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US High Schools...
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Purple Hazer Blazer
From what i've heard, American high school education is of a way lower standard than British schools. Is it true that exams are just multiple choice?Also, it sounds like students are assessed entirely by the teacher who sets the curriculum of what needs to be learnt. I suspose this could be good in that it isn't so ridgid and more creative stuff can be done rather than just learning exam technique which is what A-levels are really about.
On the other hand, i hear that College in America is a lot more intense, with a lot more work and actual teaching in comparison to the British system for humanity subjects where you just have a few lectures a week and do lots of reading..Anyone care to correct me if i'm wrong about this or comment further?
On the other hand, i hear that College in America is a lot more intense, with a lot more work and actual teaching in comparison to the British system for humanity subjects where you just have a few lectures a week and do lots of reading..Anyone care to correct me if i'm wrong about this or comment further?
Re: the multiple choice exams, yes the SAT subject tests, that students take for admittance to top colleges in subjects like languages, the sciences, english and math ect. are multiple choice. I think this actually has more to do with ease of marking and standardisation than anything though. They turn the scripts over in a couple of weeks, and rarely have mistakes been made. It does require a less thorough type of learning than A Level papers, but with all the troubles with marking A Levels, there is something to be said for multiple choice exams.
US high school education is much more than APs and SATs. We have exams set by our own schools that we have to take, and coursework as well. The most important factor is your GPA, not your standardized testing.
Purple Hazer Blazer
From what i've heard, American high school education is of a way lower standard than British schools. Is it true that exams are just multiple choice?Also, it sounds like students are assessed entirely by the teacher who sets the curriculum of what needs to be learnt. I suspose this could be good in that it isn't so ridgid and more creative stuff can be done rather than just learning exam technique which is what A-levels are really about.
On the other hand, i hear that College in America is a lot more intense, with a lot more work and actual teaching in comparison to the British system for humanity subjects where you just have a few lectures a week and do lots of reading..Anyone care to correct me if i'm wrong about this or comment further?
On the other hand, i hear that College in America is a lot more intense, with a lot more work and actual teaching in comparison to the British system for humanity subjects where you just have a few lectures a week and do lots of reading..Anyone care to correct me if i'm wrong about this or comment further?
I don't think it's a lot lower standard at all. I just think it's very different. It seems to me that people are making false conclusions, both American and British. I'm not blaming anyone for this; it's just the way it is. The government does not have much oversight in what is actually taught in the schools and how it is taught. The school systems (effectively the government) puts out a specific, lowest-deminiator cirriculum that all schools must adhere to in order to pass state tests, which also accomodate to the lowest-denominator. These tests, for most schools that perform well, are incredibly easy; they're meant to test for basic proficiency and not mastery of the subject. It's up to the schools on how they are going to make sure the students learn the material, and whether or not they want to go into further study. These tests, however, are just for the government. The classes are oftentimes MUCH harder, and the most important grade is usually what you get in the class. I've never seen the grades I got on the government exams; they're not important in the grand scheme of things.
So basically what I'm saying is that the government doesn't care exactly how advanced you are in a subject. They want to know if you have a basic knowledge of it in order to get a high school diploma. However, the majority of schools go above and beyond these requirements, as is required to get into most colleges in the States.
Also, none of my tests are multiple choice. None of them. Other schools around will probably have it half multiple choice and half essay/constructed response, but I've only had two exams in my high school career that were all multiple choice.
I have reallllllllllly bad senioritis + waiting for Cambridge. :/
ETA: (I think this post means: "High School sucks" but I'm not sure)
ETA: (I think this post means: "High School sucks" but I'm not sure)
I get an equal share of multiple choice questions and essays. The thing about education is that it varies upon region. In certain programs the work is hard and demanding but in the regular courses the work is pretty easy. Every school teaches with different effort. Some schools are "A" schools and others are "F" schools. I attend a "D" school. The IB Program is keeping the school from being an "F" school. Also some teachers might be hard and others are easy. My Biology teacher gives us tests that have multiple choice and essays, but he only grades the MC. He uses the essays to make your grade go up. (Not that I'm complaining!
) But my English teacher gives us mostly written essays and is a very hard grader. Only two students got an A in my class. (Myself included 
)
) But my English teacher gives us mostly written essays and is a very hard grader. Only two students got an A in my class. (Myself included )I went to an amazing public high school in the US. Believe it or not, there are classes. My high school had the new technology, we had about 10 computer labs, and that was before we got an addition to our building. The cafeteria was pretty good. However, I stopped eating there when I turned 16 and was able to drive or have a friend drive somewhere for lunch. Like most high schools in the US, sports were (and still are) very big. Millions were invested on sports alone. We had six gyms, one for gymnastics. There was also a wrestling gyms. We also had pool building which housed two combined pools. Although I graduated before the new part was completed, my sister who graduated after me told me that there is now a dance studio. And one more thing, my school was not exceptional. Other schools around my area had about the same, some less, some more.
shady lane
Only private schools and religious schools wear uniforms, and not all of them do. I went to a private school and we had a dress code--no jeans, t-shirts, sweats, etc. We basically were business casual every day. But there were a few schools that had uniforms. Personally I think they're a good idea. Too much competition about looks and clothes in high school.
Not true,
Many public schools in Chicago require their students to wear uniform.
brimstone
Hmmm ... every time I watch a programme or film featuring American teenagers, they always seem to go to a massive high school with a huge sports stadium, beautiful grounds and that don't seem to have any classes (and if they do, they can pick and choose when to go to them!). I'm thinking The OC or High School Musical here.
Obviously American high schools aren't really like this, but how much truth is there to the schools shown on TV? What are American high schools really like?
Intrigued really.
Obviously American high schools aren't really like this, but how much truth is there to the schools shown on TV? What are American high schools really like?
Intrigued really.mostly they're lit by florescent lights, poor kept, never swept etc. most of them are rather large (my high school has 4000 students) and it is true that they have extensive sports facilities, at least in the suburbs.
and choosing whether to go to class is always a choice, but at my school we get a 2 hr detention for skipping a class, and a saturday for the second offense.
that being said, i generally just skip the entire day and write myself a note.
WindyCity
I went to an amazing public high school in the US. Believe it or not, there are classes. My high school had the new technology, we had about 10 computer labs, and that was before we got an addition to our building. The cafeteria was pretty good. However, I stopped eating there when I turned 16 and was able to drive or have a friend drive somewhere for lunch. Like most high schools in the US, sports were (and still are) very big. Millions were invested on sports alone. We had six gyms, one for gymnastics. There was also a wrestling gyms. We also had pool building which housed two combined pools. Although I graduated before the new part was completed, my sister who graduated after me told me that there is now a dance studio. And one more thing, my school was not exceptional. Other schools around my area had about the same, some less, some more.
PUBLIC?! THIS IS A PUBLIC SCHOOL?! 
Perhaps your school and give some money to ours. We barely have enough money for teachers. My freshman year, we did not have enough money for pay for enough math teachers. We've gone months at a time without paper, without ink, and without chalk. We've been let out of school twice after our school was late paying for its power and had it shut off. That's not the wost part--we don't have enough money to hire an exterminator to take care of "our other students".
And by "other students", I mean roaches on the third floor, ants on the second, mice on the first floor, and RATS in the basement! I'm not lying. Our school has a RAT problem. An IB School.
Of course, I'm sure most public schools don't have the money problems that we have. But there is MOST DEFINITELY another side of the spectrum.
WindyCity
I went to an amazing public high school in the US. Believe it or not, there are classes. My high school had the new technology, we had about 10 computer labs, and that was before we got an addition to our building. The cafeteria was pretty good. However, I stopped eating there when I turned 16 and was able to drive or have a friend drive somewhere for lunch. Like most high schools in the US, sports were (and still are) very big. Millions were invested on sports alone. We had six gyms, one for gymnastics. There was also a wrestling gyms. We also had pool building which housed two combined pools. Although I graduated before the new part was completed, my sister who graduated after me told me that there is now a dance studio. And one more thing, my school was not exceptional. Other schools around my area had about the same, some less, some more.
Wow. That is...unheard of here at my school. My school has so many problems. The school is dirty. I don't even go in the bathroom. Plus there are roaches and ants all over the place. Sometimes when teachers aren't here we don't even get subs. And the security guards... they flirt and make remarks towards some of the girls. Anywhere I go, I make sure I'm atleast with one of my friends.zackinbaltimore I feel for ya man. But think on the bright side: Atleast you got some days off to do that homework you forgot to do.
I was reminded why I love American public high school today. We managed to have both a huge fight and have 3,000+ people following around scrawny freshman, and we acted completely enviro hippie for the visiting Australian teacher.
OOOH! Fights are the BEST. Once, in the big lunchroom, this one sophomore FLIPPED OUT and started beating up this freshman. The freshman got away, by the sophmore knew that he was going to get suspended or possibly explelled, so he started throwing chairs at people and turning over desks. So everyone went on the sides while he started cursing everyone out, and then out of no where BAM! One of the math teachers comes flying out of nowhere, tackles him to the ground, and then the school cops cuff him and take him away.
See, guy on guy fights are funny, and often entertaining. Girl on girl fights make me question want to crawl into a hole and cry for humanity. There are no "cat fights" at my school. Only girls who know how to throw down, and have NO sense of mercy when it comes to whooping ass.
Oh, and in public schools, cutting is not as big of a deal. I mean, it's still a big violation and everything, and you can get suspended for it, but it's not huge and scandalous like it is in private school. See, people don't necesarily notice you're gone when you cut. At a private school, people will. There's much more anonymity in a public school, so much that you can just walk the halls a lot and no one really cares.
See, guy on guy fights are funny, and often entertaining. Girl on girl fights make me question want to crawl into a hole and cry for humanity. There are no "cat fights" at my school. Only girls who know how to throw down, and have NO sense of mercy when it comes to whooping ass.
Oh, and in public schools, cutting is not as big of a deal. I mean, it's still a big violation and everything, and you can get suspended for it, but it's not huge and scandalous like it is in private school. See, people don't necesarily notice you're gone when you cut. At a private school, people will. There's much more anonymity in a public school, so much that you can just walk the halls a lot and no one really cares.
woah!! ours was a pathetic freshman fight. We don't have a lunchroom because they can't fit us all in one, so it was just the people still on campus.
I've actually had friends walk into class, and then walk back out and leave. Wonderful behavior I've gone to Canada and the UK this year, missed 7 days of school because of it, and no one has cared. My guidance counselor was like, "go ahead, have fun!"
I've actually had friends walk into class, and then walk back out and leave. Wonderful behavior
I've gone to Canada and the UK this year, missed 7 days of school because of it, and no one has cared. My guidance counselor was like, "go ahead, have fun!"
My high school (when I went there... I graduated in 2001), had only about 1000-1200 students. We had about 265 in my graduating senior class. As for what the school looked like... well...
You should look at this photo:
http://www.classreport.org/usa/az/phoenix/arcadia/1984/homepage.jpg
That's the inside of what we called "the circle building." It housed most of our classes, and had ramps to get from the top floor, which was actually above ground level, to the bottom floor, which was half below ground level.
Here's a view of the outside of the circle building (with bulldozers that were tearing it down, no louvers to be seen):
http://arcadia.susd.org/images/June22.jpg
Seriously, I think I see my English IIIH classroom there *sniffle*!
An above view (that you can see part of the circle still left, complete with library still in the middle) which includes every other building that has just been added. Only the circle is still original.
http://arcadia.susd.org/images/August7-2006.jpg
Sorry for such a long post, but I always find it neat to see stuff like that so I thought I'd share.
I did get to choose what classes to take and when, but it's not as easy as "I want to take Japanese print making!". They only really offered a select amount of classes, and they were basically tailored to required curriculum. My only choices were related to language (I took French instead of Spanish) and electives (I took Art instead of band, orchestra, theatre, etc). I also didn't take SATs as I had guaranteed acceptance to an art school.
Just thought I would throw in that not all school are like the OC
You should look at this photo:
http://www.classreport.org/usa/az/phoenix/arcadia/1984/homepage.jpg
That's the inside of what we called "the circle building." It housed most of our classes, and had ramps to get from the top floor, which was actually above ground level, to the bottom floor, which was half below ground level.
Here's a view of the outside of the circle building (with bulldozers that were tearing it down, no louvers to be seen):
http://arcadia.susd.org/images/June22.jpg
Seriously, I think I see my English IIIH classroom there *sniffle*!
An above view (that you can see part of the circle still left, complete with library still in the middle) which includes every other building that has just been added. Only the circle is still original.
http://arcadia.susd.org/images/August7-2006.jpg
Sorry for such a long post, but I always find it neat to see stuff like that so I thought I'd share.
I did get to choose what classes to take and when, but it's not as easy as "I want to take Japanese print making!". They only really offered a select amount of classes, and they were basically tailored to required curriculum. My only choices were related to language (I took French instead of Spanish) and electives (I took Art instead of band, orchestra, theatre, etc). I also didn't take SATs as I had guaranteed acceptance to an art school.
Just thought I would throw in that not all school are like the OC
i it true that you get locked out if your late?? i saw it on arthor (love that programme!! , im sad lol) where they try and skive but decide not to and then get locked out and have to climb throught the toilets window!!
and do you always have like class projects and have to do lots of presentations at the front of class. and is it also true that you dont start learning to read untill the age of 7?
sorry lots of random questions, i'm intregued because we see so many american programs i guess you get a kind of odd impression! lol
and do you always have like class projects and have to do lots of presentations at the front of class. and is it also true that you dont start learning to read untill the age of 7?
sorry lots of random questions, i'm intregued because we see so many american programs i guess you get a kind of odd impression! lol
You definitely start learning to read before age 7. Some teachers lock you outside of the class, but I've never been late to class, and most are really not that strict, as its a pretty relaxed atmosphere. Lots of class presentations and standing in front of the class, I've done quite a few this week, actually.
HAHA. I don't know about the rest of the American population, but I started learning how to write in pre-school at age 4. I think a lot of folks learn at age 5.
and choosing whether to go to class is always a choice, but at my school we get a 2 hr detention for skipping a class, and a saturday for the second offense.
At my school it's 4 hrs per skipped class.
My high school (when I went there... I graduated in 2001), had only about 1000-1200 students.
That's BIG! My school has about 1200 students and it's one of the biggest in the area (somehow there's another big school with 1000+ students in this area too, but this is really rare). Some political parties in the Netherlands want to prohibit schools with more than 750 students or cut the amount of students to a max. of 750...
and is it also true that you dont start learning to read untill the age of 7?
Talking about the Netherlands (sorry this is off-topic, I know), there is pre-school (which is attended by almost everybody) from age 4. Real school starts at age 6. We learn nothing at pre-school (except playing). Pre-school is part of a elementary school.
OOOH! Fights are the BEST. Once, in the big lunchroom, this one sophomore FLIPPED OUT and started beating up this freshman. The freshman got away, by the sophmore knew that he was going to get suspended or possibly explelled, so he started throwing chairs at people and turning over desks. So everyone went on the sides while he started cursing everyone out, and then out of no where BAM! One of the math teachers comes flying out of nowhere, tackles him to the ground, and then the school cops cuff him and take him away.
Haha I've never seen a fight at my school, seriously! Well, only once when the students of a school which has a long history of rivary with our school came to our school, there was a big fight and the police had to be called. No-one was injured btw.
Just to show you a few pictures of my school (It's situated in the Netherlands, not in the US... maybe you can compare it to the high schools in the US
:(All of the "main building" (we have 2 buildings, one for junior high and one for senior high))
Front entrance (only for teachers)
Front
http://www.vandriestenbouw.nl/images/marnixachtergevel.jpg
Back entrance (for students)
Stairs
Hallway
Libary
Great hall
Great hall just before TV appearance
I can't even find a big picture of the front of our school lol
Man, compare to your schools my school looks so....horrid.
i go to a pretty good public school, but our buildings are ugly and just not very good at all, because even though the county i live in is the wealthiest per capita in the US, people here are really cheap and they want their kids to have a good education but don't care if their surroundings are hideous.
oh, and no, my school is nothing like on the OC. i wish! having a bunch of adam brody's walking around would be wonderful!
oh, and no, my school is nothing like on the OC. i wish! having a bunch of adam brody's walking around would be wonderful!
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