How does the school system work where you live?

[Guest]

Ok, I wanna make a detailed post about how the school system works here, and I really wanna know how it works in other countries. So here it goes. This is in Quebec, Canada:

-Primary school: grades 1-6, nothing special.

-Secondary school: grades 1-5

In grade 3 (called "secondary 4") the result you get in math determines what level they will put you in sec 4.
There are 3 levels of mathin grade 4:

416 -- lowest
426
436 -- highest

If you get more than 75-80% (depending on school) in sec 3 math, you will go into math 436.

Then if you maintain an average above 65% in 436, you will go into math 536 (sec 5). Other wise they will send you into 526 or 516.

What we did in 436, as far as I can remember, were algebra, quadratic functions and trigonometry. We also had physics (everyone) in sec 4.

Then people had a choice. To take science course options in sec 5 or not (chemistry + physics). If a person wants to go into pure & applied science, they must take science course options in sec 5. Also must do math 536.

In 536 we did more functions, like sketching square root, log, sketching trig functions, etc. No calculus in highschool, at all.

Now I'm in college (called a CEGEP here).
Its 2 years (4 semesters) for vocational (pre-university) or 3 years technical (stupid losers go here).

Here there are a lot of different programs for vocational, which can be summarized like this:

Pure & Applied Sciences (smart people go here)
Commerce (lazy but cool people go here)
Social Sciences (idiots go here)

In Pure & Applied Sciences, a person must complete these courses, each taking 1 semester:

Calculus I - mostly limits, derivatives, intro into integration
Calculus II - everything needed for integration and sequences
Linear Algebra I - matrixes, etc.
Physics NYA - mechanics, motion, kinematics
Physics NYB - electricity and magnetism
Physics NYC - waves and optics
Chemistry NYB - chem of solutions
Chemistry NYA - general chemistry
Biology

and then there are obligatory 3 choice science courses, most popular being:

Calculus III - triple integrals, etc, needed for engeneers
Linear Algebra II
Physics for engeneers - self explanatory
Organic chemistry - obligatory for people going into health science in university

For people going into Commerce, they need to take (from what I know):

Macro economics
Micro economics
Calculus I
Calculus II (note that their calculus is different from science calculus, its a lot easier)

And in order to obtain a College diploma, everyone needs to do their

Humanities
Phys Ed
French
English
and Complementary courses

A normal course load for pure science, is semester 1 and 2: 7 courses, semester 3 and 4: 6 courses, so 26 courses total, considering that none were failed (rare).

Then there is university about which I don't know much.

Now tell me how it works in your country, esp what people learn in math in highschool

[+JuggerNaut+]

wow, that's really long.

[SoM]

the french are fucked..

[Guest]

What's "advance trig"?

[Guest]

Gimme an example? I cant imagine what other trig there may be before you do integration.

[R00k]

Elementary (or primary) school: grades 1-5
Standard stuff for every kid, same classes

Middle School: grades 6-8
Still fairly standard stuff, but we were integrated with the rest of the schools in the county into a larger school for middle. Each grade was split into 3 teams, which seemed to be based on learning curve and previous grades although they never said as much. Still very basic english, math (algebra mostly), generic science (bio, chem, nature), cultural studies (basic latin and classical history), mechanical drawing (learning 3-pane 3d drawings similar to autocad, with pencils and rulers and such), intro shop class, computer and typing class.

High School: grades 9-12
This is where people really split into course tracks; advanced/remedial/standard. I can't really say what classes were in all the tracks. I was in advanced classes.
4 years of english/literature/composition
Maths - Alg I and II, geometry, then trig and pre-calc for a semester each. final year i came an hour early to take calc with 4 other students.
Sciences - physical science, biology, chemistry I & II, physics
German I & II, latin, french
journalism
government
economics
american history
world history
art and art history
current events course and prep for academic decathlon

i may have missed a couple - it's been 10 years.

most of those were electives. you basically still took english, math, science, a year of foreign language, and several electives iirc, and for the basics you were in advanced, basic or remedial courses.

man it's been a while since i was in school.

[DooMer]

I remember never choosing my classes, so they kept putting me in drama. Man that was gay.

[+JuggerNaut+]

[quote="R00k"][/quote]

dunno if Washington State has changed since, but it used to be that 9th grade was the top of Jr. High and High school was 10-12.

Maiden would know. or possibly TNF (Spokane?)

spent my entire Jr. High in Wa., then moved to Oregon for High School, so i was never a freshman until college. \o/

[MKJ]

Dutcheeland:

In The Netherlands, children can go to school when they reached the age of 4, but they have to go, when they are 5.

The children then go to the primary school. This school is divided in 8 groups.

The first two levels are kindergarten.

When the children leave group 8, they go to the secondary school.

There are 3 levels:
VMBO (4 years)
HAVO (5 years)
VWO (6 Years)

VWO is the most difficult and VMBO is the least difficult.

VMBO Students will have a practical occupation, for example carpenter, butcher, etc.

HAVO Students can go to college. They can for example become a teacher.

VWO Students can go to university.


For Children with Special Needs, there are two kinds of special Schools:

SBO and REC

SBO is for the children who have learning and/or social problems.


There are 4 kinds of REC’s:

REC 1: For Children with Visual handicaps.
REC 2: for Children with Communication problems (deaf, etc.)
REC 3: Children with Several handicaps or psychic problems
REC 4: For Children with serious Learning disabilities.


Before a child can go to a SBO or a REC, there is an authoritative source, who will decide if a child can go to the special needs school.

When a child has to go to a REC, the parents can let their child go to a regular school. This regular school gets extra funds to give the child extra care. This is called Backpack policy.

A child from a SBO can also return to the regular school.

[MKJ]

(that was taken from some .at site btw. so ignore the spelling errors )

[blood.angel]

Age 5-11 we have Primary School
At age 11 we have what is known as the 11+, two tests one on maths one english. This is being stopped though soon. If you pass this you are allowed to go to the better schools, like grammars and academys, otherwise you go to the lesser high schools. Think of it as dividing thickos and swots, the swot schools usually get physics and chemistry, the thick schools have home economics and woodshop.
You stay there until you are 16 to do tests known an GCSEs or similarly named lesser valued NVQs, most of the thicko school goers leave to lives of labouring and average wages, most swots go onto to do another two years of school and do higher qualifications called A levels (and their lesser valus AS levels).
Then at 18, you goto university and do your shit there. Swots find it easier to get in than thickos, swots get placed first ranked by exam results.

[LeonardoP]

good thing you did it MKJ, or else i wouldve :/

[LeonardoP]

Elementary (or primary) school: grades 1-5
Standard stuff for every kid, same classes

Middle School: grades 6-8
Still fairly standard stuff, but we were integrated with the rest of the schools in the county into a larger school for middle. Each grade was split into 3 teams, which seemed to be based on learning curve and previous grades although they never said as much. Still very basic english, math (algebra mostly), generic science (bio, chem, nature), cultural studies (basic latin and classical history), mechanical drawing (learning 3-pane 3d drawings similar to autocad, with pencils and rulers and such), intro shop class, computer and typing class.

High School: grades 9-12
This is where people really split into course tracks; advanced/remedial/standard. I can't really say what classes were in all the tracks. I was in advanced classes.
4 years of english/literature/composition
Maths - Alg I and II, geometry, then trig and pre-calc for a semester each. final year i came an hour early to take calc with 4 other students.
Sciences - physical science, biology, chemistry I & II, physics
German I & II, latin, french
journalism
government
economics
american history
world history
art and art history
current events course and prep for academic decathlon

i may have missed a couple - it's been 10 years.

most of those were electives. you basically still took english, math, science, a year of foreign language, and several electives iirc, and for the basics you were in advanced, basic or remedial courses.

man it's been a while since i was in school.

what about university? can anyone apply, and what kind of credentials do you need (high school diploma?).

[Guest]

MKJ, theres a german guy in my class, he's an exchange student, paying $10k per semester to study at my college (I, as a resident of Quebec pay $132 per semester) and he says that in Germany the classes were a joke (I figure he was in VWO but not completed it since he's in science now) and that in our college its more fun and challenging. He says that he never did homework but always got 90%+ in everything. Was wondering if anyone else share that opinion about "high school" education in Germany.

[LeonardoP]

MKJ, theres a german guy in my class, he's an exchange student, paying $10k per semester to study at my college (I, as a resident of Quebec pay $132 per semester) and he says that in Germany the classes were a joke (I figure he was in VWO but not completed it since he's in science now) and that in our college its more fun and challenging. He says that he never did homework but always got 90%+ in everything. Was wondering if anyone else share that opinion about "high school" education in Germany.

MKJ was talking about the dutch school system dude. but you say he's in college? if you're not finished with VWO you can't go to college (in the dutch system)

[busetibi]

all i know is, its costing me A$17k a year to educate my two kids, ( 14 & 12 )

[LeonardoP]

all i know is, its costing me A$17k a year to educate my two kids, ( 14 & 12 )

$17000?!?!?!?! University doesn't even cost that much man

[busetibi]

welcome to the australian private school system.
edit:
my eldest wants to be a vet,
4 year course.
In 2005 annual fees will range from $15 120 for Arts to $29 520 for Vet Science (fees are subject to adjustment annually).

[LeonardoP]

welcome to the australian private school system

.... man thats crap. university costs 1500e + books(round 1000e maybe) pp. beat that sucka :P

[Ryoki]

Private school is an anachronism, the whole concept should be disbanded.

[LeonardoP]

Private school is an anachronism, the whole concept should be disbanded.

lol

[busetibi]

Private school is an anachronism, the whole concept should be disbanded.

ive seen that in another thread,
one wonders ..........

[losCHUNK]

**tries to remember**

primary school (years 1-6), just fuck around a lot till your sats tests come up, when you completed your sats tests you move onto high school and they put you in your level of class depending on your results

so like

set1 - smart
set2 - middle
set3 - dumb

(our school went up to set 7 buts thats the basic outline)

high school (years 7-11), now your in your groups you fuck around till you hit year 10 which is when you select which courses you wish to take further on top of your key courses (english, science, math, welsh and religous education)

so like, if you wanted to take GCSE's (qualifications) in geography, spanish, music, PE then you would proceed the following 2 yrs with those courses along with the key courses (english, science, math, welsh and religous education) and drop any other course you was doing.. you then get placed into your sets for those courses aswell

in year 11 you take your GCSE tests and see if you pass (somming like 40% of the marking is based on coursework which you have done over the previous 2 yrs)

depending on how many you get you can stay on in high school to earn more qualifications (like AS/A levels) (usually a minimum of 4 A-C grade GCSE's but 5 would get you into pretty much anything you want), if you fail the GCSE's you can also stay on in school and do a 1 yr GNVQ course which is equivalent to 5 A-C GCSE's

if you dont want to stay on in school you can go to college and earn your results there

each course is worth a certain number of UCAS points and each course in university (higher education course) requires a certain level of UCAS points for you to be accepted... the ucas points are only available on the higher course like A levels and not in GCSE

also it might surprise you to know at one point my english writing skills were very good, i was in set 1 for all of high school

now look at me

[horton]

in japan:

elementary school 7-12

they do nothing and run around like assholes.

basically a social schooling where they learn to be good junior members of society.


junior high.
12-15

they have no choice which school they attend and dont choose their subjects apart from a couple of free choice lessons where they can have extra japanese, english or science.

high school

15-18

they dont have to attend high school, but 98% do, as unless you attend you are gonna flip burgers till you retire.

they have a huge choice of schools, and each school has its own entrance exam, none of the schools specialise in any particular subject, but some are known to concentrate more on math,eng etc.

they study like cunts here, go to school 5 or 6 days a week and do 1 or 2 hours a night in a private cram school, just to enter some wank university

im so happy i wasnt born in japan, cos the schools are full of shit, the kids are like clones of eachother and it doesnt suprise me that they kill themselves when facing uni entrance exams.

plus cunts like me teach them english, and unless you talk about cars/pussy/PCs or are a cute girl, i dont spend much time on you.

[Fender]

Private school is an anachronism, the whole concept should be disbanded.

I'd say the same thing about public schools.