When do classes get more challenging?

[Anonymous]

DD is in 7th grade. So far, she has found some topics in IM last year and algebra this year to be challenging, but other topics in the same classes to be easy. She does have more homework this year than ever before. It isn't difficult homework, it is simply a matter of volume. What I have found though is that this is the first year se has realized she can make her assignments more challenging or interesting on her own by writing longer stories, doing more research on her own, etc. So she is creating some degree of challenge for herself by becoming a more engaged and active learner. She is in French 2, and I continue to be unimpressed with the level of rigor in world language instruction. I keep erring that level 3 becomes more of a challenge, but so far, French has required very little effort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is in 7th grade. So far, she has found some topics in IM last year and algebra this year to be challenging, but other topics in the same classes to be easy. She does have more homework this year than ever before. It isn't difficult homework, it is simply a matter of volume. What I have found though is that this is the first year se has realized she can make her assignments more challenging or interesting on her own by writing longer stories, doing more research on her own, etc. So she is creating some degree of challenge for herself by becoming a more engaged and active learner. She is in French 2, and I continue to be unimpressed with the level of rigor in world language instruction. I keep erring that level 3 becomes more of a challenge, but so far, French has required very little effort.

*hearing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So curious which schools the posters are referring to. I have two bright kids that have finished ES, MS and one finished HS. I don't think either of them would have considered most of their classes not challenging. Yes, some of them weren't but I would hardly say that the majority of their classes, both honors and AP were not challenging. I will say that perhaps what made some of them challenging was been having poor teachers for many math and science classes. DD told me that when she went to take first semester chemistry in college that she realized that no one really ever taught her how to set-up a proper lab notebook and most of the other kids had learned that in high school.

I think it's less about schools and more about teachers. My ds is challenged in Science and the teacher seems good, but ds complains that friends' science teachers are much easier. I'd agree with PP that math has sometimes been challenging not because of material, but because (according to ds) teacher doesn't really teach the concepts but hands out worksheets and just tells the class to read the directions. He even went up to ask a question and teacher reiterated that he should just read the directions. Might's well be a correspondence course...

[Anonymous]

My parents were really wise in that when I complained about school being too easy, they told me that a school wouldn’t give me an education, but rather, I had to go and get it myself. Put the onus back on your kid to create their own learning opportunities. This will develop skills that are useful as they mature. Rather than wondering why the world isn’t designed to meet the needs of gifted people (it isn’t and never will be), your child should be looking to exploit opportunities that meet their needs. The change in outlook will be beneficial in how they frame the problem. The classroom will never meet all the needs of outliers. You can supplement, etc but nothing beats asking the kid to figure out their own problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never. Not in HS either. Sadly, my DC, a HS senior, told me that the last 4 years have been a waste and that she hasn't learned anything since magnet middle school program. This despite taking all honors and a heavier AP/IB schedule than many students.

AP is generally monotonous shallow book learning which is formulaic. IB is writing assignments, which could be good if there was ever any feedback on the writing, but there isn't.

Top it off with some terrible teachers - unclear, testing concepts not taught, petty and lazy (not grading for many weeks) and the whole experience has basically provoked deep boredom and lethargy. Fortunately DC has an outside interest that she spends substantial time on (both out of school and in class after DC is finished work or while the teacher is droning on about stuff DC already knows) or she would have lost her marbles a long time ago.

Thank god that your child's teacher was honest about it all. Now you know. Encourage your DC to find other outlets - classes outside if school that are interesting, reading books, whatever.

This is sad.
Do you mind sharing your home high school?

[Anonymous]

Great time to do some challenging enrichment. An instrument, robotics club etc.

[Anonymous]

MS is a wasteland of social cruelty and teachers who would rather be in a high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents were really wise in that when I complained about school being too easy, they told me that a school wouldn’t give me an education, but rather, I had to go and get it myself. Put the onus back on your kid to create their own learning opportunities. This will develop skills that are useful as they mature. Rather than wondering why the world isn’t designed to meet the needs of gifted people (it isn’t and never will be), your child should be looking to exploit opportunities that meet their needs. The change in outlook will be beneficial in how they frame the problem. The classroom will never meet all the needs of outliers. You can supplement, etc but nothing beats asking the kid to figure out their own problem.

Yes! I tell students the same thing. Truly intelligent people can learn to create their own challenges. I wish more parents had this thought process instead of expecting public school to constantly tailor everything to their student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents were really wise in that when I complained about school being too easy, they told me that a school wouldn’t give me an education, but rather, I had to go and get it myself. Put the onus back on your kid to create their own learning opportunities. This will develop skills that are useful as they mature. Rather than wondering why the world isn’t designed to meet the needs of gifted people (it isn’t and never will be), your child should be looking to exploit opportunities that meet their needs. The change in outlook will be beneficial in how they frame the problem. The classroom will never meet all the needs of outliers. You can supplement, etc but nothing beats asking the kid to figure out their own problem.

Exactly this. Were my kid's middle-school classes academically challenging by themselves? Mostly not. Did she learn a lot in middle school? You bet.

[Anonymous]

3rd, 6th, 9th, 11th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents were really wise in that when I complained about school being too easy, they told me that a school wouldn’t give me an education, but rather, I had to go and get it myself. Put the onus back on your kid to create their own learning opportunities. This will develop skills that are useful as they mature. Rather than wondering why the world isn’t designed to meet the needs of gifted people (it isn’t and never will be), your child should be looking to exploit opportunities that meet their needs. The change in outlook will be beneficial in how they frame the problem. The classroom will never meet all the needs of outliers. You can supplement, etc but nothing beats asking the kid to figure out their own problem.

Yes! I tell students the same thing. Truly intelligent people can learn to create their own challenges. I wish more parents had this thought process instead of expecting public school to constantly tailor everything to their student.

This attitude has failed many talented students whose parents are incapable to guild them in the public school system. It is one of the reason the achievement gap persists and is enlarging.

[Anonymous]

More work - middle of high school. Actually challenging material - not yet according to my 11th grader.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never. Not in HS either. Sadly, my DC, a HS senior, told me that the last 4 years have been a waste and that she hasn't learned anything since magnet middle school program. This despite taking all honors and a heavier AP/IB schedule than many students.

AP is generally monotonous shallow book learning which is formulaic. IB is writing assignments, which could be good if there was ever any feedback on the writing, but there isn't.

Top it off with some terrible teachers - unclear, testing concepts not taught, petty and lazy (not grading for many weeks) and the whole experience has basically provoked deep boredom and lethargy. Fortunately DC has an outside interest that she spends substantial time on (both out of school and in class after DC is finished work or while the teacher is droning on about stuff DC already knows) or she would have lost her marbles a long time ago.

Thank god that your child's teacher was honest about it all. Now you know. Encourage your DC to find other outlets - classes outside if school that are interesting, reading books, whatever.

This is sad.
Do you mind sharing your home high school?

My comments aren't a function of our particular school, which is considered one of the top in the county. All public high schools (except the competitive magnet programs) are like this for the highly intellectual kids. I have heard many stories from DD about how kids manage - goof off secretly in class, focus on other aspects of life, educate self outside the classroom, etc. Also, some kids manage psychologically with the boredom and some can't. Those that can't are often incorrectly interpreted by parents and teachers as .... bored, lazy, unmotivated, stupid, depressed, anxious, pushed by parents, etc.

[Anonymous]

The workload increases in middle school but really picks up in high school. Take advantage of extracurriculars in middle school because it will be harder to find time to fit them in in high school. I’m not thrilled with all my HSer’s teachers, but he is certainly learning new material.

[Anonymous]

In high school, our experience is that AP classes are difficult and require a lot of work. Non AP classes require almost no out-of-class attention and material doesn't appear challenging.