In 1992, most schools’ electives were limited to foreign languages and the arts. Now, schools offer everything from Web design to media arts.
“Students have many more opportunities to pursue their interests now than they did 20 years ago, and the schools themselves are looking more at the individual, rather than the student body,” says Villa Duchesne principal Doug Lowney.
Electives at Villa Duchesne range from AP and honors courses like AP European History and AP Computer Science to graphic design and classical guitar.
“Foreign languages and the performing arts are inherently elective and have always been there, but now, with the advancement of technology and other social factors, we offer electives that cater to the Web, like discrete mathematics and Web design,” Lowney says.
In addition, students can create their own classes in an independent-study program that allows them to work one-on-one with a teacher and tailor a class to their own interests.
“With the competitiveness of colleges today, students have to tap into their interests earlier, and independent-study courses let them focus on a particular topic they might not get from another course,” Lowney says.
Lowney also points to the easy accessibility of information online as a reason for growth in Villa Duchesne’s elective offerings. Teachers are no longer the experts, he says, since students can find out about anything online, so more flexibility and growth in the electives being offered is necessary to keep students engaged.
