HSCHS honors classes success

Change is always something difficult to deal with. It is even more challenging to implement. Principal Scott Shoop was willing to bring that change to Hot Springs County High School with honors classes.

Honor classes are a new concept for students, teachers and parents alike. Going into the second year of offering the classes, Shoop feels the results are starting to speak for themselves. Right now honors classes are being offered are for English and math.

Shoop explained the program cannot succeed without strong academic support. “With high expectations, comes high support,” said Shoop. A parent’s support at home is crucial for the student’s success.

Shoop has told the kids, “You can, you will, we will support you.” The staff wants to challenge students to perform at a higher level, so based on test scores and teacher judgment, the students were pushed to take honors classes. The only way for a student to opt out of an honors class is with a parent’s permission.

The program is designed for students to push their learning abilities and the teachers focus on depth of understanding instead of simply doubling the work load for students. The staff has been researching and studying grading practices and a refocus on accurately measuring learning.

The staff has also been studying the aspect of failure and its role in the learning process. Students have to feel safe to take healthy risks in their learning. Shoop commented, “What we are striving for is the brilliant ‘B’ verses the average ‘A’.”

Student feedback has been positive. Many students like the classes because it is expected you have a strong understanding of the basics and there is no need to revisit them. The class feels like it is moving at a faster pace for many.

Teachers like the chance to see just what a student is capable of, to push the student to achieve and learn from their results. Even though offering leveled classes creates twice as many classes teachers need to prepare for, the results are worth the extra work.

“It is important to note, leveling classes can only be effective if the expectations remain the same for the regular classes. We cannot lessen our academic expectations for those students who remain in the regular classes,” said Shoop.