4 ms·
Our high school, Niskayuna High School in Upstate NY, has a policy (from what I've heard, it's fairly rare) called 'Open Enrollment'. By this policy, any stude
by samirmenon 13y ago
Our high school, Niskayuna High School in Upstate NY, has a policy (from what I've heard, it's fairly rare) called 'Open Enrollment'.
By this policy, any student can, in spite of the wishes of any teacher or department director, decide to take a class at a different level than recommended. Essentially, if you want to take the AP class, you can, even if your teacher tells you to take the remedial one. Nobody can force you not to.
I think its incredibly empowering. It makes school seem like a place of opportunity instead of a place of discouragement. As far as I know, 'Open Enrollment' (aka 'Self Selection') is not very widespread in high schools. I wish it was.
- seizethecheese 13y agoWhile I appreciate the sentiment behind this, I have to disagree. It is very important to maintain a certain level in advanced classes, or the classes become a farce. I am at a mid-tier state university right now and I feel like it's some sort of nightmare with all the nearly illiterate students.
- gizmo686 13y agoIf students elect to take classes far beyond their level then they can simply have no idea what is going on and fail. That should be enough of a natural consequence to discourage a flood of under-performing students to high level classes.
- dragonwriter 13y agoDunning-Kruger explains why that can't be relied on to discourage the flood -- the people that ought to be discouraged may well agree that unprepared students shouldn't register for the high-level classes, but won't realize that they are unprepared.
- seizethecheese 13y agoThe problem is that most courses are graded on a curve, so these students just degrade everyone's standards. My 400 level university classes are absurdly easy. I can get a B just by attending class and spending less than an hour per week.