Teaching Electives
General Advice and Tips
Electives offer students as much diversity in learning as possible. With a small high school and limited resources, you may need to be creative in how you offer a variety of classes for your students. Not all electives can be traditional, teacher-taught classes. Some examples:
Homeschool courses
Online courses
Programs like Rosetta Stone or DuoLingo for language study
As a school, you will need to find the balance between offering diversity to expand students’ horizons and not stretching yourself too thin. There is a time to cut out what you’re not doing well and focus instead on what you can do well.
Another option is to offer not-for-credit learning experiences during lunch. They are optional and can change every quarter. They might include things like art, photography, foreign language study, fitness classes, etc.
Actively encourage extracurricular study in areas of student interest. Try to give students time to read, research, and explore the things they are wondering about.
Resources
The following are examples from various schools of how they implement elective courses for their high school students:
Vocational skills syllabus: Vocational Skills Practicum Syllabus - The Dock for Learning
Work studies: Work Studies - The Dock for Learning
Shop classes:
Home Economics: Hospitality Takes on a New Dimension: Our Home-Ec Program - The Dock for Learning
Sources
Priorities for High School: Making Electives Manageable by Howard Lichty and Douglas Groff: Priorities for High School: Making Electives Manageable - The Dock for Learning
Priorities for High School: Focus on the Core by Douglas Groff: Priorities for High School: Focus on the Core - The Dock for Learning
Extra-Curricular Study by Robert Heatwole: Extra-Curricular Study - The Dock for Learning
