Honors classes or not?

[nsyncraider17]

If he thinks he can handle the honors classes, he should definitely take them. Especially in 9th grade level classes, the material often isn't really harder, it's just an accelerated curriculum.

I also agree with others that have said it's actually easier to do well in honors classes. The other students are more motivated and want to be challenged. Also, in my high school, the teachers of the honors classes were pretty much the best teachers in the school; they had been teaching their subjects for years and were obviously experts, and they really cared about doing everything they could to help students really learn the material and succeed.

 

[mamacatnv]

Honors/AP very interesting and controversial subject. Either Newsweek, Time or one of the bigger newsmagazines did a good story on the system last year.

The problem: not regulated across the board - some schools "weight" the grade some don't, some require the kids "test" to get into the classes some don't. Some colleges will take A/P credits some won't. Bottom line a high school diploma is a high school diploma.

Do colleges consider the classes taken? General consensus is yes, however since the system is not well defined and regulated we have been told that there is not a huge amount of consideration given, it really varies depending on the college. Overall I think the kids are better prepared for college but will the classes make a student better, who knows. IMHO

Bright kids are notorious for not doing well in school unless well challenged. My DS was a pretty lazy student until he reached middle school where he picked up the pace a little and then into highschool where he has picked up the pace a lot. He is currently a sophomore and cruising right along with a pretty steady 3.25 GPA.

We talked him into taking the honors classes knowing that if the bar was set higher he would reach a little harder. He likes the classes and feels that in a lot of ways they are easier and more fun. He doesn't spend his days learning grammar and the basics, he spends his days learning interesting stuff in a lot of interactive ways. They do more presentations, group projects etc....His school puts them into a block, if you take Freshman Honors then you take: Honors English, Biology and Math, it is not just pick and choose a class. The teachers work together in the block and cross their projects into the different classes. As Freshman there was a lot of time put into teaching the kids time management, organization and responsibility.

I would encourage all kids to go for it, if they totally bomb, them look at moving back down.

Just my thoughts...............

MamaCatNV

 

[KelNottAt]

I don't have anything to add to all the other comments. Just wanted to say that I feel your pain. My 8th grader faced a similar dilemma last month. He's doing well this year, so he registered for all honors. Good luck to you!

 

[golfgal]

I guess I'll be the dissenting opinion. I don't see how someone who is lazy and not doing his work is just suddenly going to turn into an honors student simply by giving him more work and tougher material.

This is my biggest fear, yes, he is MORE then capable of being a straight A student, he just doesn't care about good grades. We can't seem to get him to understand how important these grades are, almost more so then his college grades!

Brittney brings up a good point about being in classes where grade matter to the other kids and they are less distracting and will be easier for DS to do what he is supposed to be doing.

He won't be signed up for honors math. He is in algebra right now and he will take that over again next year because his grades warrant that (again, he COULD do better, just isn't). I am not worried about Honors English, he LOVES to read and is actually the cause of some of his bad grades, hurrying to get his homework done so he can read his book. Honors Social will also be ok, science might be ok. It is all going to come down to how much effort he puts into his life.

I guess when I was considering all this I didn't think about moving him OUT of the honors class second trimester I was just picturing him failing 9th grade all together because we put him in the honors courses.

This whole not doing your schoolwork is such a foreign concept to DH and I because we were both good students (DH graduated with a 4.0 from college with a double major and I was an honor grad too).

 

[Alice Sr.]

This whole not doing your schoolwork is such a foreign concept to DH and I because we were both good students (DH graduated with a 4.0 from college with a double major and I was an honor grad too).

I went through a bout of this with DD. I was getting those quarterly update status's that said inconsistant effort and at 1st I trusted her to get herself back on track (again, nothing but straight A's so this was a curve ball) but after a couple of those I said the heck with this and called her teachers from time to time to make sure she is getting her stuff turned in. If she had stuff outstanding she could stay home on the weekend and get caught up. The teachers were all fabulous and I'm sorry I didn't take this action in her junior year when she waffled a bit. On a side note her cousin applied at the same college as my DD but was turned down, she had a decent ACT - 27 but the school said her freshman year did her in. That really surprised me that something so long ago would still be held against her.

 

[SPAM]

i would suggest taking honors if they are interested in it. i know me majoring in science it was very beneficial to take honors and i regret now not taking AP classes because that kept me out of the honors program at OSU. so i would say yes.

 

[challada]

Well, my only thought is....have you asked your son what he WANTS?

Granted, kids this age do not have the understanding that adults do of life choices, etc....BUT, if he all out says "I don't want to do honors classes", he may purposefully do poorly there to get out of the situation. Same thing if he says "I don't want to do the easy stuff" he may blow the whole thing off if he didn't get the chance at honors.

Weight the pros and cons with your son would be my solution.

 

[golfgal]

Well, my only thought is....have you asked your son what he WANTS?

Granted, kids this age do not have the understanding that adults do of life choices, etc....BUT, if he all out says "I don't want to do honors classes", he may purposefully do poorly there to get out of the situation. Same thing if he says "I don't want to do the easy stuff" he may blow the whole thing off if he didn't get the chance at honors.

Weight the pros and cons with your son would be my solution.

While I see your point, he has proved to me that this isn't a decision he is capable of making or understanding right now because of his lack of interest in his grades. He would opt for the easy classes because he thinks he would have less work and that just is not acceptable. It would come down to applying to colleges and not getting into his first choice because of a decision he made when he was 13 year old and not capable of seeing 5 years down the road when it WILL make a HUGE impact on the rest of his life.

 

[Saphire]

We can't seem to get him to understand how important these grades are, almost more so then his college grades!

If he is in classes with other high acheivers, he will get the message that these grades are very important. These kids are competitive and insightful, they know the work they do now will affect their future. Perhaps they will be a good influence on him. I think it is worth a try! Good Luck!

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Consider whether you want him to become familiar/comfortable in the Honors crowd, or the regular crowd. IMO it's very difficult to climb up once you are "trenched" in the regular crowd. Our kids had no choice. Our oldest started AP classes in 8th grade... starting with subjects he was interested in. It's difficult, but so worth it.

Challenge is good...... and it sounds to me like your son needs it.

Good luck!

 

[luvflorida]

We are in the process of registering the kids for their new schools for next year. DS13 will be in 9th grade, high school and they have to apply to be in the honors classes which then will roll into AP classes as they get older. DS is more then capable of achieving good grades in honors courses but he is lazy and his grades are not stellar because of that. I would like to sign him up for the regular classes this coming year and see how things go, but the counselor suggested that if we want him in honors classes he should really start in them in 9th grade.

The reality of the situation for him now is he is going to get the same grades no matter what class he is in. If he is in the "easy" class he won't try because he knows it already (right) and because he is bright will do ok on tests just from listening in class. If he is in the honors class he will most likely do the homework but won't remember to turn half of it in and since the tests will be more difficult, he will probably end up with the same grades as the regular class.

I don't want him to find himself as a junior in high school and not being able to get into college because he was lazy in 9th grade and finally figured out that you do have to put forth some effort in life (at least I am HOPING he figures this out).

Any ideas or opinions on what you would do?

I know the dilemma you're in because I've been there. My youngest daughter is 15 and a Sophomore. She is very bright and and can easily get A's in all her classes, BUT the motivation is not always there. She SAYS she wants to take honors classes but then I have to stay right on top of her to make sure she does the assignments and turns them in on time.

She has been in Honors English her Freshman and Sophomore years. She can do the work and when she puts a little effort into assignments she really excels. The problem is that she isn't as conscientious about her work as she should be. It's so frustrating for me to know she has the ability to be in honors level classes, and to see her not put forth the effort those classes require.

She actually signed up for an AP level English class for her Junior year, and her English teacher okayed it. After sitting down and talking realistically to my daughter, and after an adivsor/parent/student conference the other day, we decided that it would be better to NOT take the AP level class next year. I KNOW it would result in frustration and arguments and my checking up to make sure she is completing the work. The class also required WEEKLY reading and essay assignments all through the summer. My daughter admitted that she did not want to spend most of her summer doing school work, and I agreed with her.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, if your son isn't motivated to do Honors level work, it could be a rough time for all of you. However, it might be a good idea to sign him up for honors level, (only those subjects that he really excels in and is interested in), and see how it goes.

I have to admit that my daughter, and she would be the first to agree, has gained a tremendous amount of knowledge in Honors English and in an advanced French class. However, it can be a toss up between getting superior grades in regular level classes and maybe a B/B+ in honors level classes. Even though she opted out of the AP class for next year, she has the option of taking it her Senior year.

All kids are different. My oldest daughter took a ton of honors and AP classes in high school. She graduated with high honors and in the top 5% of her graduating class. I never had to check up on her to make sure she was getting everything done. She was extremely motivated and did it because SHE wanted to, not because I wanted her to. Youngest daughter just does not care as much. I have told her however, that I do expect her to graduate with honors because I know she is fully capable of doing so. She is fine with that and her grades so far have all been high enough for that to happen. I know better than to push for graduating with high honors. It isn't worth the hassle to stay on top of her.

I hope this has been of help to you!! Good luck to you and your son.

 

[ashjohnson80]

I was in honors classes when I was in high school and I feel like it helped me prepare for college really well.

 

[mom2boys]

I am having the same delimna with my 10 year old. He is headed to middle school. He is currently enrolled in merit (grade level) courses for 6th grade next year. However, his teacher called me in to tell me he is capable of honors if HE decides he wants to do it. I won't put him in honors math because the honors math teacher is horrific - all the kids have tutors. The merit teacher is excellent.
I am seriously considering moving him to honors for language arts, science and social studies. He loves science. He thinks he'd like to go to the Air Force Academy so honors classes really aren't optional. I told him what the teacher said & he is supposed to show me through his 4th quarter 5th grade grades that he is motivated. We shall see.

 

[challada]

While I see your point, he has proved to me that this isn't a decision he is capable of making or understanding right now because of his lack of interest in his grades. He would opt for the easy classes because he thinks he would have less work and that just is not acceptable. It would come down to applying to colleges and not getting into his first choice because of a decision he made when he was 13 year old and not capable of seeing 5 years down the road when it WILL make a HUGE impact on the rest of his life.

Sounds like you already have your answer/decision right there.

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

While I see your point, he has proved to me that this isn't a decision he is capable of making or understanding right now because of his lack of interest in his grades. He would opt for the easy classes because he thinks he would have less work and that just is not acceptable. It would come down to applying to colleges and not getting into his first choice because of a decision he made when he was 13 year old and not capable of seeing 5 years down the road when it WILL make a HUGE impact on the rest of his life.

AT 13 he just doesn't know enough of the world to understand the consequences of his decision. They know so much that it is hard to realize how much they still don't know.
Talk to him about how he wants to earn a living.
What "toys" does he want.
Started a year or so ago discussing these things with DS. He really wants to be a military pilot so i explained that great HS grades and sports were necessary for military academy acceptance.
He wants his own F-5, which he just saw for sale surplus somewhere. So i suggested being an orthodontist to be able to afford it.

What does he want? Then show him some paths to get there.