workload during HS summer session

[Anonymous]

On the workload question, I'm trying to get a sense of what is possible for future summers. Are two classes at the same time (health and tech ed) doable if the kid has no other commitments? What about one class at the same time as a part-time work/volunteer commitment? I want to make sure that he still has time to relax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On the workload question, I'm trying to get a sense of what is possible for future summers. Are two classes at the same time (health and tech ed) doable if the kid has no other commitments? What about one class at the same time as a part-time work/volunteer commitment? I want to make sure that he still has time to relax.

Two at a time would be miserable. I think another activity like a job or volunteering up to 20 per hours a week is okay with one class.

[Anonymous]

OP here. thank you all! DC is dropping Algebra 2 but is still thinking about Photography. Does any one have experience with Photography class? Do they have to write papers? Study history of photography? Or do they just run around and photograph stuff and learn various settings on cameras?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. thank you all! DC is dropping Algebra 2 but is still thinking about Photography. Does any one have experience with Photography class? Do they have to write papers? Study history of photography? Or do they just run around and photograph stuff and learn various settings on cameras?

It will likely be learning about elements of photography and then completing the practice work and final photos for various elements of photography.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is a rising 9th grader. DC registered for summer Honors Algebra 2 A&B. Does any one have prior experience with this class in the summer? DC is good at math. I am worried about homework load. Is DC going to be stuck with hours of homework between classes which are 2 and 3 times a week depending on the week.

This is a bad plan. They still need 4 years of math in high school - you are going to run out of courses. Take tech (FOCS or FOT) and/or Health in the summer if you want to free up elective slots.

Agreed. Although the teachers try to fit an entire year of math into a summer, the reality is that it can't cover as much or give the time to learn the material as well as during the school year when the child has more time to absorb the material. This particular course is foundational to future math, and your child may find later classes more challenging if the summer instruction isn't of the same intensity as the school-year instruction. I've seen kids do this with Hon. Geometry, and it didn't have an impact on future math classes as much, but they bombed that part of the SAT.

This isn't about how good your DC is in math. My DC took Algebra 2 during the school year while still in MS, but I wouldn't have considered having her try it in the summer.

Agree that the tech and health credits are good options for the summer. A rising 9th grader can't take health, but they can take tech.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't take Algebra 2 over the summer for the reasons PP have identified as needing to have a really solid grounding, but running out of HS math classes isn't a concern I'd have. A kid who's already had Algebra 2 before 9th grade could then take precalculus, AP calculus AB/BC (either both or just BC), multivariate calculus, and AP stats in HS, and still have math all four years.

As for health and tech, my kids have taken those over the summer, and although there's a bunch of busywork, nothing was that hard. Those classes were well worth doing over the summers to free up space for other classes in HS.

Agree that running out of math isn't the concern. I'm the poster whose DC took Algebra 2 during the school year in MS. She has had no difficulty finding math classes, and there is the option of taking college classes while in HS. However, of the child doesn't have a strong foundation, they may struggle in all future classes.

[Anonymous]

I thought you could not take the math classes for original credit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is a rising 9th grader. DC registered for summer Honors Algebra 2 A&B. Does any one have prior experience with this class in the summer? DC is good at math. I am worried about homework load. Is DC going to be stuck with hours of homework between classes which are 2 and 3 times a week depending on the week.

This is a bad plan. They still need 4 years of math in high school - you are going to run out of courses. Take tech (FOCS or FOT) and/or Health in the summer if you want to free up elective slots.

Agreed. Although the teachers try to fit an entire year of math into a summer, the reality is that it can't cover as much or give the time to learn the material as well as during the school year when the child has more time to absorb the material. This particular course is foundational to future math, and your child may find later classes more challenging if the summer instruction isn't of the same intensity as the school-year instruction. I've seen kids do this with Hon. Geometry, and it didn't have an impact on future math classes as much, but they bombed that part of the SAT.

This isn't about how good your DC is in math. My DC took Algebra 2 during the school year while still in MS, but I wouldn't have considered having her try it in the summer.

Agree that the tech and health credits are good options for the summer. A rising 9th grader can't take health, but they can take tech.

Rising 9th graders are now able to take the first semester of health over the summer. My rising ninth grader will be doing that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought you could not take the math classes for original credit?

I don't know about Hon. Algebra 2, but some HS allow kids to take Hon. Geometry for original credit. At our HS, taking it in the summer after 8th is a common way for kids to get additional acceleration. Most of them do okay in subsequent math classes, but I've heard stories of problems with the SAT math scores because of the lack of foundation in geometry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On the workload question, I'm trying to get a sense of what is possible for future summers. Are two classes at the same time (health and tech ed) doable if the kid has no other commitments? What about one class at the same time as a part-time work/volunteer commitment? I want to make sure that he still has time to relax.

Two at a time would be miserable. I think another activity like a job or volunteering up to 20 per hours a week is okay with one class.

My rising junior did both last summer. It was fine -- not at all miserable. Health is 3 weeks, Tech is 6 weeks. Both were virtual. DD was still able to do lots of other stuff over the summer -- the overlap was only 3 weeks. Worth it for her to get them out of the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On the workload question, I'm trying to get a sense of what is possible for future summers. Are two classes at the same time (health and tech ed) doable if the kid has no other commitments? What about one class at the same time as a part-time work/volunteer commitment? I want to make sure that he still has time to relax.

Two at a time would be miserable. I think another activity like a job or volunteering up to 20 per hours a week is okay with one class.

My rising junior did both last summer. It was fine -- not at all miserable. Health is 3 weeks, Tech is 6 weeks. Both were virtual. DD was still able to do lots of other stuff over the summer -- the overlap was only 3 weeks. Worth it for her to get them out of the way.

Just a quick programming note that for the class of '25 and after, there is a second semester of health required.

[Anonymous]

My son did tech in person last summer. It was a lot of fun, lots of hands on projects, and no homework. But it did require being in school for 3 hours each day the class met