As the third quarter draws to a close, students begin preparing to choose from new courses offered for the 2013-2014 school year.
Additions to courses for next school year include AP English Language and Composition, AP Computer Science A, Digital Arts/Designs for the Web, and Honors Modern East Asian History.
Perhaps the most extensive change to the school curriculum will be the replacement of the current Honors English 11 with AP English Language and Composition. Regular English 11 will remain available to students, but current sophomores looking for a more challenging English course can take the AP class.
Most students are unsure what the course entails.
“I honestly have no idea what I would expect from it,” said sophomore Hunter Brown, an Advanced English 10 student.
English teacher Sean King, who will teach the course, said AP English Language and Composition will focus on argument and rhetoric.
King said students will learn to analyze the strategies writers use to persuade, focusing on various forms of literature to aid in understanding such devices.
Some students point out the added weight of the AP exam in May.
“There’s going to be more pressure for incoming juniors,” said junior Norvin Louie. “In Honors English 11, you don’t have to finish everything for the AP test, so you have an extra month of time (to learn the curriculum).”
AP English Language and Composition will not necessarily be more intensive than the current Honors English 11, though the weight of the AP test means students do need to learn the material by May, said King.
The change will put Cal on the same track for English as that of two other high schools in the district, San Ramon Valley and Monte Vista high schools, according to King.
“We’ll try to preserve much of (Honors English 11),” said King.
He said the shift in focus to preparing for the AP exam would add more nonfiction literature, essays, and journalism articles to the curriculum.
Another AP class being added for the 2013-2014 school year is AP Computer Science A.
Also geared toward the AP exam in May, AP Computer Science A is unique among technology-oriented classes.
It will offer students the opportunity to design computer programs using Java and programming language, rather than using pre-designed computer tools such as Microsoft Office.
“Programming is like doing magic,” said math teacher Ahn Nyugen, who will teach the AP course next year.
Nyugen was inspired to offer students the opportunity to explore computer programming through the AP course curriculum during her fellowship last summer at Lockheed-Martin, an aerospace and advanced technology company.
The fellowship reminded Nyugen of her first career as a software engineer, and when she came back to Cal, she was excited to share her extensive programming knowledge with prospective students.
AP Computer Science A will engage students with an interest in the fundamentals of computer science or who want to major in engineering.
The prerequisite is a completed math course of Algebra 2 with a B or above.
“It seems like it’s going to be straight computer programming, so that’s why I’m going to sign up,” said junior Natalie Ordway, who has explored other technology courses such as Computers.
Another new course with a technical aspect is Digital Arts/Designs for the Web, which will replace the current Game Arts Design.
“(The new class) is more of a name change than anything else,” said teacher Steve Armstrong, who believes the nature of the class itself won’t be changing for the new year.
But the Digital Arts/Designs for the Web class does offer an added bonus for students: the course meets the University of California and California State Visual/Performing Arts requirement.
“We’re mixing all aspects of the Internet,” said Armstrong.
Students will employ the most advanced versions of art design programs and gaming software and subsequently create web pages to market their games.
In the social studies department, a returning course is generating excitement among students.
Because of a combination of budget cuts and insufficient sign-ups for the class, Honors Modern East Asian Histor was only offered during the 2009-2010 school year.
But is scheduled to come back in the fall.
“I think (the course) would be a great addition to the history classes we have now,” said sophomore Michelle Xue.
The honors class bridges between the difficulty level of an AP-level course and that of a regular class.
“(The course) is college level, less rigorous than an AP course, but more rigorous than a regular class,” said history teacher Chris Doherty, who will teach the course.
