Due to low numbers of students in some language AP and Honors classes, Oak Park High School has implemented combo classes as a solution. These combo classes exist to satisfy the required amount of students in a class by combining CP, Honors, or AP classes in the same period.

While combination classes solve class size issues, they can cause complications for their respective teachers.

“It is very difficult having students on different levels; [like] my French 3 and French 4 AP,” French teacher Maryannick Bovard said.

She explained that it is difficult to create a French AP class with 20 students. In the past, she had taught a class of 14 AP students, though now she is “required to have 20 students in a class.”

“Therefore, I combine French II honors and AP in one single class,” Bovard wrote.

According to Chinese teacher Sherry Hung, teachers of combo classes sometimes face higher levels of stress than usual when it comes to adapting their class since they need to pace their learning as it cannot be too slow for the higher class students, but also not too fast for the rest.

“It is not easy because AP students have to prepare for the test. Time and resources are divided between students. Some students feel like they’re being pushed too much,” Hung said. “Teaching has to be modified and materials need to be geared towards the higher level.”

Even though they are in the same class, students at different levels do not learn the same material; they are kept separate according to their specific curriculum.

“I teach [Chinese] 3 CP, 3 Honors, and [3] AP in the same class [period] with different strateg[ies] for each. For example, they all watch the same video, but the AP students would have a more difficult assignment on the video than the 3 CP [or] 3 Honors students,” Hung said.

Some students find the system slightly confusing.

“The curriculum is way too fast-paced, and is not suitable for all AP, Honors, and CP [students],” junior Gillian Ong said.

Other AP students in combination classes feel the same as Ong.

“At times, it can be slightly agitating. I think everyone should be granted the right to go at their own learning pace, especially in the classroom environment, according to their level,” junior Annabelle Chu said.

However, other students believe that combo classes work for the benefit of the classroom.

“We get to experience two different levels of French cultures in our class,” sophomore Greta Linebach-Dehart said. “The class is also more full and more interesting.”

Some students do not feel there is much of a difference between a combo class and a regular one.

“It does not affect the class that much since Madame Bovard is pretty good at handling both Honors and AP students and keeping their curriculum separate,” junior Ansh Chhabra said.

Principal Kevin Buchanan believes “AP and Honors classes [should] be separate” but also believes there are benefits in having this system as well. “Class combos are helpful in running multiple sections of a course where there may only be enough students for one section. Class combos allow us to run classes that we wouldn’t be able to run if we didn’t combine them with other courses,” Buchanan said.