What about the Honors Student?

Abstract

H ONORS COURSES ARE NEEDED in the high school curriculum, but many high schools have ignored this need. Honors are students who have scored above the 85th percentile on accepted standardized tests, received consistently high grades, and demonstrated exceptional responsibility. Providing quality education for the slow learner is continually emphasized. Vocational students have also received considerable attention in curriculum development (Beane 1975). Yet, honors students are left to their own devices by teachers and school administrators. Many honors students are not being given opportunities to develop their abilities or investigate complex areas even when they are capable of such work. We can offer classes for such students that will provide them with nearly unlimited horizons. In light of such single track concepts as resource rooms, Title I reading, and vocational programs, the justification for helping honors students is clear-cut; equal time for honors students. The traditional concept of an honors course is an accelerated lecture taught at an advanced level. I do not intend to discredit this method, but rather to offer a viable alternative: an individualized course for honors students. The individualized approach is consistently used with the slow or average learner; we apply it far less frequently to those of high ability. Students who could benefit from intensified challenges are given a minimum of individual attention. These students need guidance, and an individualized program can provide it.