How do your high schoolers handle PE, tech, and art electives?

[Anonymous]

My kids took arts one year and PE the other. Did tech credit in middle school. Health was done over summer online.

[Anonymous]

I am jumping in to ask a question.
Once these art, tech, health, and PE electives are out of the way, do kids only take AP and other hard courses? Or is there study halls or regular electives.

It seems so pushed towards a complete stress load of work by junior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am jumping in to ask a question.
Once these art, tech, health, and PE electives are out of the way, do kids only take AP and other hard courses? Or is there study halls or regular electives.

It seems so pushed towards a complete stress load of work by junior year.

My kid took PE two more times just because they liked it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am jumping in to ask a question.
Once these art, tech, health, and PE electives are out of the way, do kids only take AP and other hard courses? Or is there study halls or regular electives.

It seems so pushed towards a complete stress load of work by junior year.

Mine will take more classes that interest them. It leaves spaces open for more music/arts and other things.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:AP Comp Science Principles satisfies the tech credit requirement, and it's not a very difficult class. It's considered a good first AP class for 9th graders.

So you think it is okay to take with all honors courses, including Alg 2, Spanish 3, as well as AP Gov? That is what we are trying to figure out. Because I would prefer her to have the art a later year but don't want to overwhelm her this year.

NP: I think your child will be okay. My child took AP Comp Science Principles along with AP Physics 1, Spanish 4, H Alg 2, PE, Hon English, and Hon US History.

As a freshman?!?

Yes

How did you get in AP Physics as a freshman?

I would assume they are doing it at Blair Magnet.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP Comp Science Principles satisfies the tech credit requirement, and it's not a very difficult class. It's considered a good first AP class for 9th graders.

So you think it is okay to take with all honors courses, including Alg 2, Spanish 3, as well as AP Gov? That is what we are trying to figure out. Because I would prefer her to have the art a later year but don't want to overwhelm her this year.

NP: I think your child will be okay. My child took AP Comp Science Principles along with AP Physics 1, Spanish 4, H Alg 2, PE, Hon English, and Hon US History.

As a freshman?!?

Yes

How did you get in AP Physics as a freshman?

I would assume they are doing it at Blair Magnet.

Blair used to recommend AP Physics 1 to the non SMCS honors track kids. They have stepped down the rec somewhat and encourage Honors Biology as an alternative. The SMCS Blair kids take a compacted science class that includes Physics.

Re the OP´s original question, 3 APs is a heavy load for a Freshman. My kid does band every year, and did Tech and Health A in the summer. Hopes to do Health B next summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP Comp Science Principles satisfies the tech credit requirement, and it's not a very difficult class. It's considered a good first AP class for 9th graders.

So you think it is okay to take with all honors courses, including Alg 2, Spanish 3, as well as AP Gov? That is what we are trying to figure out. Because I would prefer her to have the art a later year but don't want to overwhelm her this year.

NP: I think your child will be okay. My child took AP Comp Science Principles along with AP Physics 1, Spanish 4, H Alg 2, PE, Hon English, and Hon US History.

As a freshman?!?

Yes

How did you get in AP Physics as a freshman?

I would assume they are doing it at Blair Magnet.

Blair used to recommend AP Physics 1 to the non SMCS honors track kids. They have stepped down the rec somewhat and encourage Honors Biology as an alternative. The SMCS Blair kids take a compacted science class that includes Physics.

Re the OP´s original question, 3 APs is a heavy load for a Freshman. My kid does band every year, and did Tech and Health A in the summer. Hopes to do Health B next summer.

OP's child is currently taking 1 AP course, so this would be switching to 2. I wouldn't want my kid to do that, but she's not into tech so that AP Computer Science Principles would be harder for her than for others. But kids at our school seem to do okay with both AP US Gov't and AP CS Principles in frehsman year.

[Anonymous]

My kid has a PE and an art elective and I think for freshman year, it is nice to have the breaks. But we aren’t cut throat in must take 15 AP’s either

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP Comp Science Principles satisfies the tech credit requirement, and it's not a very difficult class. It's considered a good first AP class for 9th graders.

So you think it is okay to take with all honors courses, including Alg 2, Spanish 3, as well as AP Gov? That is what we are trying to figure out. Because I would prefer her to have the art a later year but don't want to overwhelm her this year.

NP: I think your child will be okay. My child took AP Comp Science Principles along with AP Physics 1, Spanish 4, H Alg 2, PE, Hon English, and Hon US History.

As a freshman?!?

Yes

How did you get in AP Physics as a freshman?

I would assume they are doing it at Blair Magnet.

Definitely not. Blair magnet is not an AP program. Could be Wheaton magnet. They do AP physics in 9th

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They need one full credit in each now and it seems many take them in the summer? Or maybe one each year?

My freshman currently has an art and PE elective (recommended) and she thinks that will make future years too hard. She wants to switch from an art elective to AP Comp Science as a tech elective, but I am concerned that is too much since she already has Algebra 2 Honors and AP Government and I heard they are both bet hard.

Anyway, how have your kids balanced their schedules to be college prep focused without being miserable? Trying to find a healthy balance.

There are plenty of college prep focused kids who are taking Art and PE freshman year, just as there are plenty who spread it out over time. Future years are meant to get harder as its assumed that kids will be better adjusted to highschool, know themselves better, and have developed better time management and planning skills. Only you know your child to know if she has enough on her plate currently. There will be space in the schedule for electives later so she can choose how hard or easy she wants her schedule to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am jumping in to ask a question.
Once these art, tech, health, and PE electives are out of the way, do kids only take AP and other hard courses? Or is there study halls or regular electives.

It seems so pushed towards a complete stress load of work by junior year.

There are no study halls. My Jr is taking 6 academic classes + 1 elective. It is a lot. Some take 5 academic classes, but it includes a double-period science like AP Bio or Chem. That is also a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP Comp Science Principles satisfies the tech credit requirement, and it's not a very difficult class. It's considered a good first AP class for 9th graders.

So you think it is okay to take with all honors courses, including Alg 2, Spanish 3, as well as AP Gov? That is what we are trying to figure out. Because I would prefer her to have the art a later year but don't want to overwhelm her this year.

You know your child's interests and proclivities best. Some kids will have a super hard time in Hon Alg 2, and need a tutor to get a B and for others it will come naturally and they will get As with little effort other than keeping up with the problem sets. Ditto Spanish. AP Gov is generally a lot of work for anyone to do well, but a good teacher makes it efficient and manageable. Trading out Art or PE for AP Comp Sci Principles will increase workload, but whether it is worthwhile is completely dependent on your child's goals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid has a PE and an art elective and I think for freshman year, it is nice to have the breaks. But we aren’t cut throat in must take 15 AP’s either

I am not either but math is the easiest and it the least AP’s freshman year, so it seems better to save the easy electives for later and try the tech or AP comp sci class now. You can always try and bail out.

It’s a hard decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am jumping in to ask a question.
Once these art, tech, health, and PE electives are out of the way, do kids only take AP and other hard courses? Or is there study halls or regular electives.

It seems so pushed towards a complete stress load of work by junior year.

There are no study halls. My Jr is taking 6 academic classes + 1 elective. It is a lot. Some take 5 academic classes, but it includes a double-period science like AP Bio or Chem. That is also a lot.

You can take study hall. You just need to request through your counselor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP Comp Science Principles satisfies the tech credit requirement, and it's not a very difficult class. It's considered a good first AP class for 9th graders.

So you think it is okay to take with all honors courses, including Alg 2, Spanish 3, as well as AP Gov? That is what we are trying to figure out. Because I would prefer her to have the art a later year but don't want to overwhelm her this year.

NP: I think your child will be okay. My child took AP Comp Science Principles along with AP Physics 1, Spanish 4, H Alg 2, PE, Hon English, and Hon US History.

Seriously? You don't know anything about PP's child. I'd hardly think AP Physics 1 is a standard curriculum for a Freshman.
Humblebrag much?