Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional And the agrevations starts.

Not true at my DS's school. APUSH particularly is about triple the amount of work of the regular US History. (Depends a bit on teacher) And for a kid like mine who can take a long time to get work done, it's even more aggravating. And this AP Bio class is going to be a huge amount of work. The exception I have found is honors math isn't any more work than non-honors just faster paced and more difficult problems. On the other hand the honors & AP classes sometimes (depending on the teacher) the homework is more optional and matters to a lot less of the grade. And the work tends to be less tedious.

Finding a balance is hard & tricky. Once I found out that my son had such low processing speed and working memory I realized for HIM we really needed to cut back. Other kids who whip through this kind of work (such as outlining the book) can handle more classes.

But what I find funny is that these are supposed to be college level classes...I never once had an actual college classes where I outlined chapters...that is a totally high school thing. College classes said here is the material---learn it!

This was my experience in college, as well--with one notable exception--Education classes. Coincidence?

We have one IB high school and the others offer AP. I remember, at one point, researching IB classes and found there is some controversy about whether or not it's just "more" instead of "better" work. Another thing that is tricky is the students needing intellectual peers. I think my son is less "bored" in classes where there are a lot of other advanced learners, but it's really a social thing as much as an academic one.

It seems to me you've put a lot of thought into the schedule selection--I hope you will keep us updated!

We had many reasons we didn't send my son to the IB high school and kept him at his zoned school. Maybe the classes would have been more challenging but it just didn't work for us to send him there.

It's different types of homework. At our school it partly depends on the teacher but my experience is there are lot more books to read, essays to write in the honors/AP english & history classes.

Day one of school is over. And I'll admit that it looks like English (regular non-honors) is going to be the bane of his existence. It's a brand new teacher and I just read her syllabus. For juniors in H.S. the teacher is going to be checking that all homework is written in the planner for homework points. Really? Not that this isn't a skill my son still needs to work on. But checking planners on all kids in this class for juniors in H.S. really? IT sounds like she is going to post it online, but the kids will be required to copy it down even if they turn it in online. And he is going to be required to take Cornell notes in class also as part of his grade. (UGGG) He is OK with taking Cornell notes while he reads a book, but while a teacher lectures in a boring class???

Calculus is just math.. more of the same. Homework every night but most of the grade is based on test/quizzes. Teacher is good, it's the slower Calc class so it should be easy for him. AP Biology is with one of the best teacher in the school IMO. It's going to be a huge amount of reading (5 chapters in the next 1 1/2), with outlining recommended but not required, with the grade mostly based off tests and 20% on labs and a tiny amount of homework. Classes where grades are based on tests play to DS's strengths so I think he will do well with this. Spanish 3 isn't offered in a honors version and shouldn't be a huge problem.

So while both AP/honors classes could be a lot of work none of it's is useless busy work. This makes a huge difference. Its seems the difference is how much they trust the kids to learn the material without a lot of hand holding.

Problem is they won't let DS into the AP English Literature because of his writing struggles. The stress of the amount of writing in the AP class would overwhelm him and make us all miserable. But in the AP class both the reading level and class discussion are what would make him happier. (The kid read at 3 and is still way above grade level at reading.) He gets so frustrated at the slow speed the literature is read. What frustrates me is our school only has two levels "regular" or AP for English and they aren't willing to consider a independent study for this course.

I guess I'll be tracking down his counselor to make sure someone goes over his 504 with the English teacher. Maybe I can ask for some modifications to do with the note taking.

Back when I took APUSH, I don't remember there being a whole lot of homework of extra homework. No summer reading for sure.

DD15 is taking it this year. She already had to read a history book over the summer that went from 1600s to present. She diligently read 10-20 pages every few days throughout the summer - it was very dull reading. She has been in class two weeks now. The text book is an even slower read than the summer reading. They have daily quizzes on their nightly reading. The teacher has super picky requirements for note-taking. She grades the notes and makes them redo them if she does not feel that they meet her standards. In short, there is a ton of busy work and the class is shaping up to be time-consuming drudgery. DD is frustrated. She already took one AP class last year (her Freshman year) and got a 5 using her own notes. She doesn't feel that these notes are for her benefit. I get the impression that the teacher is making them follow some formula that will help most bright but not necessarily gifted kids pass the test.

It really depends on how the AP or honors class is implemented. At my DS's school it's depends on class and teacher. But it's always more work than the non-honors classes.

Sorry to hear that this class is drudgery for your daughter. I expect your correct and that this is how the teacher has figured out how to get most students a good grade on the AP.

My APUSH teacher gave out, I kid you not, fill-in-the-blanks worksheets as homework. It seemed like only one kid in the entire class had the sense of duty to actually do them, and she happened to be a close friend of mine, so I'd compromise her values by copying her answers just before the bell rang. We sat right next to the door, and sometimes the teacher would walk right in past us, look down to see what we were doing, and move on like nothing had happened.

That AP test was the easiest 5 I ever got.

Modification...Student will demonstrate that he knows how to take Cornell Notes by completing 3 assignments correctly in that format. After he completes those three assignments in the Cornell style, student may choose the style of notes that works for him (as indicated by successful grades on quizzes and tests).

Which is what I think it should be for 100% of the students. You as a teacher like Cornell Notes, fine Cornell Notes yourself silly. Want to share the Cornell Notes love, fine teach it. Have students use it for a week. If they like it, let them use it. If they hate it, let them find their own style. If they aren't getting good grades on other stuff, insist they go back to Cornell until the grades come up.

I think many public school teachers are some of the most misguided, controlling, power hungry, obnoxious people I have every met (used to be one, not a controlling one, and am married to one, not a controlling one).