First, the counseling office said, "Sure!"  Then, a few of my regular students said they didn't want to do more work.  As of right now only one is still resistant to a work load that hasn't yet arrived, and I'm working on her.  The third thing that happened was that a ninth grade teacher said, "I think I have a regular class that could be honors."  The experiment has legs, so to speak.

But the whole thing has made me approach my teaching in a new, not totally comfortable way, because I apparently have more preconceived notions about what kids are capable of than I thought I did.  For example, in preparation for the big switch to honors that will take place second semester, I'm going to have ALL my classes read 1984.  A few days ago I found myself thinking of how I could abridge the text so that my regular kids could keep up.  Shame on me.  Then, I got frustrated with my regular class for goofing off and wasting time.  Could they do this, I wondered.  Did they have it in them to be honors students?  My question answered itself during fifth period, when my honors students goofed off all period and I thought it was hilarious.  You get away with more in the first class carriage, it seems, and that's unfair.

Clearly, while I work  to boost skills and prepare my standard students for the work they will do as honors students second semester, the biggest work I need to do is on my own attitude.  Despite my personal philosophy that we should have high expectations for all students, I'm learning that I don't put this into practice.  This experiment has forced me to get better at it.

What are your stories for creating an honors student?  What's the defining characteristic of an academically successful student?  What are your predictions for my experiment?

Comments

At the elementary level, we don't have the same labels, so my experience with regular student classes and honors student classes is a little different. I've taught students in the "gifted and talented" program, but even that isn't the same. Reading your post made me remember the "Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes" experiment I learned about in my teacher education program. The expectations that come with the labels the students have influences and may determine the outcome of their performance. I commend you for trying this out. I want to believe they will rise to the occasion and become "honors" students. I know some of them will; and I think for them it'll be worth it. But, it also makes me wonder what it will do the "real" honors students. Will they identify themselves differently to set themselves apart from the others?

I was in honors/AP type classes all through school, and you're right, there is not a big difference between honors and non-honors. I don't think the answer is to make more classes honors; that just removes more differentiation. The answer is to raise the standards for honors. The honors tag is overused in an attempt to encourage all the slightly above average kids (or maybe not even above average ... the standards appear to be rather amorphous, just as you noted). The purpose of honors classes should be to challenge those who truly need it, and to the level they need challenging. Other levels are frequently under-challenged as well, as you mentioned. We need to divide classes up more by ability, and challenge them to the extent of their abilities.