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Über Column: American School System
Photo Credit: Rachel Fox
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Classes, homework and tests, tests every two weeks? More than one-hour homework a day??????????
What???
In my opinion homework, tests, and grades are highly overvalued in the American school system. Instead of letting students think and ask for oral participation during class, teachers give tons of homework and have developed a system that make you do your homework and learning for the test. I am talking about partial credit.
You can’t miss school too often, because of the homework, and the points you would miss. I saw students go to school sick and coughing, and when I asked them why were here, they answered it was because they didn’t want to lose points that they needed for passing the class and getting a good grade.
I myself got 6 hours of sleep on average last week, just because of tests, lab reports, and pre calculus homework.
However, I won’t speak about changing the system because I don’t like it. I will talk about the differences between the American school system and the German one.
It begins in high school, the first time you have to choose all of your six subjects by yourself. You decide early, what you want to specialize on. Do you want to do art, science, or language? Then what science? Physics? Biology?
All this is a lot of responsibility. Of course you can change your subjects during your time in high school, but nevertheless, there only is a limited amount of subjects you can take. That is not the case in Germany. We have 13 classes that you have to take. 7 of them we have each day, 45 minutes each, and so we get out at about 2:30.
This is a lot, but it helps you to decide what fits you so you can see what you like. I for example: had to take 3 hard years of art, and I really hated this subject. However I learned that I shouldn’t do anything with art in my later life, as I am really not talented. When I am 18, I can choose what I actually want to study, as I now know, what I can do, and what is fun. I think this leads to better decisions for your career, and in the end to a better-qualified worker, who actually like his job. Furthermore we don’t have the point system at school, so you can easily miss some homework assignment, of course not too much, but three or four won’t harm your grades. They won’t harm you as your grade consists of your oral participation (60 %) your test scores (35%) and then just a small percentage would be your behavior, your homework, and your quizzes. I think this is the better way. It leads to inquisitive students, who actually know what they are talking about, and don’t just memorize and recite it again for the test. But what I like better here is that everybody is really engaged. Parents, students, and teachers, all want to do their best. That’s why they donate Apple computers, and M-A has a pool, two gyms, two weight rooms, and a huge performing arts center, which by the way you would never have in Germany. I also like that sports have such a high status, and I think the whole understanding of school is not as formal as in Germany. Teachers can become friends, and help you on your way through college. Furthermore here the classrooms are much nicer, and not as plain as the German ones. You are also not stuck with the same people your entire time in high school. In Germany you are in a class of 30 people, in the same classroom the entire time in High school, and teachers come to your room, students never move.
However, I am thinking about going to college in America. I enjoy going to school here, even if it is sometimes stressful and annoying. Everybody thinks positive, and you meet new people really fast. I get the opportunity to see both systems, and get to know the benefit and disadvantages. I don’t want to choose, between the two, but what I can say is that American school is definitely more fun.
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Photo credit Leah Worthington
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