And this was Honors English?

[saratogadreamin09]

I agree with whoever said that you can't count on teens to read on their own. From my own experiences in high school I know that if we didn't read in class maybe one or two kids would read at home. I do see the teacher's logic in doing this and truthfully 7th grade is usually just reading and sometimes vocab. 8th grade is a lot more grammer and other things.

 

[a1tinkfans]

We turned down AP English for 8th this year and BOY oh BOY, my DS who is an avid reader was BORED TO TEARS in class this year. One book he read this year was Roll of Thunder. Well, the class took FOREVER to read it. The teacher had to basically explain each chapter and he was shocked that many kids could not understand the vocabulary, never mind read so slowly. Talk about frustrating.

They then had to choose 1 book to read independently and share. He came home and told us many kids chose books that he read in 4-5th grade. The teacher seemed un-fazed by it. Sad, but many kids REALLY are not reading at home at all.
Well, next year he chose and is accepted in AP SS and AP Sci and said he'd not take AP English since he lost interest this year and wants to ficus on the other AP classes. He still reads all the time thankfully!
I HOPE next year, the reading material is more engaging.

 

[musicmama]

DD is in private Catholic HS school now - was in parish Catholic school for middle school years - and there isn't an honors English component until senior year. However, the regular curriculum is very strict/advanced - sophomore year is British Lit, they're reading Pride & Prejudice over the summer and that's the "easiest" of the books they'll be reading. She and a number of her friends have already formed a book club so that they can discuss and be prepared for the beginning of the semester.

DH teaches college-level English for several community colleges. The college-level curriculum includes almost half of what the girls read in 9th grade!

In her school, most of the reading is done at home with lots of discussion and analysis activities. They did some in-class supplemental readings also. The girls in DD's school are EXPECTED to do the work, come prepared, take part in discussions and write assignments. Many of them, DD included, are in honors classes for science, math, social sciences and languages. It's a good thing there isn't honors English this year because she's already been one of the scheduling-challenged ones!

 

[TheLittleRoo]

I'm not sure I could even tell you today the names of the books we read in Honors, and I definitely avoided Eng. Lit. like the plague I never took the AP English course, but I took the test and got a 5, so I picked it up elsewhere. I just worry that either the kids have changed or the teachers' expectations have lowered, and my son isn't getting the grammar piece of English. It was LATIN that taught him the conjugation of verbs, direct object/ indirect object, nominative case, etc. The teacher of Latin was blown away that her class of 7th graders didn't know what any of these things were.

I wonder: if he took college credit online English courses, would it transfer in when he enrolls in college? Like someone said, her DH teaches college level and it's comparable to 9th grade in a good school.

 

[Nie0214]

Well, next year he chose and is accepted in AP SS and AP Sci and said he'd not take AP English since he lost interest this year and wants to ficus on the other AP classes. He still reads all the time thankfully!

I HOPE next year, the reading material is more engaging.

If your son was bored to tears in AP English, wouldn't he be even more bored sitting in the non-AP English?

 

[TheLittleRoo]

We turned down AP English for 8th this year and BOY oh BOY, my DS who is an avid reader was BORED TO TEARS in class this year.

That's wonderful that your son can take AP courses in 9th grade, if I'm reading your post correctly. As I mentioned previously, you don't have to take the AP course to sit for the test (at least not 20 yrs ago when I was a senior). If he's gifted in language arts, why not take the test without the course?

 

[Aliceacc]

As I mentioned previously, you don't have to take the AP course to sit for the test (at least not 20 yrs ago when I was a senior).

To the best of my knowledge, that's still the policy. You don't have to take an AP class to sit for the AP exams.

 

[TheLittleRoo]

To the best of my knowledge, that's still the policy. You don't have to take an AP class to sit for the AP exams.

Although the AP English teacher sure gave me the "stink-eye" when I waltzed in to sit in her class on test day! I believe her words were, "Good LUCK", dripping with sarcasm. Ah, I can still see her pinched face in my mind today. Good times, good times.

 

[LoveKermit]

First, to the poster who left the room while the teacher was sleeping....


I was a "good kid" too, but was never blessed with this kind of opportunity.

I know it's been said already, but there is research that if kids read in class everyday, they become better writers. Our soph english classes in the HS where I teach (math) do that now. Honors does not. They do the regular honors things--writing and reading and analyzing.

Everyone is complaining that students do not know grammar anymore. I hope, even in MS "Honors," that they are taking time to learn grammar.

Also, the soph classes have a mini-lesson, read for 10-15 minutes and then have another lesson. It is not for the entire hour. Also, the teacher is required to read with them. Model what you preach. They cannot check email or grade papers. That is why it sometimes moves to 15 minutes--the teacher is too engrossed in their own book.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that there must be a balance somewhere in all of this.

Oh yeah, and please talk to the teacher first. As a teacher and DIL of a principal, your time is better spent communicating with the teacher first.