Thomas County Central High School’s Advanced Placement program has experienced a Renaissance in its content with the return of AP Art History to its offered courses.
The class experienced a two-year hiatus. Now under the purview of teacher Brett James, the Art History course is once more available for any student eager to study the subject.
The class covers a wide variety of 250 art pieces throughout history. Students discuss the significance of pieces ranging from oil paintings, to architecture and more.
“We only get about 15 minutes on average per work, but I think people would be surprised with how much we can do in those few minutes,” James explains.
Finding deeper meaning to details such as the type of material used and what is atop a certain spire soon become common in the thought processes of students.
At the end of the academic year, students enrolled in AP Art History will be offered an AP exam. The exam seeks to challenge the students to find trends over time in art and how that ties to society and history at the time, according to the College Board website. Throughout their time in class, students will be constantly prepared for this exam, which offers college credit if the score is high enough.
“I would recommend that students take Art History to learn more about culture and prepare themselves for college,” student Brody Smith suggests.
Despite the large amount of content covered over the year, the class has a positive, energetic atmosphere. The atmosphere encourages not only learning, but discussion and enjoyment for all involved
“Mr. James is a wonderful instructor,” senior Faythe Choate said. “He always finds a way to make the coursework relatable.”
Students often engage in active discussion with their teacher, never letting a moment of dead air fall over the room. In part this stems from the connection James has with his students and how he often plays off the comments of students.
“The students are very engaged,” James says. “It is a small group of students who I've had before in AP World History or already knew. They are some of the most intelligent and funniest students I've ever worked with.”
It has been a learning experience for more than just the students.
“It's probably been the most work in terms of teaching a class since I'm having to largely start the class from scratch,” James said. “It probably takes me about two hours a day to get everything prepared and ready for the class. The content is interesting, and it's given me a greater knowledge and appreciation of art in just the few weeks I've been teaching it.”
From the renowned works such as Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” to lesser known works like Robert Smithson’s “Spiral Jetty,” AP Art History aims to highlight how art reflects the time and culture of people who made it. And just as the Renaissance brought about vast changes in the way art is done, this course aims to vastly change the way art is seen.
