Congratulations are in order to the Barons who have successfully reached the halfway mark of the 2011-2012 school year. At the same time, having already completed the first semester, some Barons may have realized just how difficult some of their classes are.
For some students, a simple trip to their guidance specialists will easily remedy the situation. For a few Barons, their attention is brought to a phenomenon known as “linked classes.”
Linked classes are two classes which are locked together – students can’t take one without taking the other. In effect, this could greatly restrict students when it comes to changing schedules.
Linked classes gives teachers the opportunity to collaborate and teach complimentary material across different subjects, expanding the curriculum so that the material can be made more relevant to students.
Being placed in a pair of linked classes also affects the students in the class. Students spend more time with each other, which promotes bonding and allows them to study more often with other students who are studying the same material.
At the same time, linked schedules can make changing the master schedule much more difficult.
One student, who asked to not be named, was unable to transfer out of her English class precisely because of linked classes. The only other English class available was linked to a different History class, meaning that her entire schedule would have to have been redone, an impossibility in itself.
According to Fountain Valley High School Assistant Principle of Special Education and Guidance Nancy Peterson, the idea of linked classes was officially introduced to provide “richer school experience.” This is the first year which the concept has been implemented.
The success of the linked classes in its maiden year appears to be mixed.
AP English instructor Crystal Jerabek, who is one of four instructors with a linked class, describes linked classes as having “great potential,” but so far as having only “mediocre success.”
“[Linked classes] has potential for greatness,” says Jerabek, “but the hardest part is finding the time to make it worthwhile.”
When asked about the future of linked classes, Jerabek maintained that in the long run, “Once the teachers can master linked classes, the effects will definitely be worth it to students.”
Fountain Valley High School students are of contrary opinion.
“The classes that are supposed to be linked aren’t. The teachers seem to have given up on cooperating their classes,” states Linda Huynh (’13), who has her AP U.S. History linked to her AP English.
Kevin Nguyen (’13), whose English and History classes are also linked, while declaring linked classes to be “pointless” and “ineffective,” admits, “It should continue at FVHS because it presents a possibility for the teachers to plan something together.”
The potential of linked classes is too great for a school like Fountain Valley to pass up. What the school needs is a modified form linked classes – the idea is noble, but the plan itself is flawed.
As suggested by guidance specialist Lynn McCall, an ideal solution would be natural collaboration by teachers across different subjects. This way, students would not be restrained by the rigid allocations of linked classes, but would still enjoy all of the benefits of cross-curriculum learning.
As of now, linked classes is still in its infant stages. Whether or not Fountain Valley will see the use of linked classes has yet to be determined, pending a year-end assessment by administration and staff.
Barons mustn’t worry yet, though. Peterson assures that the school “won’t continue to do something that is ineffective,” and all that is being done is to keep Fountain Valley at the forefront of “innovative education.”
