Juan Javier

English 1010 038

Prof. Turnbeaugh
23 March 2015
High School Schooling
I remember walking through the halls, moving from class to class with
just five minutes to reach the next class room, not much time to converse
with those I considered friends. As I looked at the crowd of people talking I
saw armed guards, of course their weapons holstered and they were just
school cops, it doesnt change the fact they were guarding something and
they were armed. Those who were caught not in their class when they were
supposed to be by either a school cop or faculty member were not only
marked late, but charged with a five dollar fee unless a teacher granted you
a hall pass to let you do whatever it was that was needed take too long and
you get marked with an absence or a tardy. Then when the final bell rang if
you took the buses to get you home you had fifteen minutes before the bus
left you behind and only five to ten minutes before you were left seat-less or
forced to squeeze three on a seat.
I remember always thinking do I really have friends? Or am I just
playing friends with people that share a common ground with me? The
reason I was thinking that was because the only time I had friends to talk

to was during lunch break which was thirty minutes. I remember all of our
conversations were pointless we never really talked about our problems or
really tried to help each other out unless it personally interested someone. If
you ask me it felt a lot like the way I imagine prison to feel. I think its about
time that changed.
Im sure not all high schools were like the ones I went to, however I am
sure that a bell told us when we can and cant leave to or from class, we had
a tight time schedule that only allows us to learn and not build real
friendships or let us get to know our fellow class mates, Im sure that many
high schools had at least one armed guard on premises, and lastly Im sure
that many of us (if in high school you never participated in the student body
office) have no idea what the student body even did for us when we were in
high school. You could say it felt like the school didnt belong to the students
as a place to learn.
I think its time the feeling that high school gave us changes so future
generations dont get the same feeling of being put under lock down and
more as a place to enjoy their high school lives, create happy memories, and
learn valuable skills to help them get ahead in life all at the same time.
I somewhat understand why high school was the way it was. The bells
were to make sure teachers didnt cut into other teachers time, the buses
left soon after the final bell rings to make sure the students are home before
dark, and the guards are there to make sure no one decides to act up and

cause any damage or violence towards the school, faculty, or other students.
As for the student body officers well I have no idea what they do.
As I said earlier I dont think high schools have enough of a social
interaction among peers however Tom Loveless with the Brookings
Institutions says otherwise. Loveless claims American schools have diluted
their academic mission, by emphasizing the social experience. Though
Loveless says this it doesnt change my stand point on how schools dont
have enough social experience because everything he said was interrupting
schooling like school dances, clubs, and sports. I dont think any of those
interrupt any school activities because they all take place either on a no
school day or after school. Sure you dont learn math or literature, but its
not cutting into school time and causing students to skip classes in fact I
think the clubs and sports help students to do better in school because clubs
can help with homework and sports Ive noticed make students maintain a
certain GPA and if they cant maintain the GPA they arent allowed to play
the sport. Tom Loveless doesnt change my opinion on the social aspect of
schools.
Russell Rumberger of California-Santa Barbara, researcher there, has
caused me to learn something new and that is what is known as a vocational
program. To summarize a vocational program is when a student instead of
doing high school then college they can combine their high school courses
with work of the profession you wish. So you have the option to either attend
a university to get the profession you want or during high school you can get

hands on experience. It says the U.S. used to do vocational programs, but

they stopped because many teachers were accused of steering students of
minorities into certain careers. Rumberger doesnt specify any of the
teachers wrong doings in steering kids to the wrong path. Rumberger also
agrees with me in the U.S. should look at other schools around the globe and
model itself around other schools. Rumberger states Countries offering more
vocational options have a higher graduation rate.
The global graduation rates by country according to OECD in 2009
from greatest to lowest; Slovenia about 95%, Portugal about 95%, Japan
about 94%, Finland about 94%, U.K. about 92%, Norway about 91%, Ireland
about 91%, Switzerland about 90%, New Zealand about 90%, Korea about
89%, Israel about 89%, Iceland about 89%, Hungary about 87%, Poland
about 85%, Denmark about 85%, Germany about 84%, Czech Republic about
84%, Slovak Republic about 81%, Italy about 81%, Canada about 79%,
United States about 75%, Sweden about 73%, Spain about 73%,
Luxembourg about 69%, Chile about 68%, and Turkey about 45%. Of twenty
six countries United States of America comes in 21st place
Slovenia education, going off of the chart I did some research on the
best school and what their school system is like. They have a primary
education, a secondary education, a vocational education, and a tertiary
education. In the primary education they have 2 options one that starts from
first grade and goes to 8th or one that starts in first grade and goes to 9th. The
primary schools go from is a compulsory education from age 6 to 15.

Afterwards they go to secondary school which has four options; General

secondary, technical secondary, vocational secondary, or vocational upper
secondary school. Then theres post-secondary with only one option known
as vocational and technical education. Finally there is Tertiary with three
options theres first level, second level and third level. In all education
options and categories they all specialize in different things besides primary
school which is basically the same thing just the grade that it ends in is
different.
Primary schools and lower secondary schools in Slovenia are in a
continuum that continues for 8 years. The children beginning their
schooling start off the first 4 years remaining in one class room with a
master teacher then after the 4th year beginning on the 5th year the little
ones start switching classrooms with a curriculum that is known as a base
curriculum and the classes it consists of is; native language, mathematics,
a foreign language, physical educations and arts, expands to include 2
specialties (Im not sure what it means by the expands to include 2
specialties part.) physics, geography, chemistry, history, biology
housekeeping and craft. Then after that they are done with primary school.
Secondary school has 3 choices, 4 if you include the upper vocational
secondary school. The 3 choices are; vocational secondary school, which is 2
years of school then directly into the labor market. Technical education is
also an option, that of which varies in programs which last for 4 years. Then
you have general studies secondary school which can lead to an IB

(International Baccalaureate) or a university. It doesnt say how long general

secondary school lasts.
After secondary school you can go to tertiary school which is a
technical training that takes place in advanced vocational colleges or even
universities. The program lasts about 2 years and during those 2 years you
hone your skills to their peak. You finish with a diploma thesis and its
defense.
I think if America uses Slovenia as an example to improve education
and tries something that hasnt been attempted in a while we might see
improvements in American graduation rates. Such as a vocational system
maybe students who learn better hands on will be less likely to drop out if
they had a vocational option. The students who enjoy studying more will be
given the option to attend a university than have to learn hands on. I believe
that the more options that students have the better the odds they will
graduate, because its hard doing something youre not good at or you dont
enjoy, but if there is a learning option for you that fits your learning
preference or personality the more likely a student will go through with their
education instead of dropping out. Wouldnt hurt to try.

Citation
http://wamu.org/news/morning_edition/12/02/21/graduation_rates_increase_a
round_the_globe_as_us_plateaus
http://www.classbase.com/countries/Slovenia/Education-System