Good Evening,
My name is Melanie Muradian. I am an Elementary School parent
speaking in support of Challenge/Honors classes for middle school students in
our district.
My son is a 2nd grader in the EAP program at Sunrise Elementary -
where he is thrilled to be among his true peers and move at a faster pace.
Every aspect of his day is better than last year in a general classroom; 1st
grade differentiation was promised, but proved impossible to implement. But I'm
not here to speak about EAP or AAP. I'm here on behalf of a group I fear may be
without adequate representation or data to support them socially and
academically. I'm speaking about those bright, hard working kids that are
talented and motivated academically in one or two subjects, but not all.
They don’t qualify for EAP or AAP, but still deserve the opportunity to learn
at an accelerated pace with like-minded peers.
These are the kids I know best. I'm not a teacher, but I am a
Destination Imagination coach. Each year, I lead a team of kids, October
through March, preparing them for an international academic and creative
problem solving competition. I will tell you about two 3rd grade team members
to give you an idea of how they would benefit from Challenge classes.
Let's call the first one Jack. Jack is uniquely talented at
reading, writing and art. He scored a 99% on the ITBS Reading section. When
asked to write a story about an animal morph (two animals combined to form a
new imaginary animal), he produced an excellent piece that was 3 typed
single-spaced pages long. But, Jack isn’t interested in math. He is slow to
grasp mathematical concepts and needs me to write out or explain solutions that
come easily to his teammates. Jack will surely crave challenging honors classes
in Language Arts, History, and Science, but he will most likely choose general
level math courses. What options will he have upon entering middle school?
Then there is Jill. Jill is a science and engineering whiz. Those
are the topics that excite her, where she takes on a leadership role in the
team, and isn't afraid to advocate for her ideas. You should see what this kid
can do with popsicle sticks, duct tape and folded paper. Each week, I watch her
put extra effort into reading, spelling, and writing to try to keep up with her
teammates. In middle school, she would probably opt for a slower pace in those
subjects, but in Math, Science, History and Geography, she wants to soar.
Should we clip her wings and put her in classes where she cannot fully explore
her passions?
What does a middle school student really need in a classroom
setting? I believe they need academic stimulation that meets them at their
level, with peers also thriving at that same level. They need teachers, mentors
and friends who "get" them. They are searching for their place, their
identity; these interests and talents are a big part of what makes them unique.
The bright, curious, hard-working kids in our District need our
support in equal measure to those who are struggling. They deserve the freedom
and opportunity to self-select classes that meet their specific needs. Let's
teach them to become independent thinkers and empower them to balance their
course schedule to fit their abilities and interests.
Thank you for your consideration of making Honors/Challenge
classes available for these special kids.
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