Being the only one...lower level classes then friends / peers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I reading this correctly, that in North Carolina they mix honors and regular classes in the same classroom?

For certain classes/schools, yes, this is what they do. In this particular school, the Honors kids basically get harder assignments. So, for example, in 9th grade, you can get Env Science regular or honors in the same class. But the smartest science kids get put in
Biology so they are separated. To be in Biology, you have to have taken 9th grade math in 8th grade. And be put in 10th grade math honors, which is separated. But if you are in 9th grade math, then regular and honors are the same class and you are going to get Honors Env Science or regular. ELA is the same class for regular and honors no matter what. The only AP class in 9th grade is SS. Regular SS, you have honors and regular in the same class. For this particular school, it has immersion kids for multiple languages, so the immersion kids start off in Level 5 of the language.

Other than ELA, most super smart kids are going to be separated. This is why my kid wants to do the AP US Gov class even though she only got recommended for honors. She knows it will be tough for her, but she also believes she will be much happier in a class where the kids care about school. Since she will be in Honors 10th grade math and Bio, she will only deal with the heterogeneous groupings for ELA, PE/Health and her electives — which for her are all in the arts and those kids tend to actually care about the arts even if they aren’t super academic.

Truthfully, AP US Gov may be sort of a disaster for her — although I don’t think she would actually fail. She will be totally shocked to go from all As to a C. But, I’m not going to stop her from trying. She is smart. She just has inattentive ADHD and the reading and writing will take her forever.

OP here -- btw, thank you for sharing about your SN child on my earlier query. Your response here hits hard and validates all of my fears as to how classmates (and parents) see him. He also cares very much about school. He is hard working, curious, smart and engaged. I hope he doesn't bother her now, or next year (he's not a disruption).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I reading this correctly, that in North Carolina they mix honors and regular classes in the same classroom?

For certain classes/schools, yes, this is what they do. In this particular school, the Honors kids basically get harder assignments. So, for example, in 9th grade, you can get Env Science regular or honors in the same class. But the smartest science kids get put in
Biology so they are separated. To be in Biology, you have to have taken 9th grade math in 8th grade. And be put in 10th grade math honors, which is separated. But if you are in 9th grade math, then regular and honors are the same class and you are going to get Honors Env Science or regular. ELA is the same class for regular and honors no matter what. The only AP class in 9th grade is SS. Regular SS, you have honors and regular in the same class. For this particular school, it has immersion kids for multiple languages, so the immersion kids start off in Level 5 of the language.

Other than ELA, most super smart kids are going to be separated. This is why my kid wants to do the AP US Gov class even though she only got recommended for honors. She knows it will be tough for her, but she also believes she will be much happier in a class where the kids care about school. Since she will be in Honors 10th grade math and Bio, she will only deal with the heterogeneous groupings for ELA, PE/Health and her electives — which for her are all in the arts and those kids tend to actually care about the arts even if they aren’t super academic.

Truthfully, AP US Gov may be sort of a disaster for her — although I don’t think she would actually fail. She will be totally shocked to go from all As to a C. But, I’m not going to stop her from trying. She is smart. She just has inattentive ADHD and the reading and writing will take her forever.

OP here -- btw, thank you for sharing about your SN child on my earlier query. Your response here hits hard and validates all of my fears as to how classmates (and parents) see him. He also cares very much about school. He is hard working, curious, smart and engaged. I hope he doesn't bother her now, or next year (he's not a disruption).

Oh my goodness, I’m sure your son isn’t a bother!! But if you are at the same middle school as my kid, I’m sure you are hearing there are kids that basically just sleep through class or are totally disruptive. My kid doesn’t love school, but she does try really hard. She gets super upset about distractions given her inattentive ADHD. She is just hoping that she will have fewer classes with totally disruptive kids. She will come and complain that the teacher had to spend half the class yelling at X an didn’t even manage to teach them.

[Anonymous]

Honors mixed with regular in a single class? Sounds like a terrible idea. I'm just gob smacked that any school system, even one in North Carolina, thinks this is a good idea. Those poor teachers and kids. It serves no one except administrators who get to say "Look, inclusion! Differentiation! YAY!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honors mixed with regular in a single class? Sounds like a terrible idea. I'm just gob smacked that any school system, even one in North Carolina, thinks this is a good idea. Those poor teachers and kids. It serves no one except administrators who get to say "Look, inclusion! Differentiation! YAY!"

OP - not a state, or district mandate. just happens at some schools, including the school two of us have been talking about. It's highly rated in a competitive area. In reality, most of the high-performing college bound kids end up in either mainly AP classes or start the IB in Junior year.

[Anonymous]

OP, go to the mat on a class or two, insisting he get whatever higher level class you think is appropriate. Otherwise, his friends, his peers .. well, new people in the lower level classes will *also* become his friends and peers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I reading this correctly, that in North Carolina they mix honors and regular classes in the same classroom?

For certain classes/schools, yes, this is what they do. In this particular school, the Honors kids basically get harder assignments. So, for example, in 9th grade, you can get Env Science regular or honors in the same class. But the smartest science kids get put in
Biology so they are separated. To be in Biology, you have to have taken 9th grade math in 8th grade. And be put in 10th grade math honors, which is separated. But if you are in 9th grade math, then regular and honors are the same class and you are going to get Honors Env Science or regular. ELA is the same class for regular and honors no matter what. The only AP class in 9th grade is SS. Regular SS, you have honors and regular in the same class. For this particular school, it has immersion kids for multiple languages, so the immersion kids start off in Level 5 of the language.

Other than ELA, most super smart kids are going to be separated. This is why my kid wants to do the AP US Gov class even though she only got recommended for honors. She knows it will be tough for her, but she also believes she will be much happier in a class where the kids care about school. Since she will be in Honors 10th grade math and Bio, she will only deal with the heterogeneous groupings for ELA, PE/Health and her electives — which for her are all in the arts and those kids tend to actually care about the arts even if they aren’t super academic.

Truthfully, AP US Gov may be sort of a disaster for her — although I don’t think she would actually fail. She will be totally shocked to go from all As to a C. But, I’m not going to stop her from trying. She is smart. She just has inattentive ADHD and the reading and writing will take her forever.

OP here -- btw, thank you for sharing about your SN child on my earlier query. Your response here hits hard and validates all of my fears as to how classmates (and parents) see him. He also cares very much about school. He is hard working, curious, smart and engaged. I hope he doesn't bother her now, or next year (he's not a disruption).

Oh my goodness, I’m sure your son isn’t a bother!! But if you are at the same middle school as my kid, I’m sure you are hearing there are kids that basically just sleep through class or are totally disruptive. My kid doesn’t love school, but she does try really hard. She gets super upset about distractions given her inattentive ADHD. She is just hoping that she will have fewer classes with totally disruptive kids. She will come and complain that the teacher had to spend half the class yelling at X an didn’t even manage to teach them.

Oh good thank you! I'm feeling raw and nervous right now. Math has been really hard this year and we know that doing Math 2 Honors would not go well, I'm bummed that it has the cascade for Science (which I hadn't been aware of), he's always been strong in Science. Social Studies is his other favorite but test taking like EOGs is his greatest challenge. He occasional mentions the sleeping kids and I think he's largely able to ignore the disruptions. I have an older student at the school (all Honors/APs) and they have actually felt that the blended classes in ELA and SS (they were in 9th before the AP was allowed) were fine. Good luck with the rest of the year!