New year brings new classes

December 13, 2011 danalin

There will be a new choice for students that are now taking Algebra 2 or Advanced Algebra 2 to take regular Precalculus or Honors Precalculus in the upcoming year.

Honors Precalculus will be replacing Advanced Topics in math. Therefore, instead of having to make the choice between Precalculus and Advanced Topics in math, those students will have to decide between Honors Precalculus or regular Precalculus.

“We are just beefing [the curriculum] up a little bit,” said math teacher Mindy Hager.

The difference between regular and Honors Precalculus will not be very big, but the pace in the honors class will be faster and go more in depth. Honors Precalculus will be using the same book that the Precalculus classes are currently using, and the regular class will use a different book.

Once the school has the honors class, the regular class will be different from the Precalculus class that’s offered currently. It will be slower, which will give students more time to learn the new material.

The honors class will also count as five points towards students’ grade point averages (GPA). At the moment, it is still getting the U.C.’s approval.

“It’s just a matter of time,” math teacher Dianne Fletcher said.

Right now, students are required to take Advanced Algebra 2 before they are able to take Precalculus. Currently, students taking Algebra 2 who decide that they want to give Precalculus a try would have to sign a waiver form. But in the future, Algebra 2 students can choose to give Precalculus a try without needing to sign that form.

Many of the math teachers like the fact that there will be honors and regular precalculus classes.

“I think it’s a good idea,” said Fletcher.

Math teacher Melissa Smith also thinks that Honors Precalculus is a good idea.

“It will encourage people to take precalculus,” she said.

Not only do the teachers like the idea of Honors Precalculus, but students like it too.

“I think Honors Precalculus is good because it will be easier to get into AP Calculus,” said sophomore Emily Guo.