The Old Folks Home

[ozexpat]

OK. We had algebra in either the eighth or ninth grade. (I was supposed to take it in eighth but my idiot mother didn't think I was "ready" because I hadn't done well in the last quarter of seventh grade. She failed to remember that I had missed over a month of school at the end of the year due to a virus followed by asthma.)

In either ninth or tenth grade we had a year of Geometry. That was followed by either Algebra II or Algebra II/Trigonometry. If you took regular Algebra II, the next class was Trigonometry, followed by Analytic Geometry. If you took Algebra II/Trigonometry, you then took Analytic Geometry. After that came Calculus.

Did you take all four years of mathematics? Our general requirement for university admission was Trigonometry.

There is no standardization of course numbers in the US educational system. Where I went to school English 101 was the first part of a sequence in English literature.

In my second year of high school one of my English classes was reading mythology. Another was my first pass at Beowulf. Then there was the idiot "relevant" teacher who messed around in our modern poetry class playing Rod McKuen albums. That was enough to make me long for Thomas Hardy. It was very odd - in my ninth grade year we read the Merchant of Venice, expurgated. And later in high school we read Jude the Obscure, unexpurgated. Very, very, odd.

High school in Australia is normally one school from years 7-12but we refer to senior high as years 11 + 12. The whole high school is normally 700-1500 students. In those days if you were going into a trade you transferred to a technical college (TAFE) and took up an apprenticeship that was three to four years of education and on the job training. Masons, carpenters, watch makers, electricians, HVAC and the like. Secretaries and book keepers did a year full time. My High School had 900 students. My final year had 90+ graduate. Now most stay in school for the full 6 years before they can get an apprenticeship.

We dont break mathematics into seperate sub groups and Mathematics and English are compulsory for all 6 years. In senior high you could do the 2A level classes but those courses impinged on your ability to matriculate to a decent college.

In junior high years 7+8 did not have many electives. You did English, Maths, History, Geography, and could choose two electives from art subjects, languages, and technical subjects like metalwork, woodwork and tech drawing. In Senior High School Math English and a Science were compulsory. Science subjects were Physics, Chemistry, Geology and General (veg head) Science for those that wanted an B arts degree.

In my day school was state controlled but followed the same guidelines. I think its changed now to a national matriculation.

At the end of high school your school submits a grade for you on your senior high performance. This is weighted for year 12. This score is 50% of your final grade. The remainder is a final exam. Its around 2 hours per 2 unit subject and a full load was 12 units. The best 10 units went to your final score. The total was out of 500. Only 5% of people ever scored over 400.

Prior to graduation you got to pic 5 choices with subject and university combination. If you scored high enough you got your choice. If not you received a list of degrees that you qualified for at various Universities and could apply then.

Medicine Degrees start straight out of High School. You start with topics associated with medicine. You dont do speech and english.

 

[chickadoodles]

Quote: I really don't know anything else other that if a Indian came into town and went into a store he could not buy anything even just an asprin or he would get arrested. It is one of the old time laws that is still on the books. Like some states say you cannot spit on the sidewalk. It's just a crazy law. I did genealogy research on my family for many years and I have photo copies of the court record book where my grandfather made the changes in the record book.

 

[ozexpat]

I changed schools twice during high school. First from an all boys Catholic school where I had to wear a cap and blazer to a beach side co-ed at the end of year 7. We then moved to the bush when I was in year 9.

I was severely tormented for the first few weeks and had to fight my way into respect. I kept turning the other cheek until onde day I lost it and beat the living crap out of a bully who slapped me over the ear while I was trying to sit out a request to go to the gym locker room with the ring leader. Teachers stood back and let me have my day.

The ring leader stepped in a king hit me while I was pounding on his luitenant. It was over but the ring leader was then shunned for dirty fighting and I settled into a normal life with a few friends. I did not go to my 25 year reunion but submitted a bio.

I left school thinking I was not liked much and still an outsider and was shocked by the number of people who sent me emails and have regained contact.

High school is a tough place that can really mess up self esteem

 

[The Yakima Kid]

High school in Australia is normally one school from years 7-12but we refer to senior high as years 11 + 12. The whole high school is normally 700-1500 students. In those days if you were going into a trade you transferred to a technical college (TAFE) and took up an apprenticeship that was three to four years of education and on the job training. Masons, carpenters, watch makers, electricians, HVAC and the like. Secretaries and book keepers did a year full time. My High School had 900 students. My final year had 90+ graduate. Now most stay in school for the full 6 years before they can get an apprenticeship.

We dont break mathematics into seperate sub groups and Mathematics and English are compulsory for all 6 years. In senior high you could do the 2A level classes but those courses impinged on your ability to matriculate to a decent college.

In junior high years 7+8 did not have many electives. You did English, Maths, History, Geography, and could choose two electives from art subjects, languages, and technical subjects like metalwork, woodwork and tech drawing. In Senior High School Math English and a Science were compulsory. Science subjects were Physics, Chemistry, Geology and General (veg head) Science for those that wanted an B arts degree.

In my day school was state controlled but followed the same guidelines. I think its changed now to a national matriculation.

At the end of high school your school submits a grade for you on your senior high performance. This is weighted for year 12. This score is 50% of your final grade. The remainder is a final exam. Its around 2 hours per 2 unit subject and a full load was 12 units. The best 10 units went to your final score. The total was out of 500. Only 5% of people ever scored over 400.

Prior to graduation you got to pic 5 choices with subject and university combination. If you scored high enough you got your choice. If not you received a list of degrees that you qualified for at various Universities and could apply then.

Medicine Degrees start straight out of High School. You start with topics associated with medicine. You dont do speech and english.

The US system of education is based on an old version of higher education in Germany. Large lectures, laboratories, and a "well rounded curriculum" at all levels. It seemed pretty silly to me in college.

 

[Cynthia12]

This is in our state, in fact, in the next town over from me, up the canyon. Unbelievable.

http://wgntv.com/2014/08/17/unbelie...tag-includes-awesome-features-like-a-kitchen/

 

[The Yakima Kid]

This is in our state, in fact, in the next town over from me, up the canyon. Unbelievable.

http://wgntv.com/2014/08/17/unbelie...tag-includes-awesome-features-like-a-kitchen/

Is that near Park City?

 

[Cynthia12]

Is that near Park City?

Edit! I don't think it's up the canyon! It's up on the side of the east bench in Springville. Been trying to find out exactly..now that you asked. lol...have to find it! But, it is in Utah County, that's where Sprinville is.

 

[vehve]

Phew, that was a bit of a read. How am I supposed to keep track? 97 unread posts, each of them short-stories, some bordering on novels.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Phew, that was a bit of a read. How am I supposed to keep track? 97 unread posts, each of them short-stories, some bordering on novels.

Yeah, we're in sturm und drang mode today.

 

[Alaskan]

The US system of education is based on an old version of higher education in Germany. Large lectures, laboratories, and a "well rounded curriculum" at all levels. It seemed pretty silly to me in college.

I dunno... .... in Germany they split the school into two separate schools, after I think 5th grade... one is trade school and the other is pre-college. It is probably only the pre-college side that is lecture. but, the Germans really like arguing/discussion at the college level.