by Lauren Hill ‘22

Beginning next school year, Sherwood sophomores will no longer have the option to take On-Level English 10. The only available options for English 10 classes will be honors and accelerated honors classes. According to English Resource Teacher Shelley Jackson, the MCPS Central Office requested that schools in the county change the English 10 course options, and many other schools in the county have already stopped offering an on-level offering.

Sherwood will continue to have some differentiation in 10th grade English by also having an accelerated honors class next school year in which a smaller number of students will be recommended to take the class based on teacher recommendations from Honors English 9 teachers, as well as their performance in other accelerated classes such as AP NSL, Algebra 2, and 9th grade Physics.

“There will be significantly more reading and writing in these accelerated sections [of Honors English 10],” said Jackson. “There will also be the expectation that students can make sophisticated inferences about what they read.”

Jackson offered a number of reasons that students might benefit from being in an honors English class rather than on-level, including that it will push them harder to be successful. “Students formerly in on-level will benefit from being in classes with peers who will challenge them,” said Jackson. “Students who have chosen on-level because it is easier for them will have to challenge themselves in a course fundamental to academic and professional success.”

Many years ago, Sherwood stopped offering On-Level English classes for juniors and seniors, and Jackson said those students who have tried hard in Honors English 11 and 12 have succeeded. Although juniors and seniors are able to choose between Honors and AP English classes, the belief is that the accelerated Honors 10 English class for sophomores will be an option for highly capable sophomores.
There are plans to help students in Honors 10 English, including that students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) will still have the same support as they have in on-level courses.
The difference will be that these students will now have more opportunity to access an honors-level course in English, according to Jackson.