Armagetron Class in school!

[Tank Program]

The thing in your post I was most drawn to was the cost of schooling.

That reminds me about another thing in the Swedish system. You get a governmental stipend (~700SEK/mo) that goes to either you or your parents as long as you attend something like >75% of your classes (high school). They were always very picky about attendance. The cost of education is essentially nil. I do know however that this is the last year that a non-(Swedish/EU, not sure which) citizen will be able to study at the masters level in Sweden for free. They're implementing some sort of fees starting 2011.

The cost of education has certainly been going up here in England as well. The year I started "home fees" (EU Citizens) were raised from 1,000GBP to 3,000GBP. The cost of international fees has gone up at least 2,000GBP the time I've been here as well, it was almost 14,000GBP last year. Still, relatively cheap compared to the US. One of the reason's I'm in England for university.

[Mkay1]

Boobert, It costs 100,000 for a state school. If you want to go to a premier school tuition alone(without food, lodging etc,) is 250,000 for a four year degree at brown, for example. Also AP classes are generally accepted due to their national recognition (made by the same people as the SAT, which ensures a tough exam).

AP classes are not to graduate high school early, but to gain credits in classes you need to take in the first two years of college. These are very difficult tests that most average American kids(not very inteligent) do not pass. At my school specifically 90% of the kids pass. whereas at the public school only three in the entire school pass. AP tests are scored on a rank from 1-5 three is passing, but you will not recieve a full credit for it. A 4 is a very impressive score to get.

Boobert, at your first post, I generally agree that kids are dumb. Have you ever listened to college sports players who get scholorships, as opposed to the kids who truely deserve it, the players sentence structures and thought is almost uncomprehendable. Boobert just because 75% of school bound kids are carefree and frankly stupid, doesn't mean we all are.

If there are spelling mistakes I don't give a **** because it is difficult to type all these on my phone(directed at luck and liz specifically). Also do not criticise boobert for one mistake, for most you, you would still recurve an A on a paper with a mistake. Luck if you criticise make sure you know how to use commas, a blatent mistake to most people, rather than a misstype.

Edit: it is a bitch to format on my iPhone.

[Word]

Maybe the uneducated Fins you know were cast out and that's how they deal with them.

No, our school had an exchange with Helsinki. And as far as I remember it was one of these prototype schools which made them look good in PISA.

As far as hopeless cases go, it's true there are a lot. Although I don't know why you seem so stressed about it.

Heh, sorry if my reasoning was too vague. I'm not stressed about it, our politicians are. The tests get easier each year, everyone gets his Abitur (had to look it up....our 'secondary school leaving examination' - what you need to be able to study at a university ). The overall time we are in school is shortened drastically, so the timetable is longer than we're used to and some things which used to be voluntary are now obligatory (for example writing 12 pages about a topic of your choice to improve your marks - that's what i'm currently busy with ...).
The state struggles against the demographic change, there are too less real teachers, and too many children on the good schools. The schools for the craftsmen of the future are going the way of the dodo bird.
A country like ours needs to become a service society, but not everyone is willing nor able to be part of our upper layer. Our exams aren't worth anything when everyone gets the same official valuation.
I mean, would you like to undergo a surgery when the doctor is someone who only passed his examn because of the given situation? For me, that would be a horrifying scenario, and it's becoming more and more real because they are going to abolish the numerus clausus (too few doctors -.-)

About the scandals, unless you're referring to the Catholic church I am unaware of any Germany-specific scandals but would be interested to hear about it.

Yes, I'm referring to the Catholic church scandals. My school had a catholic past, but there weren't any cases like that, as far as i know. However, there were two jesuits who were key figures in the reforming of our education system 20 years ago encouraged the same stuff which is so popular in Finland. but now we know it also allowed them to have a shower with their students.

[Phytotron]

Hmm, methinks there may be some cross-use of the 'AP' acronym going on here. There's "Advanced Program" and "Advanced Placement." The latter is the case of receiving college credit of some sort. The former is just a designated academic level.

When I was in school, there was Advanced Program, Honors, and regular (some schools might only have two of the three). (Plus, at JCPS, various of what they call Exceptional Child Education designations.) Then there were also the Advanced Placement classes and College Board Advanced Placement courses within/on top of that.

Which leads to the key point here that, apart from the Federal standards (NCLB), one cannot generalise about the design and functioning of American schooling because so much of it is designed and run (not to mentioned funded) at the state and local level. Within a given school district, there may be several types of schools, with curricula varying from one to the next. That's why I asked ItzAcid about his school, not his country.

My question actually was not why; I have known that. It was why are we letting it continue that way? I am guessing I should learn to be more precise.

Because any mention or advocacy of an equal, high-quality education for all students, regardless of economic background, receives dismissal or condemnation as "big government communist social engineering"—which is ridiculous, but is the culture in this country.


Word, the Catholic Church sex abuse "scandal" isn't the least bit unique to, nor did the outbreak in allegations originate in, nor is there a greater concentration of reports within, Germany or its schools. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Cath ... by_country


I was only required to take PhysEd for one semester (half a school year) as a Freshman in HS. After 2-3 weeks of heated conflict with the coach (over his macho power trips, sexist disrespect and creepiness toward girls, and general asshole-tude), I took to sitting out the period on the bleachers for the remainder of the semester. At the end of the semester he gave me a C just so he wouldn't have to have me back. Har.

[Word]

i didn't say it's unique, but the so-called progressive methods are partly responsible for it imo.

[Mecca]

@mecca
I think the idea of getting college credits early works only in theory. Most AP credits work only for a single institution affiliated with the high school and/or work as transfer credits. So you could take 6 AP classes and find out the school you decide to attend accepts 2 of them. Kind of like earning 100 credits at one school then transferring leaves you with 2 more years instead of a semester. It's a bit of a scam. Some credits only work if you go to a specific school, no exceptions. I've seen a lot of people pack their schedules with Ap classes and graduate in 3 years. But they also are taking 18 credit schedules at university along with summer and winter courses. That's just to get out in 3 years. (I'm sure there are exceptions.) College is a business and students are assets. They want their money and they will get it.
I have to disagree with the idea that you can put a price tag on a good education. Where should our resources go? Overhaul is necessary and money should be put into it. Even our slaveholding forefathers were open to the idea of reform. Frequent reform at that.

Yeah, not all AP classes will get you college credit at all institutions; but if you are a motivated student and want to learn more int the classroom, take AP classes.

HOWEVER, you could take regular or honors classes, leaving you with more free time (less homework) to study what you actually wanted to study.


Of course you can put a price tag on a good education! You can put a price tag on anything. Weather you would want to or not is up to you.

A reform now would result in chaos; but since Obama is apparently trying to turn the USA into a socialist nation, the world is going to end anyways. \o/

mecca.prepareForFacepalm();

[Mecca]

If there are spelling mistakes I don't give a **** because it is difficult to type all these on my phone(directed at luck and liz specifically). Also do not criticise boobert for one mistake, for most you, you would still recurve an A on a paper with a mistake. Luck if you criticise make sure you know how to use commas, a blatent mistake to most people, rather than a misstype.

Edit: it is a bitch to format on my iPhone.

Sorry for the double post.

Mkay, has Liz even bothered to post on this topic?

[Phytotron]

Yeah, not all AP classes will get you college credit at all institutions; but if you are a motivated student and want to learn more int the classroom, take AP classes.

Hmm, methinks there may be some cross-use of the 'AP' acronym going on here. There's "Advanced Program" and "Advanced Placement."

A reform now would result in chaos;

So Bush's massive overhaul reform by instituting NCLB was, what, perfectly timed? And hasn't caused educational devastation?

but since Obama is apparently trying to turn the USA into a socialist nation, the world is going to end anyways.

You just put a stamp of authenticity on your ignorant, irrational demagoguery. You either don't know what socialism means, or you don't follow or understand the news (Limbaugh, Beck, or the Tea Party don't qualify). My bet is on all of the above.

And you can't blame Mkay for conflating your little gang.

i didn't say it's unique, but the so-called progressive methods are partly responsible for it imo.

I highly doubt that. (Nevermind the oxymoron between "progressive" and "Catholic.")

[Word]

(Nevermind the oxymoron between "progressive" and "Catholic.")

edit: it was badly formulated by me. The progressive methods are certainly no reason for pedophilia, but they led to the scandal and made it possible that it didn't come out for such a long time.

[Mecca]

Yeah, not all AP classes will get you college credit at all institutions; but if you are a motivated student and want to learn more int the classroom, take AP classes.

Hmm, methinks there may be some cross-use of the 'AP' acronym going on here. There's "Advanced Program" and "Advanced Placement."

When I was in school

[Phytotron]

And still.

"When I was in school" clearly referred to the academic classifications (Advanced Program, Honors, regular), which is different from (although may include) Advanced Placement courses. And yes, both the terms 'Advanced Program' and 'Advanced Placement' are still in use, and AP is still used as an acronym for both, obviously.

Boy, reading comprehension is really not your strong suit.

it was badly formulated by me. The progressive methods are certainly no reason for pedophilia, but they led to the scandal and made it possible that it didn't come out for such a long time.

No, I got what you meant the first time, and again, I highly doubt the causal connection.

[Clutch]

On a lighter note than attacking the current educational system

My mom was watching a show called are you smarter than a fifth grader, based on american classes, and you americans must have a hardcore program over there because I swear I couldn't answer any of them =/ Even the friggen grade 1 ones O.o Grade 9 from Canada = Kindergarten in America apparently

-edit-
Why is Mythology a course =/

[Mkay1]

:£ that show is extremely INACCURATE

[Clutch]

How's it inaccurate

[Mkay1]

Because my mom who fares well during jeoprady does not know those answers...and she is a fifth grade teacher