Saturday, February 4, 2012

Research Finds High School Rigor Tied to Success in College

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/college_bound/2012/02/bolstering_the_push_to_improve.html?cmp=SOC-SHR-TW
"While these courses may produce better educational outcomes, the authors note that an unintended consequence could be stressed out and overworked students. The paper finds diminishing returns for students already taking hard classes; the best gains are among students from disadvantaged and high-poverty schools. They suggest a possible approach may be to shift students from taking no rigorous courses into taking some, while avoiding going overboard for those with already demanding course loads."


My response to the above blog post:  

Blog post 1
As a school counselor, I deal with students taking more rigorous courses all the time.  There is definitely a tug and pull on this topic.  While it can be beneficial for a student to take more rigorous courses, students can become overwhelmed as this posting suggests.  Sometimes the negative side is that students feel the pressure of taking advanced courses for college, and they overcommit themselves to too many advanced classes spreading themselves too thin.  The downside affects not only their GPA, but their confidence.  Moreover, university representatives tell us if they don’t earn an A or a B, then they should consider stepping down a level.  I have some students who are earning a C in their advanced classes and choose to stay because they feel challenged and that they’re getting more out of the class.  So what is the right balance?

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/college_bound/2012/02/bolstering_the_push_to_improve.html#comments

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