Something to Think About: Advanced Pressure

I originally posted this at the blog I keep for my journalism students, but thought it would be interesting here as well. I taught AP World History to sophomores for four years and, though I enjoyed the challenge and loved the idea of the class, I was frustrated with my students' progress. I often wondered if they were really getting the content or if they were just doing what needed to be done to get the grade they wanted/needed.  To give you an idea of pace in an AP class, we covered in less than six weeks what California standards require of sophomores in a year long class. The pace is insane.

As journalists, part of our job is to question everything that is around us. Why is it this way? Why do things that way? What does this mean when...? How do I know this to be true? You get the idea.

Another part of the job is to present all sides of a story, not just the side that everyone agrees to be Truth. We listen to the dissenting voices and present the evidence to our audience.

This Opinion piece from the NY Times, filmed here in the Bay Area, flies in the face of what we "know to be true" here at HHS. Watch it. Think about it. Leave a comment telling us your thoughts on the Advanced Placement culture. Is it worth it? Do the dissenting voices have a point? If so, what is it? What is your biggest take-away (the think you'll think about) from this story? Read the comments of your classmates as well. They will have something to say.

Educational Pressure Cookers

The Washington Post.com reported December 1 that 64% of US students admit to cheating in school.

Recently, I've had several conversations with parents about the pressure their kids are under to do well in school. Students and parents are worrying about getting into the "right" college through a confusing blend of academic rigor, sports and community activities.

I reflected on my own high school experience. I had the time to take a challenging academic course load (but now would probably be considered remedial) and met the requirements to apply to University of California schools my senior year. I also had time for extracurricular activities and socializing.

Today, students are taking biology their freshman year and they had better be taking geometry by then too or they will be behind. Haven't taken Trigonometry by sophomore year (it wasn't even OFFERED at my high school)? That's a bad thing. What, only three AP classes your junior year?! Slacker!

Maybe this unseemly pressure is backing kids into a corner and they feel they have to cheat in order to keep their heads above water. I am NOT advocating cheating, but I do see the dark circles under the eyes, the anguished tears and the frustration that accompanies today's heavy course load. Maybe it's time we changed what we're doing in American education. There has to be a way to have a rigorous education without driving kids to the brink.