The Differences and Stigma of Honors Math vs. Non-Honors Math

The School has two math tracks: honors and non-honors. Students are welcome to choose either track, and they are starkly different from each other.

According to the math department chair, Daniel Guzman, the main difference is speed. “As a result [of the speed], the honors courses are typically able to deal with more content and get into more complicated ideas.”

According to Guzman, only 40% of students currently take non-honors math. 

Additionally, a stigma surrounds both courses at the School, often being referred to as “dumb math” vs. “smart math.” This is a problematic and false comparison of the two classes since speed does not always equate to knowledge or intelligence.

When asked about the stigma, Guzman said, “I have obviously seen and noticed it,” and thinks that “it’s a natural byproduct of the school’s competitive nature.” 

Furthermore, he was quick to point out that “people think that if you’re in the honors course you must be better at math, but the reality is that speed does not equate to having a better understanding of things.” 

In addition, everyone is not necessarily happy in either the honors or non-honors math. 

One junior at Head Royce currently taking precalculus said, “I don’t know which track I fit; I feel like I am in between levels.” Another student taking the honors track admitted that it moves “too fast for [them], but the regular class probably moves too slow.”

One solution presented for this problem was to have everyone start in the same class beginning freshman year. Students would have the opportunity to differentiate themselves, and take an extra challenge.

Everyone taking the same class would help remove the stigma between levels. It would also allow students to have a better math experience since they could find what level truly fits them best.

As a community, we can help each other by not perpetuating the false stigma of “dumb” vs. “smart” math. What’s most important is that each student finds a path that best suits them.

As Guzman put it, “As a math department, we’re always looking for solutions to better help our students, we can try and shift this as much as we can, and I think we can shift the culture.”