Honors classes need to be able to live up to their name

by Krista Benson

Ever wonder why your English class has spent two weeks going over the simplistic plot of Huckleberry Finn? Not the complicated layers of symbolism and subtle social criticism, but the names of the characters and what they did? Why a group in your senior year government class is still confused by the concept of freedom of speech? You’re not alone.

You want to go faster, do more. You look around, see clutches of your clueless classmates, confused by the concept of conjugating verbs and think of switching to an honors class. Then, you look down at your schedule. Honors English, A.P. Psychology, Honors Government. The frustrations that you should be able to escape by going to an honors class are already present in the honors classes. The escape route is gone.

Some students want a challenge. They learn at a faster rate than most high school students. The Honors/Advanced Placement program should be serving these students. It used to, but now… pretty much anybody can get in.

How is it possible 80 students in the senior class are exceptional English students and deserve to be in Honors or AP English? It isn’t. In sophomore and junior classes, the numbers are even higher.

Honors programs have become standard, and the teachers that are supposed to be able to move at a faster rate and conduct discussions on a higher level end up explaining the difference between a verb and an adverb to their “extraordinary” students.

Many argue that all students should be given a chance to get into honors classes, which are more attractive to colleges. But what use are accelerated classes if all students of all levels can get into them? How much more are honors students really learning than their standard-level classmates?

There’s nothing wrong with standard classes. Honors students simply have the ability and the desire to learn faster. There are some students who very decidedly should be in a standard class, such as the ones who can’t spell “college,” let alone be competitive in a very selective one. When they are allowed into the honors program, it desroys the very reason for the program.

Because of students who don’t know what’s going on, honors classes are slowed down, held up and sometimes brought to a screeching halt.

Honors students hope to be able to move faster and have discussions on abstract ideas and concepts. When not all of the people in the class can participate intelligently, participate partially or even comprehend what’s going on, it is impossible for the rest of the students to get the level of education that they hoped to receive.

Give the students who deserve to sit in honors classes the opportunity that they have hoped for. Allow honors classes to become areas of higher level learning once again and make standard classes the standard level of education. Honors students aren’t better, but they should be able to learn faster.

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