Students double up on English, math
Some teachers fear emphasis will force electives out of curriculum
The Associated Press
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.05.2006 http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/140886
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — High school student Frank Oakley received a double dose of math and English during his freshman year. He says an extra elective would have been nice, but the emphasis helped him overcome his math fears.
"Since I understand it more and got the hang of it better, I enjoy doing
math and stuff," the 15-year-old said over the summer as he prepared to
return to Wyandotte High School for his sophomore year. Before, he said:
"Math was like my worst subject. Every time I had to go to math class, I
dreaded it."
Across the country, middle and high school students like Oakley are being
required to spend more class time on English and math as officials try to
raise test scores and meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left
Behind law.
Variations of the double-dose approach are being used in districts in such
places as Kansas, Missouri, Texas, New Jersey and California.
Some students attend two class periods each day of English and math, and
often one of those English classes is devoted to reading instruction —
something that traditionally ends when students leave elementary school.
Some schools offer longer classes, classes that meet every day instead of
every other day or classes that are offered for a full year instead of a
semester.
The approach appears to pay off at test time, but some educators worry that
students forced to give up electives are being deprived of a well-rounded
education and the opportunity to explore new subjects.
Havenscourt Middle School in Oakland, Calif., decided to require two class
periods of the core subjects for all students.
The change left no time for electives and forced the school to drop wood
shop, art, music and Spanish. Now, those electives and others are offered
before and after school as extras.
"We can't say it's OK to spend so much time on the basics that we let the
broader curriculum slide," said American Federation of Teachers spokesman
John See.
The union said 87 percent of its members — across all grade levels —
reported in an April 2005 survey that increases in testing have pushed
important subjects and activities out of the curriculum.
In March, the Washington-based Center on Education Policy released a survey
that showed 71 percent of 299 of the nation's 15,000 school districts were
spending more time on math and reading to the exclusion of other subjects.
In Kansas, students at Oakley's high school have switched to a new program
that requires freshmen and sophomores to prove they understand math concepts
on two tests to get credit for a skill. Also, all ninth-graders are enrolled
in two English classes, with one aimed at improving their reading skills.
Steve Gering, the assistant superintendent of teaching and learning in the
district, said it is a balancing act.
"We are constantly trying to figure out, how can we get this young person in
band because it's the right thing and double-block math and English," Gering
said. "What's wrong is to wholesale eliminate electives."
|