Balancing Your Classes

Hopefully you are ready to request your classes online (and thanks to all those who have already done so) .  Don't forget, you need to submit your online registration by this coming Friday (February 4th) and, if you are a junior scheduled to meet with me this week, please be sure to complete your registration before our meeting. 

When you are considering which classes you want to take it is really important to try to find a balance. You want to challenge yourself with courses that will push you and help prepare you for the future. At the same time you want to remember that it is high school and you need to be reasonable about your expectations for yourself. There is a balance that should be sought - between too many "easy" classes and too many "hard" classes. You know yourself best and what you can handle so while it may feel good to have every teacher recommend you for honors, AP, or IB classes it doesn't mean that it would be the ideal situation to load your schedule with 7 advanced classes. Last week I even had 1 student stop by proclaiming a plan to take 8 classes by skipping their lunch period.  I get it, there are a lot of incredible classes available at WKHS, but overloading your day and burning yourself out does nothing for your love of learning or your ability to successfully complete your classes.  I cannot stress enough how much I want you to think about the rest of your commitments.  

What sports, clubs, music groups, part-time jobs, and volunteer commitments do you have?  When will you have time to relax and breathe, spend time with your family and friends and, perhaps most importantly, still get a good night's sleep each night?

I completely understand that this can be hard to figure out the balance because you aren't at next year yet to be able to imagine what your days will feel like, but the Kilbourne staff created a Time Commitment Planning Calendar which can help you gain insight into what your intended plan will really look like.  You can find copies on the Kilbourne Counselor website - www.wkhscounselors.com - or there are hard copies available in the counseling center.  A student helped by completing a sample calendar so that you can see what a completed one looks like and that is also on the Kilbourne Counselor website.  I strongly encourage you to consider 2 of your busiest weeks and fill out the calendar so that you can have a realistic perspective for what the classes you are considering would provide a good balance for you - being both rigorous (particularly in any area of passion) and reasonable.

The other reminder I have for you related to balance is to remember that you want to balance your classes over the whole entire 4 years of your high school career.  I have had a few students who talked about wanting to stack their schedule full in their junior year so they could have an easy senior year, but that truly isn't in your best interest.  Not only do you still have to take 5 classes during your senior year, taking a strong load as a senior is setting you up for future success in college and life after high school.  

One other note I have for you as you are mapping out your class plans is that Law 2 will be running every other year.  So, next year it will not be offered, but in the 2023-2024 school year it will be offered again.  If that is a class you want to take, then I'd suggest, for example, that you take Law 1 next year and then you are set to be ready to take Law 2 the following year.

If you are struggling to find balance in your plans, please talk to your parents about the classes you are considering and stop down to see me so that we can discuss it too.  (However, know that tomorrow I am booked all day long with junior meetings and so I will not be available to meet tomorrow.)