No one doubts that AP teachers help us pass the AP test. But I don’t think anyone realizes exactly how much effort they put into us to make sure that all their students are not only passing the test, but also learning the material.

Over the course of taking three AP classes last year, I have just begun to realize exactly how much work goes into prepping teachers’ 100 or more AP students for the culminating AP test in May. And many teachers go above and beyond what is required of them.

AP Calculus BC teacher Angie Kruzich does group activities in Calculus BC at least once a week, to get students used to working in groups, as well as collaborating with teammates over problem solving strategies and difficult concepts.

AP United States History teacher Steven Darnell created his own note taking strategies, and document interpreting. These strategies, famously known as critical reading outlines, and finding the author, voice, message, and significance (AVMSing) in documents, help prepare students for not only the AP test, but also what lies beyond high school.

AP Biology teacher Erin Stephens created her own crosswords and detailed chapter study guides which help the students prepare for the tests and review the information.

Every single one of these teachers has admitted that they put pressure on themselves to get high passing rates, and I can almost guarantee that every other AP teacher in the school does the same thing. They aren’t interested in what College Board thinks of them; instead, they just want to watch their students succeed and be prepared for higher education.

Are we really appreciating what they do? Do we take the time to think about how much we are learning? We should. In seconds, I can think of numerous ways that AP US History, AP Language and Composition, AP Psychology and all the other AP classes at Liberty have helped us, not only in gaining college credit, but in gaining useful skills for beyond high school.

So take a minute and ask yourself what you’ve learned and what you’ve gained from your teachers, because they do a whole lot more than we give them credit for.