Abington High has always had AP classes, however, this new school year Mr. Carey, a history teacher here at the high school, is teaching an AP class for the first time. Mr. Carey has been teaching for four and a half years. He has also been a football coach at Norwell High School for two years now. Before coming to Abington High school, he taught in Norwood. This newest AP addition is an AP psychology class. Mr. Carey studied psychology in college and had a passion for the subject ever since. That lead him to throw an idea that there should be this AP class instead of just our regular psychology class that we have now. He brings his passion every day while teaching, hoping that his students will gain this passion too, and possibly further interest those who will choose this path for their own future.

Mr. Carey, never having taught at an AP class level before, we decided to interview him early into the year to understand how he is feeling. When this interviewer asked him how he feels about this important step toward his career and toward his students he said: “I feel great”.

“It is a lot of information that I have to learn, but it is also very rewarding.”

Brielle: How do you feel about teaching an AP class for the first time?

Carey: I feel great, it seemed like a lot at first. There is a lot of information, however, it is very rewarding.

B: What do you believe your strengths and weaknesses are? And what do you think it will be like in the future, in this class?

C: I feel very passionate about the materials that I am teaching; I love the idea of building strong relationships with my students.

B: The first test talk has been going around. I’ve heard from other students that many have failed the first test. How do you feel about what you’ve heard going around?

C: It’s hard to tell from the first test. Some students were not happy, so they asked for test corrections. A lot of work is on them. Through this class you must learn responsibility. It does go both ways, and it is important to overcome your struggles not even just in the school settings.

B: And last, what is your advice to the students that are struggling?

C: Take advantage of the resources that I have given you. Always ask questions in class or ask for help. You can’t just throw your hands up and give up in this class. People are going to struggle in different ways. You just need to overcome your struggles.

AP classes are college level courses that everyone has the opportunity to take. These classes are extremely challenging and place a lot of the responsibility on the students for their individual learning. Although tough, these classes can be extremely rewarding. If you’re up for the challenge, many AP courses can give you actual college credit. Talk to your teachers or your guidance councilor if you are interested in any of Abington High’s AP opportunities.