YHS Freshmen Courseload

[Anonymous]

My kid (now a senior at Yorktown) has not found any of the intensified courses to be particularly a lot of work (particularly the ninth grade schedule of intensive English and World block, Bio, and Math, in combination with a Language, PE, & an Elective (such as engineering). I don't remember my kid ever having more that 2 hours of homework in an evening (and that would be unusual). Some of the AP history and Science classes can be extremely time intensive with busy work, like copying down 10-20 pages of the text book on a nightly basis for AP-USH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid (now a senior at Yorktown) has not found any of the intensified courses to be particularly a lot of work (particularly the ninth grade schedule of intensive English and World block, Bio, and Math, in combination with a Language, PE, & an Elective (such as engineering). I don't remember my kid ever having more that 2 hours of homework in an evening (and that would be unusual). Some of the AP history and Science classes can be extremely time intensive with busy work, like copying down 10-20 pages of the text book on a nightly basis for AP-USH.

Thank you to you and the others who are encouraging a more rigorous path. I have the same feeling about encouraged mediocrity. I appreciate your taking the time to respond. We don’t know a lot of people in her grade or upper grades.

[Anonymous]

Considering all intensified but dropping down a notch from Algebra 2/Trig Intensified to regular Algebra 2 for 9th grade at YHS. DC is an A/B student for geometry (same for algebra). If DC does drop down, what does that do to their math path? It was confusing in the program of studies. Does that mean freshman A2, sophomore trig, junior pre-calc, senior calculus? Or would it but them on a track for AB Calculus junior year and BC senior year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid (now a senior at Yorktown) has not found any of the intensified courses to be particularly a lot of work (particularly the ninth grade schedule of intensive English and World block, Bio, and Math, in combination with a Language, PE, & an Elective (such as engineering). I don't remember my kid ever having more that 2 hours of homework in an evening (and that would be unusual). Some of the AP history and Science classes can be extremely time intensive with busy work, like copying down 10-20 pages of the text book on a nightly basis for AP-USH.

Thank you for this! Did you YHS student take the engineering elective? Did he like it?

[Anonymous]

My child is a 9th grader at WnL and in all intensified plus AP World History. She was also cautioned about taking all intensified plus an AP her freshman year but she isn't having too much trouble. She did have to adjust her study habits in the first few weeks but that could also just be adjusting to high school...plus online learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is a 9th grader at WnL and in all intensified plus AP World History. She was also cautioned about taking all intensified plus an AP her freshman year but she isn't having too much trouble. She did have to adjust her study habits in the first few weeks but that could also just be adjusting to high school...plus online learning.

I’m the OP. I appreciate your taking the time to respond. It’s pretty clear the IB bound kids at WL are encouraged to take all intensified and AP history. My child would’ve been on IB track if she won the lottery. So I see no reason to discourage all intensified at Yorktown. I do wish the counselors targeted advice based on individual circumstances rather than one size fits all advice to “not take all intensified.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is a 9th grader at WnL and in all intensified plus AP World History. She was also cautioned about taking all intensified plus an AP her freshman year but she isn't having too much trouble. She did have to adjust her study habits in the first few weeks but that could also just be adjusting to high school...plus online learning.

I’m the OP. I appreciate your taking the time to respond. It’s pretty clear the IB bound kids at WL are encouraged to take all intensified and AP history. My child would’ve been on IB track if she won the lottery. So I see no reason to discourage all intensified at Yorktown. I do wish the counselors targeted advice based on individual circumstances rather than one size fits all advice to “not take all intensified.”

I have a high schooler who did not end up at YHS but that's where we originally planned for them to go and even though the counselors at YHS have this in their presentation every year, the WMS teachers pushed them to take intensified in all core areas. So I would realize this is the party line for the most part. Plenty of kids do all intensified freshman year.

[Anonymous]

I've had 4 kids go through YHS (last one currently a senior) and 2 have taken Intensified block, the other 2 took regular. My reg kids came out as stronger writers (they did more writing in both English and History), but the intensified kids had more homework. For what it's worth, I liked the reg teachers more (more communicative, seemed to connect better with the kids)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've had 4 kids go through YHS (last one currently a senior) and 2 have taken Intensified block, the other 2 took regular. My reg kids came out as stronger writers (they did more writing in both English and History), but the intensified kids had more homework. For what it's worth, I liked the reg teachers more (more communicative, seemed to connect better with the kids)

That’s interesting. Thanks for sharing your (many) experiences!

[Anonymous]

My freshman is in Intensified English and World History, Intensified Algebra II/Trig, Latin 3, and regular bio (and a theater elective). She was recommended for intensive bio but she wasn't that interested and didn't want to do a science fair project (not required in regular.). She will switch back to Intensified Chemistry. I wish we would have pulled her back in math -- distance learning has made it extra hard for her. We have engaged a tutor and it's still not all clicking.

[Anonymous]

NP, to the question about Algebra 2, regular vs intensified -- 4 or 5 years ago at YHS Academic Planning night, I heard from someone reputable (hazy memory but maybe the department head) say that Intensified Algebra 2 is the hardest math class. As for pathways, as of last year, the normal pathway out of regular Alegebra 2 is Algebra 3, not precalc. As I recall, a student could go straight to precalc from regular Algebra 2 with an A(?) and teacher recommendation(?) and/or by doing a special math packet that had to be completed before the end of the year, the idea being that this would prepare the student for precalc. YHS staff seem to have learned the hard way that accelerated middle school math leads to problems for many students in high school.

[Anonymous]

Is this Algebra II intensified class really a problem for most 9th graders? Only at Yorktown or systemwide? My rising 9th has been very comfortable in advanced math so far in APS (intensified Algebra 1 and Geometry). She’s had relatively easy As, no tutors, etc. Should she be concerned about this class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this Algebra II intensified class really a problem for most 9th graders? Only at Yorktown or systemwide? My rising 9th has been very comfortable in advanced math so far in APS (intensified Algebra 1 and Geometry). She’s had relatively easy As, no tutors, etc. Should she be concerned about this class?

We're at W-L. My DS is a math whiz and had no problem with it but had several friends who'd done fine in MS Intensified Alg 1 and geo who had to drop it. My DD easily got As in the intensified MS classes but could not handle it and dropped down to regular Alg 2. It is very fast paced and if you miss anything, whether that's just from not grasping the concept immediately or being out sick, you aren't going to get any help from the teacher. We considered getting her a tutor to catch up but she was already working with a tutor for French and doing an EC that took a lot of time and she didn't want to add one more thing.

The regular Alg 2 class was super easy, she said kids regularly just went for a walk around the school during class when their work was done. She could definitely handle a more challenging class but not the breakneck speed of that Intensified class. I don't know why they have to do it that way unless they are intentionally trying to kick kids off the top math track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this Algebra II intensified class really a problem for most 9th graders? Only at Yorktown or systemwide? My rising 9th has been very comfortable in advanced math so far in APS (intensified Algebra 1 and Geometry). She’s had relatively easy As, no tutors, etc. Should she be concerned about this class?

We're at W-L. My DS is a math whiz and had no problem with it but had several friends who'd done fine in MS Intensified Alg 1 and geo who had to drop it. My DD easily got As in the intensified MS classes but could not handle it and dropped down to regular Alg 2. It is very fast paced and if you miss anything, whether that's just from not grasping the concept immediately or being out sick, you aren't going to get any help from the teacher. We considered getting her a tutor to catch up but she was already working with a tutor for French and doing an EC that took a lot of time and she didn't want to add one more thing.

The regular Alg 2 class was super easy, she said kids regularly just went for a walk around the school during class when their work was done. She could definitely handle a more challenging class but not the breakneck speed of that Intensified class. I don't know why they have to do it that way unless they are intentionally trying to kick kids off the top math track.

Does sound like they could find a better balance. Thanks for posting.

[Anonymous]

My kid is taking the Alg 2 Int class at HB this year as a sophomore and has gotten A's 1st semester. Hasn't been a complete breeze but has made the A both quarters. My other kid is in 8th doing Int Geometry and has gotten A's in both Alg 1 and Geo Int at the MS level. I don't expect him to struggle in Alg 2 but for my older kid it's been the most challenging of the 3. We do have a tutor to prep for tests and quizzes but not on a weekly basis, just for test review 1-2 times a month as needed.