Accelerated Placement Math at DGN

The Honors Course Sequence at DGN is offered as an opportunity for students to experience increased depth and
rigor of topics and concepts. Honors math students tend to be interested in mathematics, enjoy a challenge, and
quickly see connections. Honors math classes develop concepts from a more theoretical perspective, use less
directive teaching strategies, and require a greater level of student independence. Teachers make recommendations
for honors classes based on observations and assessment data. All honors and AP courses are grade-weighted.

Profile of Honors Math Courses

● Honors math at DGN is not synonymous with simply being quick and skilled at computations

● In honors, the teacher often serves as a facilitator of more student-owned, collaborative knowledge-building

● Concepts are developed & extended through a more theoretical perspective, emphasizing application of skills

● Greater out-of-class workload may at times exist compared to non-honors math courses

● Students are expected to synthesize concepts on assessments and be able to tackle problem contexts or

styles they have not directly seen the teacher model

● Honors course content includes:

o The core-defined (i.e. regular-level) curriculum

o More challenging extensions/problems of the core curriculum

o Additional topics covered solely at the honors level

o Independent projects and outside-of-class mathematical endeavors

All of the above results in a faster progression through certain core topics

Common Characteristics of Successful Honors Math Students

➢ Displays the desire to seek true mathematical understanding, not fixating on grades or having to ‘get the A’
➢ Understands the power of productive struggle and enjoys learning challenges
➢ Independently able to make connections, and does so relatively quickly
➢ Willing to take risks in collaborating with peers to create knowledge and critique arguments
➢ Clearly articulates formal mathematical methods using detailed explanations
➢ Takes greater responsibility for ownership of the learning process as an independent and mature learner
➢ Able to manage heavier workload in overall class schedule without undue stress or frustration
➢ Displays disciplined study habits; seeks out and utilizes outside-of-class resources independently when
needed

Key Questions to Reflect Upon When Considering Honors

❖ Do a majority of the student characteristics listed above apply to me/my child?
❖ Will a non-class period be in my/my child’s schedule for the purposes of seeking support during the
school day and/or working on assignments?
❖ How many total honors/AP classes will be in the overall schedule? A large quantity of honors/AP classes
can lead to high stress levels and inhibit learning.
❖ What are my/my child’s anticipated after-school & evening commitments over the course of the year?
Being in multiple sports, time-intensive activities, and/or working a job will also likely reduce opportunities
to get work done at a reasonable hour while still having ‘down time’ outside of school.
❖ Do I/does my child enjoy math?