Barbara Swovelin
English Literature
Barbara Swovelin, who has been teaching English at Torrey Pines High School since 1982, is delighted to present the AP* English Literature Course to the summer institute participants. She has a strong background and lively enthusiasm for teaching English. Teaching English since 1980 and test preparation courses since 1984, she has both a BA and an MA in English, specializing in British Literature.
Her professional experience includes
- Teaching GATE classes since 1985 (AP* and GATE exclusively since 1990).
- Being the author of the Cliffs Notes AP* English Language and Composition Guide first published 1992; the 3rd edition, updated for the 2007 exam was published in 2006.
- Being an experienced AP* Reader since 1998.
- Teaching graduate level entrance exams. Barbara teaches how to excel on the LSAT, GMAT, and CBEST exams at colleges and universities throughout California.
- Being a College Board Consultant, working both nationally and internationally.
- Presenting at the AP* National Conference and conventions for the National Council of Teachers of English and the California Association of Teachers of English.
In a similar vein, she also loves
- Having 95% of her seniors pass the AP* English Literature Exam.
- Being a Mentor Teacher, specializing in Multiple Intelligences.
- Being a BTSA Support Provider, helping new teachers succeed.
- Coaching the Torrey Pines High School Academic Team (since 1985), with a win/loss ratio greater than 10:1.
Additionally, she will contribute to the institute
- Sample essays and insights from scoring this year’s AP* English Literature Exam.
- Substantial background in multiple-choice testing techniques and timed writing strategies.
- Plenty of lesson plan ideas and handouts for AP* English teachers.
- Tips for helping students with diverse backgrounds to succeed in an AP* class.
She is proud of
- Being named Teacher of the Year in 1996.
- Attending the Oxford University Teachers’ Seminar.
- Being granted a Fellowship by the Council for Basic Education for Independent Study in the Humanities.
- Attending National Endowment for the Humanities summer scholar programs.
- Attending the International Symposium for Critical Thinking.
- Being a past English Department Chair.
In her spare time, she enjoys
- Skydiving!
- Hiking
- Camping
- Swimming, scuba diving
- Kayaking
What Participants Say...
Very knowledgeable, very enthusiastic! Barb was able to pass on a lot of wisdom and is very approachable. I feel more comfortable going into AP.
Barb has the perfect balance of passion, rigor, and compassion. It was an excellent week!
