Learning from WHISP

While WHISP is the sole social studies option for all 9th graders, 10th and 11th grade both offer college preparatory and honors level classes, as well as “earned honors” options in Global Studies (10th grade) and American Studies (11th grade), courses where students are in a mixed classroom and some elect to do specific work to earn an honors credit.

Before the introduction of Global Studies in Fall 2021, the typical options within the social studies department for 10th graders were World History at the honors and college preparatory levels.

Shiffman said he wishes the 11th grade earned honors American Studies classes were even more heterogeneous in terms of race, ability and gender. He said a truly heterogeneous class creates a collaborative learning environment where students with diverse backgrounds and experiences can learn from each other.

“I think it’s hard to maintain the culture of pushing in a class where too many kids struggle too much of the time. I love being able to devote attention to kids in that context,” Shiffman said.

Shiffman said he has seen WHISP offer an opportunity in social studies for students in a large public high school to come together without an immediate separation.

“Do we have to separate you the second you walk in the door and say, ‘We’re going to discuss human society – you guys go over there and you guys go over there?’ It just began to seem so antithetical to the enterprise,” Shiffman said.

WHISP was first introduced for the Class of 2023 in Fall 2019. Based on teacher recommendation data for the Class of 2020 through the Class of 2025 (using a 95 percent confidence interval), the percentage of students recommended for World History Honors did not increase for the race categories of African American, Asian, Hispanic, White and Multi-Race Non-Hispanic after WHISP was introduced (of all tenth graders recommended for either World History courses).

Shiffman said deleveling across all subjects will make social studies even more heterogeneous because of class scheduling. He said the result will be better representation in WHISP classes of the whole student body.

“When the other departments delevel, our job will be easier. Last year, I had a section loaded with kids in Advanced Geometry. They were very studious, very committed, very anxious, which has its pluses and minuses. But the reality [was] they all wanted to get an A, or they wanted very good grades and were willing to work very hard to get them. But I don’t want that to be the dominant culture either,” Shiffman said. “The point of heterogeneity is some people are like that, and some people aren’t that worried about it.”

As the school considers greater deleveling, Shiffman said he wants to focus on deleveling in earlier grades of high school as opposed to later grades, which will allow students with different interests to pursue their individual passions.

“At some point, you do begin to specialize. But in 9th grade, and I would say even in 10th grade, I don’t want it to be leveled. I want to make it much more accessible and open,” Shiffman said. “And then in junior and senior year, you just do your thing.”