Said It Here

Why are honors classes full of average students?

Honors courses often fill up with students placed by parents for good behavior rather than academic readiness, leaving teachers unable to explore subjects with the intended depth and complexity. Because administrators prohibit removing underprepared students until midterms or even at all, teachers cannot increase rigor or properly prepare students for advanced placement courses.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

  1. 1
    Treating the honors class like a true honors class to encourage students to self-select out into general education classes
  2. 2
    Focusing entirely on the students currently in the room and accepting that the class will not operate above grade level

In their words

Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.

“I teach 2 honors sections of Algebra 1, and most of my students are just at grade level according to state testing last year and STAR.”source ↗

“In an honors class I want to explore math in more depth and complexity, but I just don't see that happening. At my school honors seems to just mean the kids are able to the basics of what it means to be a student, and not much more.”source ↗

colonade17 · r/Teachers · 129 upvotes

“Every year I get a few 9th/10th graders in my honors class who are only in there to “get away from bad influences” per parent request. Despite admin telling us to “increase rigor and prepare students for AP/DE courses” I am not allowed to weed any students out until midterms, and even then if the student/parent requests they stay they’re allowed, even with a failing grade.”source ↗

saltwatertaffy324 · r/Teachers · 1 upvotes

Where this came up

r/Teachersclassroom managementeducationschool administrationteaching

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