Name: ______

Dear AP European History students,

I am very excited about working with you this year in AP European History. I wanted to write you a short letter that tells you a little bit about me and find out a little bit about you.

First off – I love teaching Advanced Placement European History! I believe that this course offers a rich curriculum where you will gain a peek into how power is gained and lost, how art reflects life, and how our lives today are influenced by the past. When it comes to teaching this history class, I think it is important not to just learn general historical facts about a time period, but to look at how events affected people living during that time. As a college level course, the work can be a challenge, but I find it especially rewarding to watch students’ skills and knowledge grow over the course of the year. This course is fast paced and spans the Renaissance through the present day. You will be introduced to lots of people, ideas, artists and events.

I have worked at Redwood for a long time and I love it here. On weekends I love to go to the pool with my 3 year old son, go hiking, and watch spy movies and history documentaries. When the weather is warm I like going to the beach. I love to cook and I also love to read – mystery novels or really anything that is a page turner. I also like to read non-fiction about….history (of course).

Ever since I was in college and went on study abroad for a summer in Mexico, I have loved to travel and plan trips. I love learning about other cultures and ways of life. I also love to see how a country’s history impacts the way people live in the present. That is why I studied International Relations in college at UC Davis. This summer I went to Mexico again and saw the Mayan ruins at Tulum, Yucatan. They were amazing stone pyramids, right on the ocean – beautiful! The summer before I went to New York City and went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art where I had the chance to see many of the famous paintings we discuss in this course: Rembrandt, Vermeer, Monet, Picasso. It was amazing. This summer I’m hoping to go to Europe - to Scandinavia and maybe Spain or Portugal. I also love languages. I am trying to improve my Spanish, so if you speak it, I would love to practice with you! Quiero practicar contigo! Someday I would also love to learn a little Portuguese or maybe Italian or Japanese.

I am originally from Oakland, California. I went to Bishop O’Dowd High School. You probably guessed my favorite subjects in high school were Social Studies and foreign language. I had some inspiring teachers that made those subjects fun and interesting and who cared a lot about their students. I also learned in high school that I learn best when I can both see things, hear things and discuss things. What helps you learn best?

Take some time to answer the following questions in response to my letter. This will help me get to know you as a student in order to best be able to support you in this class.

What excites you about taking AP European History?

As you know, AP Euro is a challenging class with a challenging work load. Please take a minute to look over the tips for success box on the back side of your syllabus. What would you like me to know about you learn best? Do you have any questions about this class?(Ex: lectures really work for you, you have trouble taking good notes, you want to learn to budget your time better, you feel confident/not confident about writing thesis statements etc.)

Anything else you want to share? Your summer vacation? Your goals in life? Hobbies?