For many middle and high school students, deciding what classes to take can be stressful. It’s a tedious balancing act — juggling required classes, keeping up that ever-powerful GPA, and choosing the right courses to meet specific needs.
“One of the biggest things we encourage students to do is think about their skills, interests, and goals when they’re choosing classes,” says Heather Ross, a school counseling services supervisor in Loudoun County Public Schools. “We want students to make the choice that’s right for them and not their peers, which can be challenging.”
Utilize Available Resources
Area school counselors employ an arsenal of strategies to equip and inform students and families when it comes time to choose next year’s courses.
One important tool counselors provide students is information and resources. In Prince William County Public Schools, for instance, students are given a tutorial on how to access the course catalog for every class available at their school, in the county, and in every specialty program.
Counselors recommend reviewing the course catalog descriptions carefully. Not all classes are created equally, and some curriculum workloads may outweigh others. Parents may want to partner with students to read through expectations, assessment methods, and the assignment workload for each possible class. Knowing what to expect and creating a manageable plan can allay future fears.
Go Right to the Source
Students should also ask their current teachers their opinions on what courses might be best for them to take next year. They can also reach out to potential teachers to ask specifics about the classes they teach.
“Maybe schedule a one-on-one with that teacher,” advises Tisa Frederick, senior career experience specialist with Fairfax County Public Schools. “They can find out: What does this course look like? What does the workload look like? What does the homework look like for this? So they’re getting as much information as possible before they’re registering for these classes.”
Some schools hold elective fairs and curriculum nights. Students are invited to stop by classrooms to learn more about possible elective classes or hear about core academic classes and advance placement (AP) class expectations.
“We want students to know they’ve got choices for classes, and they’re well-equipped,” says school counselor Lily Carlyle from Potomac Falls High School. “We try to provide the resources to both students and parents.”
When it comes to investigating which classes to take, counselors recommend parents empower their students to do their own heavy lifting.
“It’s their education, their choices, and I think when kids feel empowered to make those choices, then they can be a little bit more successful,” says Carlyle.
A Balancing Act
Balance is a key word infused into conversations with students, counselors say. When choosing classes, students should challenge — but not overload — themselves.
“We talk about what a balanced course load looks like,” says Ross. “We never want to deter a student from reaching for the stars, ever. But we do want to have realistic conversations during our academic advising.”
“Everybody knows that person that is always comparing themselves to somebody else, always trying to keep up with the Joneses,” says Charles J. Colgan High School counselor Jean Agosto. “Sometimes that can be a great motivator, but sometimes it can be a deterrent. We have those tough conversions with students. It all comes back to balance.”
Ways to Ease Stress
Anyone with a teen knows that anxiety is a common denominator among today’s students. And registering for new courses can be very stressful for some students.
Intentionally doing exercises to reduce stress and induce calm may help students struggling with anxiety, counselors say. Calming techniques like deep breathing, journaling, meditation, yoga, exercise, and working on crafts have been proven to calm nerves.
“I do stretching and yoga in the morning. It’s part of my routine,” says 16-year-old Herndon High School sophomore K’Lynn Chandler. “I do it for 10 or 15 minutes every weekday. It’s for my mindset, like: ‘I’m gonna get through this day. It’s gonna be a good day. I’m gonna get this work done.’”
Above all else, school counselors suggest parents sit down with their students and encourage and empower them to take ownership of their education. Look at grades, course descriptions, and come up with important questions for counselors or prospective teachers that may help in the decision-making process. Each child’s priorities and journey are different, and experts say that’s OK.
“If everybody was cookie cutter, this world would be very boring,” said Frederick. “It’s really OK to embrace your uniqueness.”
Feature image, stock.adobe.com/Ivan
