Choosing middle school electives - any strategies we should be aware of?

[Anonymous]

Take the fun one- like FACs and get some cooking skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle school PE is a good time for kids to get a break during the school day and build friendships. Please don’t look at your child’s middle school experience as a step in the rat race. Let them take developmentally appropriate classes and be in the here and now.

Electives are a chance to try new things or develop a hobby or skill. Middle school students need to work on being good humans and enjoying life, not planning years ahead. It’s a fleeting moment in their lives.

If you read the OP correctly, you would see that my child wants to be able to take more electives. This isn't a question about AAP vs AP etc., electives do help kids enjoy life/develop a hobby or new skill.

Op asked about getting high school credit so yeah it is.

What? Yeah it is what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Skip foreign language completely until college. They won’t use it before then unless it’s Latin.

OP here, this is an odd take. Most other countries start foreign language in elementary school. My kids will go to Carson which starts language in 7th so they can get high school credit in 8th, I believe. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they take Math 7 HN in 7, they can take Algebra in 8th.

Also, if your school offers foreign language, they can take 1 in 7th and 2 in 8th.

They can take HPE 9 after 8th grade to open up another elective in their 9th grade year.

What is HPE?

[Anonymous]

Health and PE

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Skip foreign language completely until college. They won’t use it before then unless it’s Latin.

OP here, this is an odd take. Most other countries start foreign language in elementary school. My kids will go to Carson which starts language in 7th so they can get high school credit in 8th, I believe. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong there!

Carson doesn't offer Spanish 1 and Spanish 2? That's disappointing!

My child finished eighth grade (not at Carson) with four high school credits: Algebra I, Geometry, Spanish 1, and Spanish 2. It was great to get two years of World Language done before high school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Skip foreign language completely until college. They won’t use it before then unless it’s Latin.

OP here, this is an odd take. Most other countries start foreign language in elementary school. My kids will go to Carson which starts language in 7th so they can get high school credit in 8th, I believe. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong there!

You can take Spanish 1 and 2 or French 1 and 2 in 7th and 8th grade at Carson for HS credit. Fox Mill Japanese Immersion kids can take Japanese 1 and 2 at Carson for HS credit. I believe that Chinese is offered at Carson as well but I am not sure how that is handled and I did not see it on the language page for Carson but I remember it being discussed last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Skip foreign language completely until college. They won’t use it before then unless it’s Latin.

Terrible advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Skip foreign language completely until college. They won’t use it before then unless it’s Latin.

It is a HS graduation requirement. So no, do NOT skip it. Colleges also look for at least 3 years of a world language,the more selective the college then 4 is better.

[Anonymous]

Also LATIN is a choice for the World Language requirement. You can start as early as middle schools(not sure if at all MS). My oldest is now in AP. It has helped tremendously on SAT as well as most of their other classes. They have used latin root words along with other historical learned information through the class to answer several test questions in other subjects.

[Anonymous]

DP. Is it right to assume that the "language" a and b classes split over two years is slower/ easier path compared to taking the "language" 1 class all in one year (since they appear to count as the same)....??

Any pros/ cons to the two year path other than it taking up elective slots?

[Anonymous]

How hard is the one year Spanish course in 8th grade?

I will admit that *I* want DS to continue in band, but he enjoys it. If he takes the full year Spanish course in 7th, I am certain he will quit band to take FACs etc in 8th grade. If it’s not too hard, I want to steer him to take Spanish in 8th so he can do a couple other fun electives in 7th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How hard is the one year Spanish course in 8th grade?

I will admit that *I* want DS to continue in band, but he enjoys it. If he takes the full year Spanish course in 7th, I am certain he will quit band to take FACs etc in 8th grade. If it’s not too hard, I want to steer him to take Spanish in 8th so he can do a couple other fun electives in 7th.

One of my kids took French 1 in 7th grade
One took Spanish 1 in 8th grade
One didn't start Spanish until 9 grade

All got As.

First year language is a lot about learning vocabulary and basic phrases and conjugating verbs. If they can handle organization and memorization they should be good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DP. Is it right to assume that the "language" a and b classes split over two years is slower/ easier path compared to taking the "language" 1 class all in one year (since they appear to count as the same)....??

Any pros/ cons to the two year path other than it taking up elective slots?

A and B is a waste of time. 1st year language is not really that difficult - A and B just takes two years to do what most middle school students can handle in one year and spreads it out. Sounds boring to me. Pros to doing A and B would be if your kid has absolutely no interest in any other elective at the MS it allows them to not have to choose anything else.