New AP Language Teacher

Passing Down the Torch

Giller becomes the new AP Language teacher

By Makani Reith Fifita

With the retirement of Robert Guarino after over 20 years of teaching at Arroyo High School, he is planning for a nice and enjoyable retirement. Now the question is ‘Who is going to teach Advanced Placement Language for the next few years?’. The question had been resolved with Future’s academy teacher, Mark Giller who currently teaches Juniors and Freshmen. Now a few expectations and advice when it comes to being an AP teacher, as well as teaching another set of grades throughout the day and eventually years ”I do have a few things for him but it’s a bit too much for an interview. But hopefully he enjoys it as much as I do, and like any class he’ll make it his own.” Guarino said. There is going to be a lot of work put into Giller to prepare students for the AP tests as well teach the freshmen curriculum for the rest of his schedule at the same time.

AP Language and Literature through Film teacher Robert Guarino is retiring after teaching at AHS for 15+ years. The retirement of the AP Language teacher, Mark Giller is going to take the mantle of AP Language.

Giller has been teaching primarily English at AHS for a decade now, so with Guarino retiring this brings up Giller to take a new challenge in order to teach future seniors AP Language and upcoming freshmen.

“Well after a while, you know it is exciting to take on new challenges and this is an opportunity to teach students who are highly motivated and highly invested in the subject matter. I think it’s going to be a learning experience for me as well with the new opportunity, to something that is quite appealing. “ Giller said.

Giller is teaching juniors and freshmen, so his schedule is going to be a workload for next year, however he decides to plan out his next chunk of classes. But next year it’s different due to the amount of people who had signed up for the class.

“Well I’m sure it’s going to be extremely busy because preparing for the test takes a lot of work, practice and so there is a lot of repetition involved, and the readings are longer. So I imagine it is going to be time intensive, and also preparing for the two other classes and that it is going to add a lot to the workload.” Giller said.

Since AP Language started the class back in 2011-2012, there was a large number of students joining the class because of it being a recent class added to the school. Snce the amount of students that came in, it would be a massive workload for Guarino but he managed it over the years.

“You get used to it, You know new classes are

Photograph by Makani Reith Fifita English teacher Mark Giller preparing and working for next year’s AP Language and freshmen classes

harder in the beginning but you know after a few years, It is no more different as there are every negative and positive in every class.” Guarino said.

Once completing AP Literature the next step is to take AP Language. After returning from quarantine, it is about time a lot of people decide to take AP classes to improve upon their studies, as well as to prepare for colleges and the applications. With this in consideration, Giller gives his thoughts about why AP Language is such a popular class.

“I really don’t know. I think maybe that a lot of our kids get comfortable with certain English teachers. So a lot of the juniors are comfortable with me, so they decided to continue on and they know what to expect. And I think a lot of kids wanted to take an AP class for the first time, see what it’s about and senior year is a good time to do that since you’re a little more mature and you have a little more classes under your belt.” Giller said.

Math teacher Gary Lo has experience when it comes to becoming an AP teacher, as the class started back in 2011-2012. Since AP Stats is a very recent class at Arroyo, Lo had volunteered to be the teacher for the upcoming class. When becoming an AP Teacher you got to go through a process in order to get the class verified to become a teacher.

“Since AP Language is already established as a class, he wouldn’t have to go through the process. But for us we have to go through the board approval process. And once the class is approved by the board then we go down a summer training course. It was pretty intense. It was a whole week down at Stanford and we pretty much learned the entire curriculum. The instructor basically gives you a few questions and what to expect, It was overwhelming.” Lo said.

With Giller slowly becoming the AP Language teacher over the course of this summer, he hopes Guarino the best, as well as his future students who are taking the class next year.

“You know I hope we can have a good balance of having fun as well as getting our work done as well as getting something positive out of it.” Giller said.

But now there could be a few last minute nerves that Giller is going to have to get through for the next year AP Language class.

“I wouldn’t say I am necessarily nervous but more the idea that I never taught the class before, as well as getting the materials together, and kinda sandwiching a class all together and a routine for a class I haven’t taught before.” Giller said.