Wilson honors for all - how has it worked?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Studies may not be accurate. Let’s accept that as a given for the moment. If we look at statistics (leaving aside the lies and damned lies), we can see that the percentages of children in AP classes in this area, including the suburbs, are overwhelmingly white. Now, if we look at the methodology for funneling students into AP courses, we see that teacher recommendations lead to test-taking, and interestingly, those recommendations are, overwhelmingly, for white students. Black students are disproportionately not being given the chance to take the tests that allow admittance to AP classes. And, if we compare IQ levels across classes, we find that there are students with higher IQs scattered throughout lower-level classes, and students with lower IQs scattered throughout AP classes. Discuss.

Point taken.

But if some deserving minority kids are missed by the tracking, is that a reason to eliminate the tracking for all kids? That sounds like a terrible, self-destructive overreaction.

I’d say: keep the honors programs and add additional methods to find and select talented minority kids (and just as critical, support them along their way in the program.)

PP here. Yes, I agree. My understanding of the Wilson parameters is that all kids have honors in ninth grade, and the ones who do well then continue in honors the following years. I could be wrong about this, but if true it is in fact a method of catching kids who can do well by giving them a chance.

But as others have pointed out, there is a ton of data on each individual kid starting in 2nd grade. Why do they need another year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Entry into AP classes at Wilson has nothing to do with teacher recommendations. Anyone is allowed to sign up.

That is true now because of Wilson’s honors for all. Which is what we are debating the merits of.

What? Then why did every teacher we saw at Parent teacher conferences tell us their AP recommendations for my kid and that they were submitting it to the counseling staff. My kid is a junior.

Are you saying that if you are in honors for all you can just sign up for AP classes? I don't believe that is how it works but please tell me the process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Entry into AP classes at Wilson has nothing to do with teacher recommendations. Anyone is allowed to sign up.

That is true now because of Wilson’s honors for all. Which is what we are debating the merits of.

What? Then why did every teacher we saw at Parent teacher conferences tell us their AP recommendations for my kid and that they were submitting it to the counseling staff. My kid is a junior.

Are you saying that if you are in honors for all you can just sign up for AP classes? I don't believe that is how it works but please tell me the process.

As I understand it, honors for all means that in ninth grade at Wilson all the kids now have access to small honors classes. This is what the parents in this thread are up in arms about. The change was instituted because prior to this teachers recommended children for honors testing, and those recommendations were overwhelmingly for white children. Now all students have a chance to access the curriculum. Students who do well in ninth-grade honors can then go on to honors in sophomore year and so on. Many parents on this thread don’t like the change because they don’t want their children in the same classes with the children who had previously been frozen out of honors access. So, freshmen, sophomores and juniors are still accessing AP based on recommendations. It’s only children coming in from middle school who have across-the-board access for one year.

[Anonymous]

Why call it honors?

[Anonymous]

Why call it honors?

Lake Wobegon newspeak

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Entry into AP classes at Wilson has nothing to do with teacher recommendations. Anyone is allowed to sign up.

That is true now because of Wilson’s honors for all. Which is what we are debating the merits of.

What? Then why did every teacher we saw at Parent teacher conferences tell us their AP recommendations for my kid and that they were submitting it to the counseling staff. My kid is a junior.

Are you saying that if you are in honors for all you can just sign up for AP classes? I don't believe that is how it works but please tell me the process.

As I understand it, honors for all means that in ninth grade at Wilson all the kids now have access to small honors classes. This is what the parents in this thread are up in arms about. The change was instituted because prior to this teachers recommended children for honors testing, and those recommendations were overwhelmingly for white children. Now all students have a chance to access the curriculum. Students who do well in ninth-grade honors can then go on to honors in sophomore year and so on. Many parents on this thread don’t like the change because they don’t want their children in the same classes with the children who had previously been frozen out of honors access. So, freshmen, sophomores and juniors are still accessing AP based on recommendations. It’s only children coming in from middle school who have across-the-board access for one year.

This is not that accurate. 10th grade also has honors for all so everyone moves into the 10th grade honors classes regardless of how they did in 9th grade.
Also, for the last several years, Wilson has encouraged all kids to take AP classes so kids are allowed to sign up for AP classes whether the previous teacher recommended them for AP or not. They are not strict about entry into AP classes which is probably a good thing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Entry into AP classes at Wilson has nothing to do with teacher recommendations. Anyone is allowed to sign up.

That is true now because of Wilson’s honors for all. Which is what we are debating the merits of.

What? Then why did every teacher we saw at Parent teacher conferences tell us their AP recommendations for my kid and that they were submitting it to the counseling staff. My kid is a junior.

Are you saying that if you are in honors for all you can just sign up for AP classes? I don't believe that is how it works but please tell me the process.

IIRC, if they had told you they were not recommending your kid for an AP class, your kid could still sign up for it, but they would be 3rd priority for enrollment: related academy students, recommended students, others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Entry into AP classes at Wilson has nothing to do with teacher recommendations. Anyone is allowed to sign up.

That is true now because of Wilson’s honors for all. Which is what we are debating the merits of.

What? Then why did every teacher we saw at Parent teacher conferences tell us their AP recommendations for my kid and that they were submitting it to the counseling staff. My kid is a junior.

Are you saying that if you are in honors for all you can just sign up for AP classes? I don't believe that is how it works but please tell me the process.

IIRC, if they had told you they were not recommending your kid for an AP class, your kid could still sign up for it, but they would be 3rd priority for enrollment: related academy students, recommended students, others.

Thanks for clarifying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Entry into AP classes at Wilson has nothing to do with teacher recommendations. Anyone is allowed to sign up.

That is true now because of Wilson’s honors for all. Which is what we are debating the merits of.

What? Then why did every teacher we saw at Parent teacher conferences tell us their AP recommendations for my kid and that they were submitting it to the counseling staff. My kid is a junior.

Are you saying that if you are in honors for all you can just sign up for AP classes? I don't believe that is how it works but please tell me the process.

As I understand it, honors for all means that in ninth grade at Wilson all the kids now have access to small honors classes. This is what the parents in this thread are up in arms about. The change was instituted because prior to this teachers recommended children for honors testing, and those recommendations were overwhelmingly for white children. Now all students have a chance to access the curriculum. Students who do well in ninth-grade honors can then go on to honors in sophomore year and so on. Many parents on this thread don’t like the change because they don’t want their children in the same classes with the children who had previously been frozen out of honors access. So, freshmen, sophomores and juniors are still accessing AP based on recommendations. It’s only children coming in from middle school who have across-the-board access for one year.

All cildren don’t “have access” or “ have a chance to access” to honors classes — all the students are in ‘honors’ classes. There is no choice.

Parents of high-achieving kids don’t care who their kid is in class with as long as the kids *want* to be there and are prepared for the work. They just want their children’s time in school to work well for their children — same as all parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Entry into AP classes at Wilson has nothing to do with teacher recommendations. Anyone is allowed to sign up.

That is true now because of Wilson’s honors for all. Which is what we are debating the merits of.

What? Then why did every teacher we saw at Parent teacher conferences tell us their AP recommendations for my kid and that they were submitting it to the counseling staff. My kid is a junior.

Are you saying that if you are in honors for all you can just sign up for AP classes? I don't believe that is how it works but please tell me the process.

As I understand it, honors for all means that in ninth grade at Wilson all the kids now have access to small honors classes. This is what the parents in this thread are up in arms about. The change was instituted because prior to this teachers recommended children for honors testing, and those recommendations were overwhelmingly for white children. Now all students have a chance to access the curriculum. Students who do well in ninth-grade honors can then go on to honors in sophomore year and so on. Many parents on this thread don’t like the change because they don’t want their children in the same classes with the children who had previously been frozen out of honors access. So, freshmen, sophomores and juniors are still accessing AP based on recommendations. It’s only children coming in from middle school who have across-the-board access for one year.

All cildren don’t “have access” or “ have a chance to access” to honors classes — all the students are in ‘honors’ classes. There is no choice.

Parents of high-achieving kids don’t care who their kid is in class with as long as the kids *want* to be there and are prepared for the work. They just want their children’s time in school to work well for their children — same as all parents.

Seems reasonable. So it sounds like people don’t have a problem with “Honors for All.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Entry into AP classes at Wilson has nothing to do with teacher recommendations. Anyone is allowed to sign up.

That is true now because of Wilson’s honors for all. Which is what we are debating the merits of.

What? Then why did every teacher we saw at Parent teacher conferences tell us their AP recommendations for my kid and that they were submitting it to the counseling staff. My kid is a junior.

Are you saying that if you are in honors for all you can just sign up for AP classes? I don't believe that is how it works but please tell me the process.

As I understand it, honors for all means that in ninth grade at Wilson all the kids now have access to small honors classes. This is what the parents in this thread are up in arms about. The change was instituted because prior to this teachers recommended children for honors testing, and those recommendations were overwhelmingly for white children. Now all students have a chance to access the curriculum. Students who do well in ninth-grade honors can then go on to honors in sophomore year and so on. Many parents on this thread don’t like the change because they don’t want their children in the same classes with the children who had previously been frozen out of honors access. So, freshmen, sophomores and juniors are still accessing AP based on recommendations. It’s only children coming in from middle school who have across-the-board access for one year.

This is not that accurate. 10th grade also has honors for all so everyone moves into the 10th grade honors classes regardless of how they did in 9th grade.
Also, for the last several years, Wilson has encouraged all kids to take AP classes so kids are allowed to sign up for AP classes whether the previous teacher recommended them for AP or not. They are not strict about entry into AP classes which is probably a good thing

PP here. Yes, you’re right. It seems they’ve now extended it into 10th grade.

[Anonymous]

So honors = regular?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why call it honors?

It’s a different curriculum than the non/honors version. More/harder material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Entry into AP classes at Wilson has nothing to do with teacher recommendations. Anyone is allowed to sign up.

That is true now because of Wilson’s honors for all. Which is what we are debating the merits of.

What? Then why did every teacher we saw at Parent teacher conferences tell us their AP recommendations for my kid and that they were submitting it to the counseling staff. My kid is a junior.

Are you saying that if you are in honors for all you can just sign up for AP classes? I don't believe that is how it works but please tell me the process.

As I understand it, honors for all means that in ninth grade at Wilson all the kids now have access to small honors classes. This is what the parents in this thread are up in arms about. The change was instituted because prior to this teachers recommended children for honors testing, and those recommendations were overwhelmingly for white children. Now all students have a chance to access the curriculum. Students who do well in ninth-grade honors can then go on to honors in sophomore year and so on. Many parents on this thread don’t like the change because they don’t want their children in the same classes with the children who had previously been frozen out of honors access. So, freshmen, sophomores and juniors are still accessing AP based on recommendations. It’s only children coming in from middle school who have across-the-board access for one year.

All cildren don’t “have access” or “ have a chance to access” to honors classes — all the students are in ‘honors’ classes. There is no choice.

Parents of high-achieving kids don’t care who their kid is in class with as long as the kids *want* to be there and are prepared for the work. They just want their children’s time in school to work well for their children — same as all parents.

Seems reasonable. So it sounds like people don’t have a problem with “Honors for All.”

You want to believe that all kids are equally motivated and academically adept? Dream on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Entry into AP classes at Wilson has nothing to do with teacher recommendations. Anyone is allowed to sign up.

That is true now because of Wilson’s honors for all. Which is what we are debating the merits of.

What? Then why did every teacher we saw at Parent teacher conferences tell us their AP recommendations for my kid and that they were submitting it to the counseling staff. My kid is a junior.

Are you saying that if you are in honors for all you can just sign up for AP classes? I don't believe that is how it works but please tell me the process.

As I understand it, honors for all means that in ninth grade at Wilson all the kids now have access to small honors classes. This is what the parents in this thread are up in arms about. The change was instituted because prior to this teachers recommended children for honors testing, and those recommendations were overwhelmingly for white children. Now all students have a chance to access the curriculum. Students who do well in ninth-grade honors can then go on to honors in sophomore year and so on. Many parents on this thread don’t like the change because they don’t want their children in the same classes with the children who had previously been frozen out of honors access. So, freshmen, sophomores and juniors are still accessing AP based on recommendations. It’s only children coming in from middle school who have across-the-board access for one year.

All cildren don’t “have access” or “ have a chance to access” to honors classes — all the students are in ‘honors’ classes. There is no choice.

Parents of high-achieving kids don’t care who their kid is in class with as long as the kids *want* to be there and are prepared for the work. They just want their children’s time in school to work well for their children — same as all parents.

Seems reasonable. So it sounds like people don’t have a problem with “Honors for All.”

You want to believe that all kids are equally motivated and academically adept? Dream on.

OK, so parents do have a problem with “Honors for All.” And you feel that without tracking the kids in your child's class won’t be motivated and academically adept. And that their presence will affect your child’s learning, although you don’t actually know whether it will or not. For the sake of argument, let’s assume it does. What other method of getting motivated and academically adept children into honors classes, in this case one that is actually accurate given that the previous method clearly is not, do you think should be used?