Symbol Scales is made of stones of various shapes

The idea of separating students into honors and non-honors classes is fraught with problems, increases the achievement gap and ultimately increases inequity in every classroom and between all students. When I was in school, I wasn’t seen as being “smart” or good at school.  As a result, there was never any consideration of me taking honors level anything.  As I watched my friends take part in debates and write analyses of current events, I wondered how sitting through lectures and doing worksheets was serving me better? How was this more meaningful for me? That was thirty years ago and not much has changed.  What I have realized is that students who do school well need less scaffolding for complex instructional techniques.  They follow directions easier and so teachers feel more comfortable using flexible instructional methods with these students.

I think the issue that rubs me the wrong way about traditional honors options is that it is fraught with assumption.  On the surface, an honors option is available for students who want to go deeper into a particular subject. This seems reasonable, but is it really what is happening? When I asked students on my steering committee why they took honors classes, they clearly articulated that it was for their transcripts.  They also perceived that honors options meant more work rather than deeper work.  They did not think it was more meaningful in any way.  Also, who gets to choose? If a guidance counselor or teacher sees good grades, they assume that is a sign that the student could be challenged.  Grades represent many things besides skill and motivation for learning so they really aren’t an accurate measure of one’s ability to succeed with challenging material.  With high expectations and high interest subject matter, many students who don’t do school well, can learn and are curious (maybe even more than those who succeed in traditional systems).

From the perspective of someone who is fighting for equity and works from a growth mindset, every student deserves to experience meaningful learning; each student should have the opportunity to choose to go deep at any time during the school year.  The “fun stuff” shouldn’t be saved for students who choose to take honors level courses. I also don’t buy into the idea that students need the basics before they can tackle more complex concepts. This happens quite frequently in math.  There are many students with math calculation deficits that reason quite well, yet because they have difficulty with memory or processes, they struggle with calculation issues and are placed in lower level math classes to focus on their deficits; it focuses on the restrictions rather than the possibilities.  This over focus on deficits is not a motivator.  Focusing on strengths and incorporating opportunities for students to practice skills (which may be deficits) in authentic ways is a much more motivating way to get kids challenging themselves.

I would argue that we don’t have the structures yet to support an inclusive, heterogeneous environment for all students, but that is no excuse to revert back to segregating students and making assumptions about what they can or will be able to accomplish.  The fixed mindset associated with honors classes as well as the identification that honors classes are about status rather than learning has confirmed for me what I have thought since I was in high school.  Personal learning structures are a possible solution for honors classes that offer a real and equitable solution to challenging all students.