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"And how was YOUR education?"
DooWahDitty 1615 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall"
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01-15-06, 12:35 PM (EST)
 
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"And how was YOUR education?" |
(Related post, to Rudy's Stupid in America thread.) I got to thinking about this when I woke up today after watching the 20/20 episode, and reading Rudy's thread yesterday. I went California schools in the sixties, and I don't remember being particularly gratified or satisfied – in fact, quite the contrary. I remember thinking that high school was not much more than a babysitting operation, a view I hold to this day. After attending every single reunion, all of which were boatloads of fun, I also now realize that the kids I revered in high school as being mental giants are not really that much more intelligent than I am. (Well, let's just say most of them!) In addition, it is curious that I am now friends with many of them as we have things in common – among them a zest for life and an insatiable curiosity with respect to it. My former homies have gone in a different direction with their lives, and it can be quite awkward to try to have a discussion with them. I am currently taking a philosophy/math class that is tailored to facilitate a love for abstract thinking and numbers, something that most liberal arts students find very disconcerting, annoying or downright terrifying and even incendiary, amongst other things. It got me to thinking about my elementary and secondary education. Several years ago I came across my entire set of grades for elementary school. I was shocked to discover that I had all A's and B's in arithmetic (as they called it back then). Along came 8th grade, which I barely remember, and suddenly I found I was recommend for Pre-algebra in high school. That was the beginning of my educational and social downfall. It was a demotion and none of my homies was in there with me, and I did all right, but I was isolated and felt left out of the main crowd, most of who were in Algebra 1A. They went on to geometry in sophomore year, Algebra 2 in junior year, and Trig/Calculus if they could stand it. So I'm saying that if I'd just been given a chance to take a stab at Algebra I in my freshman year, my life would have turned out amazingly different than it did. Looking back, I have to say that overall, high school was a disaster for me, though there were some wonderful experiences and teachers. All I ever seemed to hear from my parents was "all your teachers say you could get straight A's, so why aren't you doing it?" I would usually provide them something in the form of a mental or literal finger, courtesy of my increasing angst. Of course, I now realize that it was because there wasn't much to facilitate my doing better – not on the part of the schools, not on the part of the teachers, and unfortunately not anything coming from my parents. You see, back then our society was much, much different. We had DIAL phones, not push-button ones. We didn't have answering machines. We didn't have computers. We had push carriage typewriters, and you typed every single page over that had a mistake in it, or if you needed/wanted a revision. We didn't have the internet. We looked up cards in the library catalog. We had to gather 20-40 books and spread them out on the floor. It took days, even weeks to write a paper that can now be done quite well in 1-3 days. More importantly, few of us knew how to talk about feelings and problems. It wasn't acceptable and it just wasn't done. We were coming off an era of "kids should be seen and not heard". It was the era of paddles in school (not necessarily a bad thing). Anyone who says that education is difficult today did not go to school pre-1980 or 90. end digression. Next came community college, because of my earlier rebellion. I did quite well there as would be expected, and I transferred to UC Davis. Shortly after, my boyfriend was killed in a car accident and my parents went through an extremely nasty and protracted divorce. Both of these events caused the end of my educational career as a young woman. Fast forward almost 3 decades and I am now paying BIG bucks for a fantastic education, an education I never would have received back then. Therefore, instead of whining about that, I'm realizing what a blessing it is. Realizing that if I had somehow been able to stick it out one more year at university I could have simply applied to graduate school a year ago and started attending. Yet, something intrinsic and incredibly meaningful would have been missing. That something is the improvements and advancements made in education, the relaxed approach that many schools now take, and of course the freshness of the material. I could go on, but... I would like to know what your educational experience was, how you feel about it, and any other ideas and comments you have on the subject of your own K-12 education.
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Spanky68 8092 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold"
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01-15-06, 02:29 PM (EST)
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1. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
I went to a mid-sized Texas High School in the mid 80s. It was a good experience overall because I think I came out ready for college. The school system did an adequate job of teaching reading and writing despite the fact that Texas suffered a drastic cutback in education $ during my time in school (the oil boom busted badly, and left the state with a trickle of money instead of the flood of oil tax revenue).However, since I am now teaching at a community college I have thought quite a bit about high school education. I think the big difference in Texas today is that most students aren't challenged very much any more. The standardized tests take up a huge share of school time. Even gifted students have to sit and do makework while the teachers work with the few students who aren't able to do the routine basics required by the tests. I think you're right when you say that social issues also affect performance. I don't see a way out of that spiral, though. It is getting tougher and tougher to parent responsible kids. 
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EnfanTerrible 1239 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Politically Incorrect Guest"
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01-15-06, 02:57 PM (EST)
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2. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
LAST EDITED ON 01-15-06 AT 02:59 PM (EST)I started first grade in 1965. There was no kindergarten. It was a small town, so each class from grade 1-8 had between 10-20 kids. There was no gym. There was softball for the girls, baseball for the boys, and soccer. But the coaching was so lousy, nobody ever learned how to play. We had the most dysfunctional, sadistic teachers in the world. We must have been the Nineveh of schools! We went "in town" for ninth grade. It was hard coming into a school where suddenly you had to do gym and be among all these streetwise kids, but I bluffed my way through, and high school was slightly better. The teachers knew the Minot kids were unprepared, so they basically ignored us. My sisters both bailed out in 9th grade and got GED's instead. I started college but I had never learned how to study or manage my time, so I left and took my first radio job. Since it was a big University, they didn't try to stop me from leaving. It always amazes me that at the college where Honey is a Prof, no student is allowed to consider leaving without serious intervention. Nowadays, the old small town is a bedroom community for wealthy city folk, so the school has been cleaned up and cleaned out. They got together with 2 neighboring towns and now have their own high school. 
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Fishercat 4168 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest"
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01-15-06, 03:05 PM (EST)
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3. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
OK. For the sake of the post, I'll leave out social things. For a constant, assume this to be from the view of a quiet, avoidant (meaning wanting social acceptance but being illogically afraid of rejection), intelligent person with a few close friends and a few acquaintances, not much else.
Time Period: 1990-Present Day (Pre-pre-school and beyond, to 12th grade in HS right now)Home: While I was never formally educated at home, my learning was reinforced. I had books read to me, I read books, I used some puzzle books to learn simple logic and left/right/down/up kind of stuff, etc. In cooperation with pre-school and kindergarden, I got a lot of my basic skills at home. Pre School-Kinder: This was a private/pay school. I really didn't like the place, but they taught us all of the expected basics that you want prior to first grade. They made sure every student knew the alphabet, simple words, colors, basic addition/subtraction (stuff like 7-3=4), shapes, even primary writing, tying shoes, etc. Of course, there was a lot of stuff meant to be fun as is it should be. Still, I'll never forgive them for deleting my hugely progressive computer file on one of those learning games, and for changing off of American Gladiators when I put it on the tv. Asses. Elementary (1-4): This was the first transition from private (kinder) to public (first). Admittedly, I do not remember a whole lot from these first four years. The teachers were generally nice, I relied on previous knowledge for first grade (I know, not a good sign for the school) and from there I learned. Many of the classes were pretty worthless. Art was intimidating and busy work, music was pretty similar from year to year (with some changes with teachers), gym was fun but busy, and it was one teacher per group of students. It wasn't horrible but not really memorable. Elementary (5): Same school, but my favorite teacher ever most likely, I still visit her. She masterfully mixed fun but difficult (for 11 year olds) projects with the educational process. She forced us into situations where we would grow and even gave us useless information. Ellis Island Day (where we recreated the Ellis Island experience, full clothing, inspections, even trying to rig some groups), Presidents Pageant, Presidents Project (drawing the presidents upside down and researching), State Projects (basically making a profile and game based on a state, plus sending an outline of the state to a random elementary school in the state, some came back), Capitals Song (basically to see how fast we could get all 50 in a row), Rock Across America (basically planning a tour for your own band, getting mileage and stuff like that, culminating with a performance). Amazing class, I learned so much in there. Middle School (6-8): The switch from public to private again. My worst three years of school. Specifically, the transition to religion classes was poor at best. I had one good year of English/Grammar/Spelling/Vocab, surrounded by two years of two of the worst teachers ever, and when you spend 1.5 hours in there a day? We had a psycho for math/science. A Spanish teacher who taught me nothing. A horrible principal. A computer class which was really a typing class (by far the best thing I got from the school in terms of skills). I had exactly three teachers I truly liked from there, and that's saying a lot since I liked at least 8 from elemantary and more from high school. This was the part that hurt my education the most. I went from an A/B student in 5th grade to B/C in my first two years of HS, wonder what happened. Partially me, but with that school, I was ill-prepared for high school mentally and academically. Doesn't help that very little in terms of ECs were offered to do. High School (9-12): I have few complaints about my high school. Sure, there are a lot of smaller things. The class selection is mediocre. Some of the teachers range from mediocre to hideous. Half the math department simply does what the other half says. Numerous good teachers have left (luckily, after I had them). The extra-cirricular selection for non-athletic people is severely limited with a bandwagon focus on sports for the athletics. Still, on the whole, I think they have done me well. I hated my junior year English teacher, but I can't imagine having a better department. All four teachers know how to do their job and they reinforce writing very well. Varying personalities, good reading choices (sans American Lit). There's a reason the school's writing/verbal scores are better than the math. My path was a bit weird, as I suddenly "got it" junior year when I found my best friend who already "got it". The administration, although often maligned, has done a good job. The teachers honestly try hard, they are always available for help and typically teach the material well. While the math department has to reteach a lot of material each year, I think that is more the problem of the vacation system than the teachers. Theology is varied, as they start with Christian, then expand out into world religions, philosophy, and they are supposedly going to overhaul it and offer more individualized classes when we leave as a senior class. The class selection is limited, but with the small number of teachers, it's understandable. The guidance/college department does a superb job. They keep on us for applications, edit papers to make them sound better, put together fantastic packages, etc. For a prep school, you'd expect that, but major kudos to them. On the whole, with the exception of the middle school, I'm happy with the quality of education I got both in elementary (public) and high school (private). Looking over the past 13-15 years or so and seeing where all this has gotten me, I'm pleased, and I won't be troubled to send my child on a similar high-school path if I ever have children. It could be better, but that debate's in another topic. Hey, I'm the first in my direct (parents, grandparents, etc.) family to go to college (got two acceptance letters with money back so far), not that shabby.
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greenmonstah 10761 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold"
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01-15-06, 04:07 PM (EST)
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4. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
Well, let's see. I went to a small, liberal arts college for serious underachievers, where you could pretty much make up courses to study. I really enjoyed the class "Introduction to the Umbrella". Naturally, prior to taking this course I had to first complete the pre-requisite "Introduction to the Introduction to the Umbrella".  
Today? I am Vice President of the internet.
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Cygnus X1 7505 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold"
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01-15-06, 10:48 PM (EST)
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5. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
I readily admit that I was not the easiest kid to educate (just ask my teachers!). School, for the most part, BORED me. Had there been knowledge of ADD or ADHD back in the early 70s, I would have been so diagnosed. Also, I was pushed up from grade 1 to grade 2. More on that later.I tested off the scale in many ways, but my grades in (Catholic) elementary school often didn't reflect it. And I found that kids weren't impressed by academic achievement. So my elementary school years were overshadowed by many social problems that I had. I was often beaten up (even once by a girl!) and made fun of. But I did bring a good deal of it on myself; I might also have been diagnosed with DAW-dom  . All that being said, I don't think the elementary school education I got was necessarily that bad. Being ahead a year became a real problem. I read some old notes from when this was done; apparently the idea was that the older kids would keep me in check. Which they did -- too well. Academically, I was their equal or better. Socially, I was way inferior. So I actually repeated the 8th grade at a public middle school. Ironically, if I had not done so, I probably would not have gone to the high school that I did. But as had been the case at the other school, I was the topic of many a teachers' conference with my parents. I was in the "gifted and talented program" at this school, which was fun and more along the line of what I was looking for in school. I had a free hand to design projects. High school was good for me academically, but I didn't apply myself to topics that didn't intrigue me, such as calculus, biology, or chemistry. Still had some social problems, but not nearly as many on the campus of this all-boys' HS, By the time I got to college, I had new social problems; I faced the disillusionment that any cute girl who talked to me in class might not necessarily want to go out with me. Did well in my major courses and most of my non-majors, and grudgingly got through the others. Graduated a semester early thanks to AP credit, but went through the ceremony with my class anyway.  
It's-a-Mystic! (boogiewoogiewoogie)
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Hello_U 1 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "American Cancer Society Spokesperson"
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01-16-06, 03:26 AM (EST)
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6. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
I remember my first day at kindergarten. I was so happy. I was surprised to see kids around me crying, one kid, Shirley, clutching at her mother's skirt and bawling. I did not understand it. My older siblings were all in school and I envied them. It turned out to be well-placed envy. I loved kindergarten. I still remember my teachers' names, especially the lovely Miss Mary, and the names of many of my classmates. I even won a prize once, for being being the 'best sleeper' at naptime. I loved kindergarten. After that, it was all down hill for the next 16 years.
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StarryLuna 4771 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Stuff Magazine Centerfold"
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01-16-06, 09:27 AM (EST)
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7. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
I did kindergarten through 7th grade in upstate New York. Elementary school wasn't much of a challenge and I wound up in all the advanced groups. Middle school was sort of a shock to me and my grades were all over the place. I went from a 78 one grading period in math to a 100 the next grading period back to an 85. I was struggling with both the subjects and my self-esteem (a fat girl with glasses and braces? Whose last name rhymed with cow? Not exactly on everyone's best friend list.)In 8th grade we moved to Virginia, so now I was struggling with self-esteem plus being a new kid. Fortunately, it honestly is true that people in the south are more polite and I wasn't teased anywhere near as much. Sadly, I was no longer challenged in school - my 8th grade science book in Virginia was the exact same book I'd had for 7th grade science in New York. So 8th grade was pretty much a waste of time. I did enjoy high school, but again, there was little challenge. I did learn things, but I never needed to study, which made college a huge adjustment. Still, I'm satisfied with my education overall. Luckily (for me) I made it out of high school right before Virginia began SOL testing, so my teachers never had to teach to the test. 
Luna's Eclipses
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Estee 57126 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold"
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01-16-06, 09:39 AM (EST)
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8. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
Mostly self-inflicted.Honestly, I consider it a personal triumph that I never actually made an active effort to kill any of my teachers. (Okay, there was that one I tripped, but he was mostly fine after and he earned it. Oh, did he ever earn it. Actually, the tripping was sort of a 1% token down payment.) Wished for their deaths, yes, warm and cuddly fantasies about their incredibly painful demises, sure, but actual attempts at murder? Somehow overlooked. And this is despite my having a parade of teachers who abused their authority and their students with equal relish, had no actual teaching skills whatsoever once you overlook the perpetual 'life isn't fair' lesson that was forever in progress, had numerous occasions where they lied just to get students in trouble (and when I caught one in a contradiction and pointed it out, extra ISS!), and basically treated their charges as their own personal amusement park ride, emphasis on the whiplash -- I still never tried to kill any of them. Which was a horrible mistake on my part because they're still teaching a new generation of students how to hate education, learning, self-improvement, and anything to do with happy fun advancement of self because it'll remind them of their teachers. Forever. I don't hate educators as a whole, but there's a really significant percentage involved here. And really, I'd be in favor of home schooling, except that there's a lot of parents who really svck too. Go ahead, RR. Find a voucher that gets around that. :p
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canadagrl 209 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star"
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01-16-06, 09:56 AM (EST)
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11. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
I did well in primary and secondary, grade-wise, with two exceptions. Poor marks usually in religion (one year in elementary was all A's, except for the C in religion) and in my last year of high school, most grades took a dive (esp. physics, which went from a high of 90 to 56, and it was arbitrarily raised from a failing grade so I would be able to graduate. And DooWahDitty, you're right about the feelings and problems. Nobody even asked.)In grade 10, I even got an award for the highest average. Still, there's huge gaps in my knowledge, elementary things, particularly in science and history. By high school, I was physically at school, but that was it. I would write down whatever the teacher wrote down on the board, but I would not have been able to tell you what the class was about. A few days before the test, I would crack open the text and notes and study for the test. After the test, I would hit the mental delete button. (This was an unsuccessful study method only once. I was taking a supplemental math class in my final year. About half the course was Basic Programming, no text or computers, and all I had to refer to was my notes, which was what the teacher had written on the board, and the teacher's lectures, which I wasn't "there" for. The notes were indecipherable without the lectures.) I never volunteered in class and spoke only when necessary. I only asked for help when necessary and after much agonizing (maybe 5-10 times in all high school). High school still ranks number 1 as the worst time of my life. When I escaped/graduated, everyone just assumed I would go on to university. I worked for a year as a dishwasher/cook. It was such a relief and I was happy. Rent and booze money, what more could you ask for?  Then I went to my community college, where I did a two year accounting program, not because I was interested in it, but because I felt I should do something. Again, grades were high, and while I still relied on my regurgitate-for-the-test study method, I also started to learn what I had previously just memorized. Also, the social side of college was a blast. It was a good experience. I then worked in my field for 4 years, by the end of which time I realized I was not suited for it. I went to university and took fine arts (visual). No more studying for the test, just learning for me. My grades were actually rather poor, but by this time, I did not consider grades an accurate measure of anything. I still mostly lurked -did not participate in class discussions, although I overcame my reticence when it came to my peers. Was it a good program? No, starved for funding and all that. Did that matter? A bit, but not significantly. It was an enriching, terrific experience. DooWahDitty, I am wondering if the improvement in education can be partly attributed to your own maturity. I think that when we're younger, we tend to be more compliant, passive recipients of education, rather than active participants (not that many minors are given that kind of opportunity and control in our education). I think much of the meaningful part is contributed by the student. You get what you put into it, kind of thing. I don't know if my university profs were any better or worse than my high school teachers, but by university, I took charge of what I was learning, and most of the meaningful stuff was gleaned from peer interaction, not imparted by the prof.
Lightning Lad, Pocket Super Hero
Small heroes . . . ready for big action!
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frisky 11695 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold"
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01-16-06, 09:57 AM (EST)
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12. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
I would just like to point out that my downfall was that back in the day, schools did NOTHING about bullying. Nothing. Teachers knew it was going on, and they felt bad, but they did nothing about it. They let it happen.I am where I am now in spite of that, not because of it. My teachers used to tell my parents how bright I was and how I should be getting straight A's. Nobody could figure out why it wasn't happening. 1) I was bored, and 2) I was shaking inside. I was scared sh*tless at school. I was too caught up in the social angst to even think about the intellectual and academic crap. In my twenties, I got the itch and went back to college. I got three diplomas. Finally, at 35, I started working on my degree. I went gangbusters and got my degree in four years while working full time and raising my various litters. I was a B student, and yeah I could have gotten straight A's if school was the only thing I was doing. The difference between my "formal" education years and my adult education years was that my recent education was self-initiated. I did it when I was ready. I was interested, I had life experience, the material was relevant to my experiences, and I had self-discipline. I knew my priorities. I knew that it was more important to take notes than to stare at the cute guy in the front row. Early life is the time for social learning, and middle life is prime time for academics, IMO. Of course, that isn't practical, but it's the way it should be. 
Rolly made this.
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geg6 14941 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold"
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01-16-06, 10:06 AM (EST)
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13. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
I think I had a terrific education. Was it perfect? No, but I don't think it can be totally perfect all the time for anyone. However, I was fortunate that my parents sacrificed so that they could bring me and my siblings up in a community that was affluent enough to have a decent school system.My elementary school years were idyllic. Great teachers pretty much all around (well, excepting that sub we had in 5th grade when Mrs. Mason had a baby and was gone almost the whole spring semester). Innovative and enthusiastic faculty and strong parental involvement made learning a pleasure. Junior high was tough, but that was more social than academic. Mostly wonderful teachers (except that horrible witch I had in algebra in 8th grade) and we were able to experiment with so many different subjects (for instance, in the languages, we could try out Spanish, French, Latin, German, and Japanese) for 6 weeks at a time in order to make informed choices when we scheduled our high school classes. High school was...meh. A few inspired and inspiring teachers (especially Mr. Booher in Literature who was murdered a few years after I graduated); mostly not. But it didn't bother me much because I actually learned more on my own and sailed through high school without working very hard. I was also somewhat disinterested because my boyfriend had already graduated by the time I got there and I spent most of my social life with him and his friends. College? I can't even begin to describe how grateful I am to Pitt for my experience there. Everything about it, everything, was the best time of my life. 
I'm such a slut for the blues.
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Lisapooh 12664 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold"
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01-16-06, 10:44 AM (EST)
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15. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
I have no problem with the education I received. I went through 4th grade in a small district Indiana and from 5th through college in Nevada. Indiana was better at somethings than Nevada (and vice versa). I was a good student and I got good grades without a lot of effort. I think there's more to school than strict academics. I learned a lot of social skills as well as the value of competition and how to be a good winner and loser.
Overall, my teachers were good. They were good people who took their jobs (and the kids) seriously. They encouraged curiousity and ability. With a few detestable exceptions to that rule. I am most appreciative of my high school/junior high English teachers. I am still amazed at the number of people I come across today who can't form a simple written argument and can't organize their thoughts onto paper in any kind of logical way. Those teachers showed me how important it was to vary sentence structure and length, how to organize and outline my thoughts and how to make my writing my own. I'm very pleased that my 4th grade daughter seems to be learning the fundamentals of good writing much earlier than I did. Other than a few minor quibbles, I'm happy with the education she is receiving. And I still consider Mr. Fitz, my eleventh grade U.S. teacher, to be one of the finest human beings I've ever met.
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syren 5418 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold"
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01-16-06, 11:48 AM (EST)
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16. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
LAST EDITED ON 01-16-06 AT 11:49 AM (EST)I started kindergarten here in WV, in the middle of the year we moved to Ohio, and then back here, and then back to Ohio. I almost failed Kindergarten because of it. I went from first to third at one school, Moffitt Heights. I loved that school. Then because of a weird consolidation I went to North Lawrence for 4-5, and then to a totally new school Beech Grove for 6th. My 4th,5th, and 6th grades switched teachers for two classes. For English we would go to Mr. Artzner and for science we would go to Ms. Baker. Mr. A really taught only 5th other than English, and Ms. B really taught 6th other than Science. Both teachers went to the new school. Both teachers are on my list as favorite people ever. I still have a book that Mr. A gave to me when I was in the hospital when I was in 8th grade. If I could find either one of them, I would thank them for saving me, because at that time...I really needed just someone to care. 7th through 12th was at the high school. However, we moved back to WV right after my 8th grade year. My school here was much bigger than what my previous school had been. Even though it carried from Jr. High to High School, if I had graduated from there my graduating class would have been around 30 instead of 450. Even though my school was big, we had great classes, and great teachers. Sure some needed to be replaced, but not many. It was me that needed to change. I could have cared less about school by that time. I loved going for the social hour. That was it. I never once brought a book home, but because I remembered what the teachers taught and the minimal amount of work I did in study hall, my grades never faltered. But it was not their fault I did not really study or care. Was it my dads? Maybe but he came from a time when you worked to support the family, school was not all that important. Does he see the mistake now...he sure does. I started college straight out of high school, and I knew that I was not ready for it. But I tried the first year and a half, and then once again I gave up. However, now I am back in school, and I love it. My grades are great, and I actually get a little excited every time I know I am getting an A. That initial feeling has never worn off. So long story short, I liked school. I bounced around a lot. It was not my teachers fault I did not care, many tried to get me to. It was mine. I knew I could pass with decent grades just from what I learned in class. Sure I could have gotten A's then, but I was fine with the B's and occasional C's. I was there to socialize, nothing more really. 
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J Slice 13166 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold"
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01-16-06, 12:32 PM (EST)
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17. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
My parents are amazing people... they grew up with... well, not very much, both made it through college and business school, and are now in the retirement/close-to-retirement phase, after a number of years of hard work. I've been extremely blessed- I've grown up comfortably in an incredibly nice town, home to some of the best public schools in the country. And I? went to private school. I spent the entirety of my K-12 student experience at a private, non-religious day school. The classes were small, the teachers were plentiful, and my education was fantastic. I was whisked into the "smart-kids" track in sixth grade. This involved the "faster" math group (the class was divided into 3 color-groups based on math skills; I was in the red group ), which eventually led to a number of honors courses, and eventually, AP courses. I've always said this about my school- the teachers were great, but the students were awful. My high school teachers are among the smartest, most interesting people I know, and many of them I consider to be very close friends. My fellow students, though... uggh. Westchester county is not a place to learn about the real world. My parents had been kind enough to teach me about thrift, and good and bad uses of my money... Most of my fellow students did not have that upbringing- I had a classmate who drove a Porsche, 7 that drove brand new BMWs, several more in Audis and Saabs... and I graduated in a class of 86! Needless to say, I only keep in touch with maybe three of my high school buddies. I've moved on. Hopkins has been kind to me, but that's probably because of the path I've chosen as an anthropology major/writing minor. I've never had to work too hard (which fits my nature as a slacker), so I can enjoy a lot of what Baltimore has to offer. The only things that have really made college difficult are being away from my boyfriend for most of the year (for four years, plus a likely 2 for upcoming graduate school) and conquering my manic-depression- the school part is incidental. My parents always saved for me, and as a result, school's paid for. I'll always be thankful for that, and I know it's something I'll end up doing when I've got kids of my own. 
Warm wishes from Skadi
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mysticwolf 10692 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold"
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01-16-06, 01:31 PM (EST)
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18. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
I started at a private school, largely because my birthday fell too late in the year for me to attend kindergarten in public school, but I was too advanced to be kept out of school for an additional year. So I was still 4 on my first day of school.It was a good school, still is. Very college prep. Very "upper crust". My parents paid a hefty annual sum for the advantages it gave. Good, solid course material. Some things required, like French, in K-6, formal ballroom dance and etiquette lessons, etc. that would never be found at a pubic school (or most of the other private ones). If there was a failing it was in math. Primarily because "New Math" had just been discovered. One year we'd have a master that taught traditional math. The next, the master would teach new math. And, at home, I had my dad and elder siblings teaching me math "shortcuts" that got the correct answer, but that I couldn't use in class. Incredibly confusing, and I've been math phobic since. At the end of 6th grade my lower school headmaster suggested to my parents that I should be held back. Not because I was behind in anything, nor because of my age. But because I had never "experienced failure". He explained that he'd never failed until much later in life and that it had devastated him. (This from a Harvard grad.) By failing now, I'd learn that failure could be overcome and it would be like a vaccination against later life. Needless to say, this did not go over well with my folks. That was the end of private school. They did quite a bit of research and selected two of the top performing public schools. Both serving primarily high income families. They chose one (don't remember why it "won") and packed us up and moved into the district. That was kind of the beginning of the end. In this school district there were a number of primary schools. In 7th grade they all dumped into the one middle-school. I, a new kid, a year younger than any of the others, and knowing no one, got dumped in with them. If they saw a new kid, they just assumed they came from one of the other grade-schools and had friends from there. They assumed the same with me. But, in my case it wasn't true, and being shy and out of my element, I had few friends. Academically, I was bored. Here it was mostly memorize and regurgitate (same in high school). I was used to research and discussion. We had T/F, multiple choice testing. I was used to essays and term papers. In High school I was in advanced classes and joined the debate team (first Freshman to debate on a AAA team). That made me some friends, but mostly upperclassmen. Otherwise, I was pretty isolated. I hated it. Every moment of it. At the end of my Junior year I had satisfied all requirements of graduation, so I was graduated. Chose a college 3000 miles away in an absolutely gorgeous part of Colorado. Left to drive to school shortly before my 16th birthday. That was my biggest mistake. In retrospect I was far too young to be that far from home trying to fit socially (academically I did okay) with kids that were now 2-8 years my senior. It's always easy to fall off the planet as a Freshman in college. And, I fell. Hard. Didn't finish my freshman year. Came home and rented a house. Fell in love with what turned out to be a real jerk, and got married. Have struggled ever since. But, the basic founding I got educationally, particularly in the lower grades (which I actually think is more important than what happens in high school) that set the foundation, has always served me well.  
A Super Syren Siggie
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J I M B O 6839 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold"
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01-16-06, 02:05 PM (EST)
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19. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
I was extremely lucky to wind up in the school system I did. It was a very small town in NE Ohio. There always seemed to be great teachers influencing me in many ways. It would actually be a very interesting case study since the next closest high school was comprised of kids from MUCH more affluent households…yet there were massive problems in that system. Drugs, violence, you name it. I don’t have firsthand knowledge of the culture there, but the one constant in my school experience was a strong sense of discipline/control from Principal on down. Not a fear-based sense of control, just that you knew who was in charge…and it wasn’t the students.In my K-12 years I never saw, or even heard of, drugs or guns at school. It really was a private-school culture instilled in a public school. Boys’ hair had to be cut above the collar, no facial hair (which was sexist considering my town was mostly Italian), we weren’t allowed shorts or hats, girls’ skirts had to be a certain length. I think those sort of rules can seem foolish to a 14 year old, but it really did help to set a certain atmosphere. The education was probably as good as I could have hoped for with the one exception that it didn’t challenge me. With a good memory, I finished 7th in my class just by paying attention in the classroom. It didn’t do much homework at all. I hated it. When I went on to the ‘real world’, I did the same thing I had always done…coasted. I’m still just living life “to get grades” and not to get the most out of it. Parents are partly to blame, but when I’m getting good grades, what reason would they have to make me do homework?
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universityofkentuckyrocks 2575 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Survivor-themed Cruise Spokesperson"
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01-16-06, 02:32 PM (EST)
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20. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
I haven’t attended a public school, since Kindergarten, so I don’t know what its like to attend a public school. There are reasons though; Louisville’s public schools are down right bad. Anyway here it goes.I started out at Louisville Deaf Oral School. I can’t remember what went on there. I just remember those days were to determine whether we had to go to a Deaf school or a regular school. Therefore, at the end of kindergarten, they held back everybody. However, they told my parents, they need to send me to a regular school for math and reading, since I was doing exceptionally well. Therefore, I spent a half a day at LDOS and my Catholic school. I moved on to 1st grade after that second year in kindergarten. Therefore, I begin my grade school years. I had some of my greatest memories here, at my catholic school. I did very well in first grade and second grade. I became the first person to ever complete a reading computer program in second grade. That was a major accomplishment. Third grade was the beginning of a bad. I had a great teacher but I did awful. I forgot homework 21 times that year. I couldn’t do anything. I was frustrated. Fourth grade got better; I had a good teacher and did very well. We though third grade was a slump. Think again, I did awful in fifth grade with an awful teacher. I forgot my homework all the time and I flunked tests. Sixth grade, I hit rock bottom. They started curving my grades so I could pass. They recommended Summer school. Therefore, my parents applied for Summer school at a school that helps learning disability kids. I had to go in and be tested. They tested me and said I am WAY ahead of the Summer school kids. They said I did have a learning disability and I was eligible to go to their school. Now since I did Kindergarten twice, they wanted me to skip 7th grade. My parents said no away because I learned everything about a year late. Seventh grade was a turning point in my life. My grades went up, I did homework, and miraculously I was getting B’s and A’s on test. Nobody can explain the miracles that school can do. My grade school was the one that recommended it. They wanted me to do well but they didn’t know how too. Weird things happened to me that year. I started recognizing things I hadn’t for a while. It was simple things as the leaves being green in April. Onto 8th grade. I continued to do well. I took the placement test to go attend high school at a Catholic school. I did well and got into the middle program for English and History. I was in one of the lower programs for Math and Science. Anyway, I did really well. I had one of my greatest accomplishments ever. It was simple history project to end the year. She talked about how no one had ever gotten a 116%. She gave 16 extra points for various things. I did the project, while I was doing it, the computer froze. I had to do it all over again and hoped for the best. As she was handing back the projects, she told me not to dance, I had done it, and I got the full 116%. Two other people did it as well. So off to my freshmen year. Welcome back to the catholic schools, ukrocks. I had very good teachers. I made honor roll every quarter. My sophomore year was a good one as well, but I had the worst teacher of my life. She taught religion and was very bad. She flunked everybody but three in the first semester, I was one of them. She was fired one year ago on January 24. We had a great teacher come in after her. However, my honor roll streak end in the last quarter when I missed it by one freaking point. Now I’m in my junior year. It’s been a wild ride so far. I missed honor roll again, the first quarter. Second quarter grades came out last week and the streak is over I was back on honor roll. Honor roll is important because you get go to lunch five minutes early. I have not closed the book of my education yet. I had good teachers but the best one ever was my Sophomore History teacher and my English teacher in my sophomore yearn as well. I’ve never seen any teacher get along with a class so well. I think it was because they were both only 24 years old and kept the class fun as well as hard.
ukrocks got a blog!
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bondt007 3413 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Car Show Celebrity"
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01-16-06, 05:31 PM (EST)
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21. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
All in southern California, I went to a private Christain school K-8. Everyone said I was getting a good education, but what do I remember about that? It was just school, made friends, played, did book reports, was in the school play, etc. I got paddled, once by the principle and once by his assistant (who was, by the way, my grandma!). I would say, though, that when I left there and entered a public high school, 9th grade was indeed a bit of a review. It seemed like for most of the year we worked on stuff that I did in the 8th grade. That worked well because I didn't really know anyone and had less pressure on me.Got involved in the performing arts - plays and musicals and such, and then in 11th grade took American Lit and Anatomy and Physiology. Two of the toughest classes I took in high school, and two of the best. Great teachers. I worked hard for them. They challenged me for the first time academically, I mean really pushed. Heavy reading, reports, test's - the two best "A's" I every received in high school, and I'd bring home C's and D's to the "easy classes", so I was no "A" student at the time. JC and University were fine, got solid grades with hit and miss teachers, but was working and busy with other things so I was not just focused on school. 
>Issued by "Q" and RollDdice
Charter Member, April 2001; Club Anti-DAW
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susang 435 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Daytime Soap Guest Star"
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01-17-06, 01:03 PM (EST)
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22. "RE: And how was YOUR education?" |
I got my BA in 1984, so I have been out of school for many years. The instructors at my community college were excellent, but I do have one criticism. There was not enough focus on writing, and there should have been a required course (on university level writing) for those who planned to transfer to a four-year institution. I was not prepared for university level writing. Term papers were a challenge, as it was hard to measure up to the professors' expectations.
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