How to deal with a poor teacher?

[Colin]

In English we have a first year teacher. She's a nice person but a terrible teacher, and throughout the year she has been very calm and none of the students really took her seriously because of how easy her class is. Now all of the sudden during the last marking period she decided that she needs to be strict and has started enforcing things previously not enforced, giving ridiculous amounts of homework, throwing pop quizzes at us and grading things she would have previously left ungraded.
My grade has dropped because of this and the stress of my upcoming AP exam in another class mixed with this, well anger, is overwhelming me.
The worst part about this ordeal is that she told us today that the final for her class will be CUMULATIVE. I can not recall more than two occasions taking notes in her class and/or hearing a lecture of the subject matter. We have been told that the final she is likely to model off will be extremely difficult and I need to keep my grade above an 85.
I can look at all of my classes this year and say that I have learned x, y, and z. The only exception is this one, I haven't learned a single thing about English this year.

What should I do? I have tried confronting her about almost all of the above but she claims "this is an honors class, you are expected to do this much work." The difficulty level of this class has been a joke.

Thanks in advance for the advice!
This is a high school English class

All or most of the people taking this class have a similar situation to mine.

[Boppity Bob]

Your English is great. Wait... is this for a foreign language class or native speaking?

[Dave W]

Yes, I've had poor teachers before. It's terrible that she changed her teaching style near end of semester. But, are other students able to adapt, or is it just you?

Seems to me, if you are already in AP classes, you have ability to adapt and work just a little harder.
In fact, you should be glad she was so easy going first part of year, right? Now it's sort of "pay back" for having a "free ride" so long.

BTW, you don't always have to learn something everyday in English classes. Many such classes only reinforce what you already should have learned in Middle School, for example.

It reminds me of the Bill Cosby story (the comedian) who once told story about a father who asked his son what he learned everyday in school. The son always had same answer: "School is boring, didn't learn one thing today."
Well, that son grew up to become a medical doctor. The poor Father still wonders how his son became so smart, not having learned anything, any day of school.
Oh well....

EDIT: I agree with Kyle who said words to effect "grow up, college is like this too." But, let me say also "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
That means to change your LEARNING STYLE when teacher changes teaching style. You may need to spend less time on phone or Facebook. You may have to cut out some other activities to give more time to your number one job, that is getting at least B or A- in your AP class.
If you are "college material" YOU CAN DO IT. (I hope)

(btw, another word to wise: Most school administrators do not give AP classes to poor teachers, so the school admin will take side of your teacher.
AND, no AP teacher wants to give great grade to students that aren't able to do college level work. This may be her technique to weed out the weaklings, so to speak. Your decision on how you accept this challenge)

[conniekymuk]

not sure how the hierarchy works in your school, there should be a head of year, head of english department or vice principle you can turn to. if several of you have this problem, get names and choose a representative to go to the senior member of staff and give examples along with the names of the others who are willing to be involved.

you may get a solution of some description, but may not be everything you could hope for. you might have to put in some extra hours, do specific things - they may have some tips to get the grades up although they will have no idea whats in the final papers.

seems rough that you will be the one working when someone else didn't put the effort in, but get used to it.

its much worse in the world of work.