World History-New: Aaron Marsh

Aaron Marsh teaches Social Studies at Newport High School in Bellevue, WA. He earned his B.A. degree from University of Washington in Anthropology and M.Ed. in Secondary Social Studies Education at Western Washington University. He has been teaching AP World History since 2001, the first year the test was offered. He taught AP European history at Garfield High School in Seattle before being recruited to Newport to help start an AP World History program. He teaches anthropology and world religions electives. He has served as a district Technology and Curriculum Coach during which he oversaw the alignment of regular (non-AP) world history courses for 9th and 10th graders with the "New World History" paradigm reflected in AP world history. In this role he also provided training workshops for middle school teachers on using document based questions on district assessments for 7th and 8th graders and coordinated joint training offerings with the University of Washington's history department.

In 2005 his program was featured in the College Board's first Report to the Nation for having, along with a Texas school, the highest "pass" rate in the world on the AP World History test in the "schools with over 1000 students" category. In 2006 he was recognized as an exemplary AP teacher at the Western Region College Board conference in Las Vegas, NV. In 2008 he received the University of Washington History Department's Thomas J. and Cameron Pressly "Outstanding Teacher of High School History" prize for creating links between the university's history department and Bellevue School District. In 2009 he earned his National Board certification. He is a College Board certified consultant in Advanced Placement World History.

Marsh and his colleagues have grown the AP World History program at Newport High School from three to nine class sections, with over sixty percent of sophomores registering for AP World History for the 2009-2010 school year.

He has been an AP Reader for four years, and has read all three types of AP World History essay. He has been a seminar presenter in Washington, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Hawaii, conducting one day and four or five day seminars since 2007.

In his spare time he chases after his two and five year old sons Leif and Rowan. He enjoys cooking, woodworking, and fiction.