Too Many Choices: Good and Bad

Our 8th graders here at AMCMS will start their high school registration process in January or February. On this past Monday they went on a tour of the Career and Technology (CATE) classes that are offered at the high school.

At one point during the tour, I asked one of my students what he thought. Thinking that most students would like the wide selection of different possibilities, I was taken aback by his reply.

“Too many choices. Kinda overwhelming. I wish they would just give us five electives to choose from.”

I expect this particular student to go on to a four-year university and probably graduate school.

So for the rest of the hour and half of the tour, I pondered about what he said. Too many choices. There are nearly 100 different elective CATE classes spread out amongst nine categories. Mind you, these are only some of the elective courses. There are also sports, band, orchestra, choir, art, and drama to choose from. Don’t forget the core subjects with regular, honors, pre-AP, and AP options.

What a phenomenal opportunity! Students can dabble in so many fields for FREE before they go off to college. Marketing and Finance. Law. STEM. Architecture. Information Technology. Human Services. Health Science. Business Management. Audio-Visual Communication. Agriculture.

I wonder if these students realize how fortunate they are. Some courses will give dual credits, giving students up to 15 hours of college credit when they graduate. Others leave with certifications and go straight into the workforce.

As I sat through each presentation, I saw the fundamental math that is needed in order to be successful in all these courses. Math is interwoven into everything. You cannot avoid it. Real-life application. Do they know math is involved in building a trailer from scratch for the livestock show?

That’s what so great about Carnegie’s curriculum. Their lessons and activities are problem-based. Not merely isolated skills drill. Great things are coming with Carnegie’s new Middle School Math curriculum, geared towards middle school students’ experience, humor and personality.

Now when my students ask me, “When am I ever going to use this?” I can honestly say, “Next year at the high school in your elective classes!”

Too many choices. I say it’s good to have choices.

Tomorrow as you look across the dining room table at the wide range of choices, remember – you don’t have to eat everything! :-)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!