HL/SL Splits are Beneficial

Two in one. Usually when something is two in one, it is viewed in a positive light. Such as two in one shower heads, ovens and those jars with both peanut butter AND jelly. Can the two in one work for our school? This question has been posed by classes in the school, which have combined the SL and the HL into one class.

Some elective classes in the school have both the HL and the SL levels in the same classroom during the same period. When classes are split like this, it can also split the opinions of those people who are in the split class.

A positive from this class split is how the school saves resources.  Instead of two classes with half the amount of students as a regular class, there is one class with the same amount of students as a regular class.

The classes which are being split are not classes with huge differences either. The difference between some of the classes is as simple as one class having an extra assignment at night, or a harder version of the same project.

Teachers have been splitting the classes almost right down the middle; having one group of students sit on one side of the room and having the other group sit on the other side. This keeps the SL and HL students apart while having them in the same room.

While there are many positives to combining classes, there are some negatives as well. The combination in classes can sometimes cause confusion for students. Granted it is not usually a huge problem, it is still there.

The school has saved time and money from combining elective classes, and with few negative aspects along the side. In a time of such economic turmoil when schools and school systems are having funding cut from almost every program this is a good idea for the school. While not all classes can be combined with SL and HL, the ones that can be combined, should be.