7th grade intensified-APS

[Anonymous]

DD is registered for them next year (at Swanson)-- what should we expect? More homework? More tests?

[Anonymous]

Your kid will read the whole book while the regular class reads excerpts. It’s all relative. Intensified compared to the remedial (“regular”) class? Yes. But hardly an honors class. If you want rigor, you’ll need to go private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid will read the whole book while the regular class reads excerpts. It’s all relative. Intensified compared to the remedial (“regular”) class? Yes. But hardly an honors class. If you want rigor, you’ll need to go private.

That’s probably similar to the mid-late 90s /00s when we were in APS. 7th graders would read multiple books cover to cover throughout the year. The Pizza Hut on Wilson would also award students free pizza for finishing books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid will read the whole book while the regular class reads excerpts. It’s all relative. Intensified compared to the remedial (“regular”) class? Yes. But hardly an honors class. If you want rigor, you’ll need to go private.

My kid was at Swanson in 7th grade before the intensified classes were offered (now a rising 9th grader so 8th grade she took intensified classes) and this isn't true. They read entire books in 7th grade.

Just throwing in some facts if it helps.

[Anonymous]

All 7th graders should be reading entire novels, not just the “intensified” classes. I agree with PP. That’s not even close to being an honors class if that’s the defining characteristic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid will read the whole book while the regular class reads excerpts. It’s all relative. Intensified compared to the remedial (“regular”) class? Yes. But hardly an honors class. If you want rigor, you’ll need to go private.

My kid was at Swanson in 7th grade before the intensified classes were offered (now a rising 9th grader so 8th grade she took intensified classes) and this isn't true. They read entire books in 7th grade.

Just throwing in some facts if it helps.

I think that’s their point — that the “intensified” classes are just regular classes, and that the regular classes are actually remedial courses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid will read the whole book while the regular class reads excerpts. It’s all relative. Intensified compared to the remedial (“regular”) class? Yes. But hardly an honors class. If you want rigor, you’ll need to go private.

My kid was at Swanson in 7th grade before the intensified classes were offered (now a rising 9th grader so 8th grade she took intensified classes) and this isn't true. They read entire books in 7th grade.

Just throwing in some facts if it helps.

I think that’s their point — that the “intensified” classes are just regular classes, and that the regular classes are actually remedial courses.

I have a kid with LDs in regular English and they read the entire books.

The intensified extension materials are included on canvas. They have to add additional quotes, use more sophisticated language, etc. They do more but it’s not significantly different. Neither seems that far off from pre-intensified classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid will read the whole book while the regular class reads excerpts. It’s all relative. Intensified compared to the remedial (“regular”) class? Yes. But hardly an honors class. If you want rigor, you’ll need to go private.

My kid was at Swanson in 7th grade before the intensified classes were offered (now a rising 9th grader so 8th grade she took intensified classes) and this isn't true. They read entire books in 7th grade.

Just throwing in some facts if it helps.

I think that’s their point — that the “intensified” classes are just regular classes, and that the regular classes are actually remedial courses.

So you're saying that because APS now offers intensified classes, the regular classes they no longer read books? So there is no intensified at all, it's that APS renamed regular classes intensified and regular classes were dumbed down. I would ask APS or an actual teacher and not listen to people on this board personally. I have just seen over and over that people misrepresent the homework and test retake policies and portray they do nothing at school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid will read the whole book while the regular class reads excerpts. It’s all relative. Intensified compared to the remedial (“regular”) class? Yes. But hardly an honors class. If you want rigor, you’ll need to go private.

My kid was at Swanson in 7th grade before the intensified classes were offered (now a rising 9th grader so 8th grade she took intensified classes) and this isn't true. They read entire books in 7th grade.

Just throwing in some facts if it helps.

I think that’s their point — that the “intensified” classes are just regular classes, and that the regular classes are actually remedial courses.

I have a kid with LDs in regular English and they read the entire books.

The intensified extension materials are included on canvas. They have to add additional quotes, use more sophisticated language, etc. They do more but it’s not significantly different. Neither seems that far off from pre-intensified classes.

Our kid read selections from books in regular classes. We are doing intensified next year hoping it will be better.

[Anonymous]

With math intensified, the teacher was very clear they are covering more material and going faster. Explicitly stated.

Other classes it seems same content is covered and they allegedly go "deeper". Seemed like slightly higher expectations for my kid but nothing crazy.

My take is in middle school parents are still forcing their students into these classes so the cohort of peers is still not always great. By high school, kids are recommended for intensified (or not) and the kids who are disruptive or asleep at the desk are more fully weeded out. That makes the bigger difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid will read the whole book while the regular class reads excerpts. It’s all relative. Intensified compared to the remedial (“regular”) class? Yes. But hardly an honors class. If you want rigor, you’ll need to go private.

My kid was at Swanson in 7th grade before the intensified classes were offered (now a rising 9th grader so 8th grade she took intensified classes) and this isn't true. They read entire books in 7th grade.

Just throwing in some facts if it helps.

I think that’s their point — that the “intensified” classes are just regular classes, and that the regular classes are actually remedial courses.

I have a kid with LDs in regular English and they read the entire books.

The intensified extension materials are included on canvas. They have to add additional quotes, use more sophisticated language, etc. They do more but it’s not significantly different. Neither seems that far off from pre-intensified classes.

Our kid read selections from books in regular classes. We are doing intensified next year hoping it will be better.

What school is this? Are they doing this and also reading full books?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid will read the whole book while the regular class reads excerpts. It’s all relative. Intensified compared to the remedial (“regular”) class? Yes. But hardly an honors class. If you want rigor, you’ll need to go private.

My kid was at Swanson in 7th grade before the intensified classes were offered (now a rising 9th grader so 8th grade she took intensified classes) and this isn't true. They read entire books in 7th grade.

Just throwing in some facts if it helps.

I think that’s their point — that the “intensified” classes are just regular classes, and that the regular classes are actually remedial courses.

So you're saying that because APS now offers intensified classes, the regular classes they no longer read books? So there is no intensified at all, it's that APS renamed regular classes intensified and regular classes were dumbed down. I would ask APS or an actual teacher and not listen to people on this board personally. I have just seen over and over that people misrepresent the homework and test retake policies and portray they do nothing at school.

There’s been a sharp increase in kids who can’t handle grade level material and they have to put them somewhere. Intensified classes are for kids who can handle grade level work. Don’t fool yourself thinking it’s honors though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With math intensified, the teacher was very clear they are covering more material and going faster. Explicitly stated.

Other classes it seems same content is covered and they allegedly go "deeper". Seemed like slightly higher expectations for my kid but nothing crazy.

My take is in middle school parents are still forcing their students into these classes so the cohort of peers is still not always great. By high school, kids are recommended for intensified (or not) and the kids who are disruptive or asleep at the desk are more fully weeded out. That makes the bigger difference.

With math, it’s better to go deeper than faster. A mile wide and an inch deep is not the way to go.

They need to not dumb these classes down. If your sixth grader is really ready for calculus, they should have to do the class with the big kids and get kicked out when they inevitably can’t keep up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With math intensified, the teacher was very clear they are covering more material and going faster. Explicitly stated.

Other classes it seems same content is covered and they allegedly go "deeper". Seemed like slightly higher expectations for my kid but nothing crazy.

My take is in middle school parents are still forcing their students into these classes so the cohort of peers is still not always great. By high school, kids are recommended for intensified (or not) and the kids who are disruptive or asleep at the desk are more fully weeded out. That makes the bigger difference.

With math, it’s better to go deeper than faster. A mile wide and an inch deep is not the way to go.

They need to not dumb these classes down. If your sixth grader is really ready for calculus, they should have to do the class with the big kids and get kicked out when they inevitably can’t keep up.

Ok, keep your kid in regular math. I don't think anyone said they're going a mile wide and an inch deep but whatever. The point is it's actually more challenging and more work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid will read the whole book while the regular class reads excerpts. It’s all relative. Intensified compared to the remedial (“regular”) class? Yes. But hardly an honors class. If you want rigor, you’ll need to go private.

My kid was at Swanson in 7th grade before the intensified classes were offered (now a rising 9th grader so 8th grade she took intensified classes) and this isn't true. They read entire books in 7th grade.

Just throwing in some facts if it helps.

I think that’s their point — that the “intensified” classes are just regular classes, and that the regular classes are actually remedial courses.

So you're saying that because APS now offers intensified classes, the regular classes they no longer read books? So there is no intensified at all, it's that APS renamed regular classes intensified and regular classes were dumbed down. I would ask APS or an actual teacher and not listen to people on this board personally. I have just seen over and over that people misrepresent the homework and test retake policies and portray they do nothing at school.

There’s been a sharp increase in kids who can’t handle grade level material and they have to put them somewhere. Intensified classes are for kids who can handle grade level work. Don’t fool yourself thinking it’s honors though.

Intensified classes were just added back to middle school this past school year due to direct pressure from the gifted and talented crowd, or whatever it's called now. So if APS pulled a fast one and intensified are just the regular classes and the regular classes are dumbed down, sincerely go to a School Board member and say something.