Do You Really Know The Meaning
Of Honors?
Inquiring Minds Want To Know: The Honors Teacher's Guide
for Meaningful and Rigorous Instruction for Advanced Learners
Collaborative Conference for student achievement
March 21-23, 2016
Session Presented
by
Michelle McLaughlin
K-12 social studies Consultant
Division of Curriculum and instruction
North Carolina department of public instruction
Session Objectives
The Aim Of Today’s Session Is To:
Engage participants in activities, tasks and dialogue which will allow
for reflection on the importance of differentiating honors courses as
well as differentiating instruction targeted to advanced learners with
the expectation of…
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Social Studies
•
Understand why it is essential that an honors level course be
developed with deliberate curriculum and content choices designed to
address the needs of advanced learners.
•
Apply some best practice criteria that help teachers develop
meaningful lesson tasks that are more complex and have greater depth
for advanced learners.
•
Understand the importance of differentiating learning based on proven
educational research rather than accepted practice.
Speaking A Common Language
Defining what we mean when we say…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Honors
Standard
Advanced Leaner
Rigor
Differentiate
Extend
Enrich
What Do You Think?
Which Of The Choices Listed Do You Think
Should Be The Key Criteria When Planning To
Demonstrate How A Honors Level Course
Differentiates Itself From The Standard Level
Course In North Carolina?
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A.
The Advanced Topics And Content
B.
Accelerated Pacing
C.
Academic Rigor
D.
High Expectations And Critical Thinking
E.
Surpassing The Minimum Specified Standards
Academic Course Levels As Defined In North Carolina State Board Policy
Standard Level
Honors Level
Advanced Placement
Course content, pace and
academic rigor follow
standards specified by the
North Carolina Standard
Course of Study (N.C.S.C.
O. S.) with occasional
content enrichment
where appropriate.
Course content, pace and
academic rigor put high
expectations on the
student and surpass
standards specified by
the (N.C.S.C. O. S.) Such
courses demand a greater
independence and
responsibility. Honors
courses are NOT collegelevel courses.
Advanced Placement
courses are college-level
courses. The level of rigor
should go beyond the
level of instruction and
learning found in an
honors level course and
be equivalent to the level
of rigor outlined in a
freshman level college
course.
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A Common Understanding Of Expectations
Academic Course Levels As Defined In
North Carolina State Board Policy
Basic/Introduction to..../Standard(S)
– Course content, pace and academic rigor
follow standards specified by the North
Carolina Standard Course of Study
(N.C.S.C. O. S.) with occasional content
enrichment where appropriate. This
course provides credit toward a high
school diploma and requires the end -ofcourse test where available.
Advanced/Honors/Academically Gifted (H)
– Course content, pace and academic rigor
put high expectations on the student and
surpass standards specified by the
(N.C.S.C. O. S.) Such courses demand a
greater independence and responsibility.
The courses provide credit toward a high
school diploma and require an end-ofcourse test where available. The state
weighting system adds the equivalent of
one quality point to the grade earned in
such courses.
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Honors Level Courses
The term honors course is a common label applied to
courses, usually at the high school level, that are
considered to be more academically challenging.
Students enrolled in honors courses generally receive
greater academic recognition and a weighted grade for
the course, so a numerical advantage is present.
Where Do You Stand?
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•
•
•
•
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•
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Honors
Standard
Advanced Leaner
Rigor
Differentiate
Extend
Enrich
(Activity)
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Social Studies
 Rigor and engagement ARE significant components
for ALL students.
 High Expectations SHOULD be had for ALL students.
 Critical Thinking SHOULD be a part of the learning for
ALL students.
 ALL students SHOULD demonstrate learning at high
levels in an environment where they are expected to
learn and are supported so they can learn.
However, research consistently shows that while the learning for ALL students should include these things,
IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT for the learning profiles of advanced or gifted learners who benefit from an increased
pace of instruction, in-depth content, and more complex levels of process and product (NAGC, 2010; Sousa,
2009).
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Social Studies
Think – Process - Share
Is It Ever Justifiable NOT To Differentiate
Between The Curriculum & Instruction Of A
Standard Level Course & A Honors Level Course?

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Explain and support your answer?
Front-End Foundations
As you begin to plan your honors
classes or to address the needs of
advanced learners do you find
yourself…?
 Trying to ensure your honors courses
truly extend beyond the content and
instruction of the standard level course?
 Trying to figure out how to ensure your
honors level social studies courses are
rigorous, meaningful courses with
greater depth and complexity?
 Curious about how to differentiate for
advanced learners?
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Social Studies
Before you begin
to answer these
questions let’s
take a few
moments to
reflect.
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Social Studies
All children have strengths and positive
but notItallMean
childrenTo
areBe An
Soattributes,
What Does
“advanced learners”.
Advanced Learner?
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Social Studies
Advanced Learner?
The label “advanced learner” in a
school setting means that when
compared to others their age or
grade, a student has an advanced
capacity to learn and apply what is
learned in one or more subject
areas.
This advanced capacity REQUIRES
modifications to the regular SCOS
and curriculum to ensure these
students are challenged and learn
new material.
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Social Studies
Differentiating Learning
For Advanced Learners
1.
2.
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Social Studies
What Should A Honors Course
Look Like?
What Should Instruction For
Advanced Learners Look Like?
(Activity)
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Social Studies
Think – Process - Share


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Social Studies
Take 2 Minutes
Academic Rigor
What exactly is rigor?
What isn’t rigor?
Academic Rigor?
Academic rigor is determined
not just by what is taught, but how it
is taught and how it is assessed,
according to Barbara Blackburn, who
teaches at the University of North
Carolina, Charlotte.
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Social Studies
Demanding curriculum and classroom
instruction isn’t so demanding if it is taught
in a way that students can’t learn it or if, on
assessments and tests, students aren’t
really expected to know it.
(http://hechingerreport.org/rigor-its-all-therage-but-what-does-it-mean/)
Some Criteria To Consider
This acrostic for rigor organizes 5 key criteria for action:
Recognize realistic and relevant high-level expectations
Integrate complexity, breadth, depth in content, process, & product
Generate cognitive skills
Orchestrate support systems and scaffolding for success
Refine assessments to guide instruction and benefit learners
Kingore, B. (n.d.). Differentiating Instruction. Retrieved July 24, 2015
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Social Studies
A Helpful Tool When Planning And Evaluating Level Of
Challenge In Assignments
High/Cognitively demanding
•
•
(relates to learner’s
experiences)
•
•
High Context
High
Cognitive
Demand
•
•
Low Context
High Cognitive
Demand
(abstract/concepts hard to
relate to real experiences)
High
Context
Low Cognitive
Demand
Low/Cognitively undemanding
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Social Studies
Low Context
Analyze The Video Clip
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Social Studies
Let’s Explore Some Ways To Extend A Curriculum
COLUMN A: BASIC STANDARD LEVEL
DIRECTIONS: As a group pick a grade or course. Describe a
topic of study that would be taught in a standard level
course. This would be a topic or event that ALL students
(standard level, advanced/honors, AP, exceptional)
studying this subject would be expected to learn.
COLUMN B: HONORS/ADVANCED LEVEL
DIRECTIONS: As a group describe ways in which the topic
of study you described in Column A can be extended in
greater depth and complexity.
Let’s Explore Some Ways To Extend A Curriculum
Your Turn
COLUMN A: BASIC STANDARD LEVEL
DIRECTIONS: As a group pick a grade or course.
Describe a topic of study that would be taught in a
standard level course. This would be a topic or event
that ALL students (standard level, advanced/honors,
AP, exceptional) studying this subject would be
expected to learn.
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Social Studies
COLUMN B: HONORS/ADVANCED LEVEL
DIRECTIONS: As a group describe ways in which the topic of
study you described in Column A can be extended in greater
depth and complexity.
Thank You For Attending Today’s Session
For Social Studies Specific Questions Contact…
 Michelle McLaughlin
michelle.mclaughlin@dpi.nc.gov
NCDPI K-12 Social Studies Consultant
For Ideas & Support On Designing Your Honors Social
Studies Course Refer To The Tools and Resources On
The Social Studies Honors Wiki…
 http://honorsimplementation.ncdpi.wikispaces
.net/SOCIAL+STUDIES+HONORS+SUPPORT+WI
KI
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Social Studies