For Same Course, Students Can Succeed on Many Levels

"Yes. What do you call the kind of government we have?"

"Democracy," came the response from several students.

"What kind do you call the Soviet government?"

"Communist."

"Anything wrong with it?" Atwell asked. Nobody gave a full answer, so he continued: "Everyone's equal. What's wrong with that? Everybody stayed in the same place.

"What was the aim of the U.S?" He waited. "Do you want to cheat and look at your notes?" he asked.

He walked to the board and drew a diagram showing U.S. and Soviet differences, then passed out an assignment to mark up a map of Europe, using printed material he gave them, to show post-World War II groupings and events. He put the assignment on an overhead projector and went through each step. Then he asked, "Can you work by yourself?"

"Yes," a few students responded.

"Can you work with a partner?"

"Yes," answered the same kids.

They quietly worked, most staying in their chairs.

The Honors Course

Atwell also teaches honors world history, which he said uses the same curriculum, though the textbook and tests are different. The homework also is different and requires more reading, students said. (Homework in the on-level world history class ranges from minimal to none.)