The school district where I work offers a college English class to our students and they can earn up to 6 college credits from a local community college.  In June, I had 20 interested students.  In order to get into this class, students had to  pass the college entrance exam.  Much to my amazement as well as the students, only a handful of them passed the college entrance exam!  The juniors in my honors English class are some of the best writers I have seen in a while and not all of them passed.  I couldn’t throw these students back into a “regular” English class. So with my principal’s approval I was able to offer many of these students the college level class without the local community college credit.  To my surprise, everyone I approached was interested in being in the class regardless of obtaining upper level credits or not.  That was not the only bridge they had to cross.  I assigned them One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and an essay to be e-mailed to me by July 23rd.  I was very thrilled to receive 17 papers from the 20 students who signed up for the course.  This is not an easy novel, it covers many different themes and issues that I look forward to discussing with them on the first day of school.  The second week of school my class has been assigned reading cards and a creative project.  Some students have already e-mailed me to get approval for their creative projects.  I am very pleased and proud of my students.  That’s what I call dedication and really wanting to grow and learn! 

Keep it up folks!