By Emerson Matushek
ROGERS, ARK–A scholar-led campaign has succeeded in landing AP Spanish Literature, a class offered only once before, back on the master schedule for next year at Haas Hall Rogers.
Kaitlyn Kuehn, a junior at Haas Hall Rogers, was the scholar responsible for prompting interest in offering the class again. “(Profe Glover) said if I signed up for it, sure, and then I hyped it up to people. I was like, ‘Hey, you should take Spanish Literature,’ and more people signed up, so I think it was just a matter of actually getting interest in the class.”
Scholars, such as Kuehn, are interested in expanding their knowledge of Hispanic and Latin American culture and literature. Kuehn describes how she’s, “Looking forward to getting to see the cultural movements regarding literature because literature is an art.” AP Spanish Literature will extend past what Rogers’ current curriculum offers. “I’d say just if you’re looking for a new way to look at Spanish or a new way to look at literature, it’s definitely something to look into,” Kuehn suggests.
Kuehn strongly believes that AP Spanish Literature is a fundamental step in learning Spanish. “In American high schools, English language and literature are required, so if you’re trying to learn another language, in this instance Spanish, then why not also do Spanish language and Spanish literature?” Kuehn argues, “It opens up the cultural aspects of the language, which are really important to how certain slang terms and certain novels are written, and it furthers your understanding of the language, seeing it used in different contexts.”
AP Spanish Literature is a course involving the reading and analysis of literary works in Spanish. Rogers’ Spanish teacher, Profe Glover, described the typical reading required for the class, explaining that, “We read…I think it’s 38 works. That doesn’t mean like full novels. We read poetry, short stories, letters, plays, and excerpts from maybe a few important novels, one in particular that I’m actually thinking of, that kind of form a good view of Hispanic literature.”
Profe Glover expanded on what the class has to offer, discussing its similarity to AP English, “We’re learning the movements and literary terms in Spanish, much like the ones you have to learn in AP English, in fact, the same terms, just in Spanish. You count syllables in poetry, but you count them a slightly different way and that kind of stuff.”
Despite being a new class for current juniors and sophomores, this isn’t the first time Rogers has offered AP Spanish Literature. “I taught it last year, last spring, to two seniors who were interested,” Profe Glover responded when asked about her history with the class.
As expected, AP Spanish Literature will be a class for scholars advanced and experienced in Spanish classes. “I’ve had non-native Spanish speakers, native English speakers, who did, Spanish 1, Spanish 2, Spanish 3, AP Spanish Language and then AP Spanish Literature,” Profe Glover stated, “If AP Language is kind of like Spanish 4 then AP Spanish Lit is kind of like Spanish 5. It is definitely like the peak of the classes.”
AP Spanish Literature will provide a way for scholars to be more invested in literature than AP Spanish Language allows. Profe Glover described how, “I felt when we read together it was more fun, especially the plays when we would assign parts and they just come alive, you know, with the voices and everyone doing their part.” Kuehn repeated this fond sentiment, stating how she believes that, “It’ll be like a little book club…and if it grows more it’ll be like a bigger book club, but in Spanish.”
By taking AP Spanish Literature, scholars are able to earn up to three college credits for taking and passing the AP exam in the Spring. According to Profe Glover, “Students who have taken these AP Spanish classes go into college and they’re already in 3000 level Spanish classes. They’re already almost done with a minor; they have so many credits.”
AP Spanish Literature serves as a response to many teachers’ and scholars’ desires for more advanced classes in areas not previously prioritized at Haas Hall and other college prep schools. Profe Glover described her thoughts on this development, saying, “I think it’s a nice answer to all of the upper-level math and science classes we have here…It’s nice to have an advanced class at an accelerated school that’s advanced in the humanities.”
AP Spanish Literature will be offered as a course in the 2024-2025 school year at Haas Hall Rogers and is currently available to be added to a scholar’s schedule. If you’re interested in getting college credit in language arts or expanding your knowledge of the Spanish language and Latin American/Hispanic culture, this class is highly recommended.
