone comes from, AP World is for you. APUSH is probably the easiest of the AP history courses -- after all, you (probably) live in the United States. You’ve been learning about America since fourth grade. You already know the major conflicts (Revolutionary War! Civil War! World Wars I & II! BAM!) and can prattle off some well known characters in our nation’s past. APUSH moves you past the gloss-over and lets you start asking deeper questions about who we are and where we come from. It’s great for a first AP History class, and if this is the first time you’ve taken an AP at all, I think APUSH is a wonderful place to start. AP Art History is best taken either with or very soon after AP European history (or world, but European art tends to be a focus). It’s a great tie in to understand how politics and the social atmosphere impact the art world (you’ll start to see cool patterns emerging and connecting histories will be easier). AP Art is a class I’d recommend for an elective -- it’s a lot of information and you’d feel less stressed about it if you already have good, solid AP training and history under your belt. Best of luck with your APs this year and don’t forget to come back for more!

My juniors and seniors are dealing with a monumental problem this year: Their standardized tests (SAT or ACT) have been canceled month after month after month. What are they going to do? It's obviously disheartening to all of us -- the students who have worked SO hard on their exams, the parents who were counting on prep to help their kids, and me! I've poured as much time in as the students and it breaks my heart to see them so frustrated and disheartened. As the reality settles in that your student might not be taking his or her test at all, it's only natural to wonder what on earth schools are going to look at to make entrance decisions. Obviously grades will have a bigger impact (and let's make sure , especially juniors, that colleges get a GOOD PICTURE of your academic prowess) but even more crucial are your essays/personal statements and your resume . These college apps are going to put an enormous emphasis on who you are, so it's important to get a great picture ready. With that in mind, I've prepared a new "college app" experience for my students: We work on those essays and make sure they are beyond tip-top and showcase your VOICE (and I'm a professional writer, so you know there's experience there!). We fine tune your resumes so when you apply, they see a really awesome portrait of you as a student and a person. We create a system to make sure we get through all the applications stress-free. It will be okay -- I'll hold your hand, we'll walk through all these steps together with as good a handle as you would've had for those tests. Drop me a line ASAP to get on the roster for your application process. Juniors ... I suggest you register ASAP for the December and/or February tests. It's going to be a mad crush this year -- get on the books and prepare for your exams as though they're happening.

A dear friend of mine, Kelvin O'Bryant , has partnered with Perspectives to offer three classes for different age groups. In a time when the world can seem so scary, I think it's absolutely imperative that our kids have a safe place to grow, learn, and experience new ideas. I wanted to share his courses with my community and hope that they are of interest to some of you! https://www.learningperspectives.education/ Anyone that books any class from our recommendation will receive a 15% discount. Just have them write KELVIN15 in the comments/questions part of their application. Utopia  - An open forum - -Fridays 11-11:30 AM -Grades: 1-5 -Perfection is an elusive, impossible ideal. Nonetheless, it is incumbent upon all the world's perfectly imperfect creatures to shoot for that unreachable star. Participants will begin to create their version of the perfect world. We will discuss ideas in an open, honest, & safe space in the hopes of, collectively, coming up with a list of things we can do each day to make the world a better place. Dealer's Choice  - A personal historic journey - -Monday or Wednesday 6-6:45 PM -Grades: 6-8 -Deep diving into the history of our passions has the potential to throw gasoline on an already burning fire. Participants will be encouraged to give careful thought to what really gets them excited (an incredibly beneficial exercise in itself). Anything goes. It could be a person (Simone Biles), specific period in time (The roaring 20's), place (Rome), or a thing (X-Box). We will delve deep into their specific origin stories, discover interesting facts, & fearlessly take whatever detours may spark an interest. Power of Perspective  - Everybody has a story - -Tuesday or Thursday 6-6:45 PM -Grades: 9-12 -History has, historically, been taught from a singular point of view. Leaving generations of children in the dark about the actual experiences of countless groups of people who, in a very big way, shaped the world we live in today. Viewing history from different perspectives not only gives us a more well rounded account of the past, it also deepens our capacity for empathy. Participants will use  Howard Zinn's "A Young People's History of the United States"  as a springboard into the past. After breaking down the facts of the text, each student will be assigned a group of people (i.e. women, Native Americans, farmers, immigrants, etc.). After which we will have an open & honest discussion about each group's experience, asking each other specific questions, and sharing ideas about how we can better shape the future to be much more inclusive and understanding.

There are so, so many resources available to families right now, but they're also spread all over the internet! To help make things a little easier, here are some tried n true websites that I've grouped by general age and skill. PreK - Upper Elementary Reading: https://www.storylineonline.net/ -- Storytime for kids! Available via YouTube or other online players. General Resource: https://lacountylibrary.org/ -- If you live in LA County, you can get a library card! Science & Geography: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/classroom-resources/learn-at-home/ -- Beautiful resources for natural science and for exploring our world at large Enrichment: https://www.si.edu/exhibitions/online -- I grew up in the Washington D.C. area and hold the Smithsonian in a special place. Now we can ALL experience the best of our national museums. Math: http://bedtimemath.org/ -- Gameify math! Free app, no scores, no tests, just making math fun. I use this one with my students all the time to foster a healthy love of math. It's all around us and not scary! Donald in Mathmagic Land https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_ZHsk0-eF0 -- Spark an interest in more than just flat numbers! Middle School Math: https://www.khanacademy.org/math/k-8-grades -- find and drill problem areas in math. Connections: https://teachrock.org/distancelearning/ -- this one is best used with a guide or a tutor, but if you have a self-starter it can be a GREAT resource to connect subjects and topics with music. Social Studies / Current Events: https://newsela.com/ -- now more than ever it is important for our kids to learn to think critically about the world around them. This site curates news articles for students. High School ACT/SAT Prep -- At the very least, buy the Official ACT Prep Guide (the Red Book) or the Official SAT Prep Guide. Those have the REAL tests. For these monster exams, I strongly recommend study sessions with a guide . AP Classes -- I also recommend study sessions! English: https://www.commonlit.org/ -- Common literature for high school aged students. English: www.sparknotes.com -- I'm sure some teachers hate SparkNotes, but when used as a resource (not a primary source) it can help add a wonderful layer to a student's understanding of literature! Writing: www.easybib.com -- Why on earth would you memorize citation styles anymore? Free that brain space. Math: https://www.khanacademy.org/math

It's official: we have started the 2020 school year and most of our kids will be virtually attending classes again. This is so tough on families and parents. Keeping up with your kids amounts to an extra part time job. Over the last few months, I've created a streamline system to help my students stay on task and I know just how much extra work it is! I would love to join your student's academic team this year, but I also wanted to provide you with a few quick tips of some things I've learned to help manage the at-home school process. Have older students set an alarm or reminder for themselves to check their homework page. For younger students, parents will need to check & read out what needs to be done. Take 15 minutes at the end of the evening to check the classroom page for any child younger than high school age. Open links in tabs that your student needs to complete the next morning. Put it all away. Have a set and designated time that is SCHOOL and that is NOT SCHOOL. It's so easy for work to bleed into playtime and that just isn't fair. If something didn't get finished, everyone. will. live. Just look at it tomorrow. Use your child's friends as resources! Some kids understand concepts better than others -- and teaching an idea reinforces the learning. Get the pair of them together virtually and let them puzzle things out. When you get stuck, don't get stuck . Just put it down. It's okay. Walk away. If you're REALLY stuck, don't wait until you and your family are overwhelmed: give me a call and let's work together. To provide families a few resources, I'm extending my Covid 20-for-20 for quick homework help for at least the duration of this calendar year. Virtual Study Groups are also available. I know putting your child in front of a computer for hours is not ideal -- but if you need an hour to get your own work done, I'm here for you. My goal is to provide families with as many resources as possible, so if you need anything... just ask. I'll do my absolute best to provide it. Stay healthy! Kate.