"Honors" Algebra

[Sharon in SC]

Please share what you have done to turn your Algebra course of study into something that is worthy of claiming Honors credit.... Many TIA! Sharon

[tvaleri]

Hey there Sharon-

 

I am using MUS with my current lot of kiddos :) They offer an Honors book. It has lots of word problems to teach how to apply the concepts learned.

 

My oldest son, 18, worked through The Art of Problem Solving when he participated in MathCounts years ago. It was most helpful with algebra.

 

HTH,

Teresa

coffeebean1964@gmail.com

[Maverick]

Typically an honors class works faster and gets through more material than a regular class. So, I would say you must complete your algebra text, then add something extra. Perhaps an activity like Mathcounts or math olympiad, problem solving workbooks, or reading biographies of mathematicians and doing a research project. Just do something that goes "above & beyond" the basic text. In my opinion, this should be done in one school year. If it takes you 1.5 or two years to get through the honors class, it is no longer honors because part of what that designation implies is the ability to move through the material quickly. Just my 2 cents. I decided not to name any of my classes honors--they will have to stand or fall without that designation. :-)

[Sharon in SC]

Please share what you have done to turn your Algebra course of study into something that is worthy of claiming Honors credit.... Many TIA! Sharon

 

Well, after doing research, this is what I've learned:

1) our accountability group requires that algebra students do something along these lines (in addition to their text work) - read a book related to algebra and write an essay about it *and* complete an activity book (Critical Thinking Press, Key Curriculum Press, etc (or do a research project)

2) dear nephew's Honors Algebra class (public school) *might* finish finish their text - no extra work.

 

:-}

 

Ah, well, hopefully dd will be all the better for the added requirements....

[Barb_]

We designated our Algebra classes as Honors because we use a text often utilized for Honors courses in prep schools (Dolciani). They do all problems, including the C-levels, and do all work by hand. Graphing calculators aren't introduced until Calc I.

 

We don't give any extra credit on the transcript for Honors designation. It's just there to make the coursework stand out.

 

Barb

[LizzyBee]

Well, after doing research, this is what I've learned:

1) our accountability group requires that algebra students do something along these lines (in addition to their text work) - read a book related to algebra and write an essay about it *and* complete an activity book (Critical Thinking Press, Key Curriculum Press, etc (or do a research project)

2) dear nephew's Honors Algebra class (public school) *might* finish finish their text - no extra work.

 

:-}

 

Ah, well, hopefully dd will be all the better for the added requirements....

 

This post reminded me that I had to write a 10-page research paper for my Algebra II class. I don't know anybody else (not from my high school) who had to write a paper for an Algebra class.

[Gwen in VA]

We didn't designate ANY coursework as honors. I stressed that the courses did a great job preparing the kids for their AP courses and for their SAT-II tests, but I figured that the honors designation is a relative one, so we didn't use it at all.

 

The colleges all seemed quite happy to NOT have the honors designation. We did provide LOTS of course descriptions, so the college folks could see how challenging the coursework was.

[Bev in B'ville]

As I've been preparing my dc's transcripts for college I've made several phone calls to colleges. This is what they've told me.

 

The term "Honors" is relative. It, unlike the AP designation, changes from school to school. What's considered honors in one school is average in another and so on. Most colleges, and I stress most - not all, deal with this by removing the honors designation and readjusting the GPA before the transcript is sent on to the admissions process. You will need to check with the colleges your children are interested in and see how they deal with honors designations.

 

I've heard others say this is a benefit for homeschoolers. Generally, homeschoolers have to submit a portfolio of some kind for review with the transcripts to the colleges their dc is applying to. That's where you can show that your class went "above and beyond" normal expectations.

 

As always, just my $.02.

[Nan in Mass]

I decided to designate any classes that required extensive travel honours (since those trips are arduous) and any class taken at CC honours. I didn't count the CC classes double credit because I don't think they are worth that. I'm not grading, so there is no weighting. For GPA, I'm just listing his CC GPA (and calling it CC GPA). He'll have about 10 classes in the end, so this GPA will actually be the average of something. We haven't submitted this transcript yet, so I can't tell you if it works. I've asked a couple of admissions people about it (but not the honours part) and they seemed to think it would be ok. My impression was that they just wanted to see the CC classes LOL and they didn't care about the rest. We'll see.

-Nan

[Sharon in SC]

We didn't designate ANY coursework as honors. .

 

Gwen, I have a question for you and others who don't bother with "Honors", if you would allow me to "pick your brain" a bit as one who has gone before me in this journey. :-) It is my understanding that one's GPA is adjusted for the better when they have completed "Honors" worthy work. If you don't pursue that "title", do you just forfeit the potential advantage to the adjusted GPA? Please educate me! TIA..... Sharon

[Jan P.]

Sharon,

 

If I was not involved with an umbrella group, then I would not worry about having a weighted score for honor classes. I do belong to a group that has to rank students in order to get state scholarships therefore it is imperative the weigh the grades accordingly. In SC a student can receive a Palmetto Scholarship which is a full tuition ride at a state university. Therefore there is competition for this scholarship among the homeschoolers in my group. The homeschool teacher has to show substantial documentation for honors and AP courses. I know that some folks use college textbooks to show that their students have done college work therefore justifying an honors credit.

 

FWIW,

Jan

[Sharon in SC]

Jan, thanks for posting. I, too, belong to a group that ranks students. (Chances are we belong to the same group). :-) I'm just not comfortable forfeiting potential weighting of dd's grades in light of this....

 

Sharon,

 

If I was not involved with an umbrella group, then I would not worry about having a weighted score for honor classes. I do belong to a group that has to rank students in order to get state scholarships therefore it is imperative the weigh the grades accordingly. In SC a student can receive a Palmetto Scholarship which is a full tuition ride at a state university. Therefore there is competition for this scholarship among the homeschoolers in my group. The homeschool teacher has to show substantial documentation for honors and AP courses. I know that some folks use college textbooks to show that their students have done college work therefore justifying an honors credit.

 

FWIW,

Jan

[Susan in IL]

using Foerster's Alg. & Trig. The publisher says it right on the website it is an honors level book so I listed it that way. Ds took a couple honors classes at the local high school and they were weighted grades and gave him the extra point too. Several of the college apps had spaces for weighted and unweighted GPA, I provided both and also on the transcript.