Making Choices in Grades 9 and 10

As you prepare for Grade 9, you will have some interesting choices to make. You will have the opportunity to explore your interests and think about your future goals while keeping as many options as possible open for the future. All Grade 9 courses build on the Grade 8 curriculum, and all will require you to meet rigorous standards as they prepare you for studies in the senior grades.

In disciplines such as the arts, health and physical education, and business studies, all students will take the same type of course, called an open course. In the core subjects, however, students will now be able to choose between two different types of courses – academic and applied. Academic and applied courses will give students the opportunity to experience two different ways of learning: academic courses draw more heavily on theory and abstract examples and problems, while applied courses focus more on practical applications and concrete examples.

For Grade 9, you will choose between academic and applied courses in math, English, science, geography, and French. (History is offered in Grade 10.) You are free to take the academic course in some subjects and the applied course in others.

Your experience in academic and applied courses in Grade 9 will give you the information you need to select the type of course in Grade 10 that will best suit your strengths, interests, and goals. As long as you successfully meet the expectations in a Grade 9 applied or academic course, you can go on to take either type of course in Grade 10.

When you are part way through Grade 9, you will choose your courses for Grade 10. Your Grade 10 courses will prepare you in specific ways for Grades 11 and 12 and for what you want to do when you finish high school – go to college or university, become an apprentice, or find a job. You can think of your Grade 11 and 12 courses as the pathways to your postsecondary destination. Many of these courses will require you to have successfully completed a particular course in Grade 10 (a “prerequisite”), so you’ll have to make sure that the Grade 10 courses you want will get you into the senior courses you need.

Grade 11 and 12 Courses: Pathways to Your Destination

In Grades 11 and 12, you will be able to choose from among workplace preparation, university/college preparation, college preparation, and university preparation courses.

	Workplace Workplace preparation courses prepare you to move directly into the workplace after high school or to be admitted into apprenticeship programs or other training programs in the community. Courses focus on employment skills and on practical workplace applications of the subject content. Many workplace preparation courses involve cooperative education and work experience placements, which allow students to get first-hand experience in a workplace.
	University/college University/college preparation courses are offered to prepare you to meet the entrance requirements of certain university and college programs. They focus on both theory and practical applications. Information about the programs for which these courses are designed to prepare you will be available from the guidance or student services staff at your high school.
	College College preparation courses provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to meet the entrance requirements for most college programs. Courses focus on practical applications and also examine underlying theories.
	University University preparation courses provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to meet university entrance requirements. Courses emphasize theoretical aspects of the subject and also consider related applications.

What if my interests change?

Over the course of your four years in high school, your interests and goals might change as you gain experience and learn about new career options. If this should happen, you will be able to change pathways by taking a transfer course. Transfer courses will allow students who are taking one type of course in Grade 10 or 11 to switch to another type in the same subject in the next grade.

Transfer courses are more focused and shorter than regular courses, as they are designed to cover only the additional course content that bridges the gap between two course types. Transfer courses will be delivered in a variety of ways. Students will receive a partial credit for a successfully completed transfer course. Credits earned through transfer courses will qualify as optional credits towards the diploma requirements.

Where can I get help in making decisions?

For help in deciding on the courses that are best for you, you can talk to teachers, principals, and guidance counsellors, or to your teacher-adviser. Another new feature of the Ontario high school program is the introduction of the teacher-adviser program in all schools across the province. Your teacher-adviser will work closely with you and your parents to help you plan your courses, set goals, and keep track of your progress. Remember, until you reach the age of 18, your course selections must be approved by a parent or guardian.

Now that you’ve learned about some of the features of the new high school program, read on. The following sections provide important additional information that you’ll need in order to plan ahead ...