New School Year Options

[Bloom girl]

Hm.. I thought this was the right forum to post this topic xD
Umm..anyway

I know that, for the most of you, school has already started [again]. Schools start here on Monday 12/09, by the way.
You have unwinded and "recharged your batteries" during the summer holidays, you are one year older & ready(?) to spend the next 10 months at a desk, at school & spending endless hours at studing...

Some of you may have changed school. (for example, you may have finished elementary school & you will go to junior high school) This is really good (from the one side), because you'll make new acquaintances.

I will go to high school this year. Fortunately, I will be in the same school with almost all of my friends.
Unfortunately, this year is going to be really hard for ALL the greek students. And that's because the government doesn't have enough money to print books. We won't have any books! It is said that we will be given out photocopies instead! But photocopies will cost more to the government than printing books! It is also rumored that the will give us the school books after Christmas! The situation in my country is a bit worring now. They did a big mistake, a very big mistake; they completely ruined education.
However, the educational system in Greece was never really good. What I mean is that, state schools provide education to the majority of students and do not help weaker students. (another example -->) Most of the laboratories in state schools are closed and students miss the opportunity to carry out experiements in chemistry or physics and they are not motivated to study harder because just the theory is boring.
This is the reason why parents pay extra money (if they afford the expences) to send their children to prepatory schools after school, in order the child to overcome his/her weaknessess (if the student is weak) or to improve his/her skills. Furthermore, if you want to achieve a diploma in a foreign language (English,German etc.) you have to go to a prepatory school or get lessons at home by a tutor, in order to be prepared properly for the examinations. [Diplomas in foreign languages are really important in order to find a job]
As a result, students in my country (including me) spend many hours at prepatory schools, after school, every day, so when they go home, they have to study for school, do their homework &... they don't have any free time for themselves, to exercise or do other activities or go out with their friends and have fun.
Education is an integral part of our lives. The greek government "killed" education, they "killed" our future...

I'm learning English since I was 6. (I'm going to a prepatory school 4 times a week to have english lessons) I already got 2 diplomas in English language; "Lower" & "Advanced". On the 24th of November I'm going to take an exam in order to achieve a "Proficiency" diploma. I hope I pass the exams!

Anyway..
I would be very happy to hear (actually read xD ) what you have to say about this topic, about school & education & about your new school year :)

I hope you have a nice new school year. All of you. :3

P.S. : If there are any mistakes in my text, please tell me.
P.S. No2 : Ooops.. I used the phrase "in order to" too many times xD LOL

[mightymarty2]

Well good luck with all your studies. I have heard about Greece's problems and I certainly don't think your country will be the last to suffer as much as you have. I know Ireland are most probably next if things continue like they are (potentially a double dip recession) to be in a very similar state as Greece, even if their bailout was not as bad as Greece's.

This is the right place to post it and its very easy to keep using the same group of words too many times.

[Another Morning]

Having graduated high school and abandoned college (anyone want to hire me? I'm good at playing video games and posting on message boards), I myself am not experiencing the back-to-school experience first hand, but I have plenty of friends who are going back to college this term. None of them were particularly looking forward to it XD

It sucks that you have to spend so much time on schoolwork, Bloom girl, and that the schools there are in such bad shape. I hope you can get through the year without too much stress and that you're able to find some time to relax.

[Bloom girl]

Thank you very much. I hope everything goes well :)

This post has been edited by Bloom girl: Sep 9 2011, 8:29 PM

[empire_c2]

I just started college on Tuesday, and it is definitely a big change from high school, but I'll be doing something that has fascinated me since I started public school. Drawing. I'm hoping to get into Animation next year, but I need to learn a lot before I can handle the course. High school wasn't a big help in that field skill wise, but after reading your bit Bloom girl, I am thankful for what I got for education. I got to use textbooks (some damaged from previous students wrecking them) but they were useable and the school gave me a few opportunities that really helped me with my goals.

It really is a shame your education has to be the way it is. I hope, though, all your efforts pay off.

[alicia_musa]

i started 8th grade about like maybe 6 weeks ago -.- and i have one advance class and this class called avid :) has anyone heard of avid

[Another Morning]

I've never heard of AVID, no O: I looked it up, and it sounds kind of like QUEST, which is what my schools had. It was basically a class kids could take if they passed a test where they could devote more time to various studies that they weren't able to focus on in normal classes, or who needed more of a challenge.

[imdepressedxo]

Very different education system and holiday system over here :/ I get off in June and November-December instead. But that's beside the point; yeah I've been hearing about the entire Greek financial crisis, hope that you can get through the educational problems and starting school under such a circumstance must be pretty tough. Though you seem to really understand the importance of education so be strong and you'll pull through :) I've never experienced much difficulty in quality of education so I guess I'm pretty spoilt; but I'm currently taking a course called I.B(Hell) which is stressing me out, so I can empathize with the stress part. Just work hard and you'll surely reap what you sow

[alicia_musa]

no avid means advancement via individual determination. basically its something that helps you get to college and all of the students that were in it during high school got scholarships

[empire_c2]

ooh my sister did I.B. good luck with it. That's a really tough program. I decided against doing it, but I ended up do a SHSM in arts and culture and getting a college credit before leaving high school.

[Another Morning]

They aren't exactly the same, but I think it was sort of the same general idea: extra study that looks good on college apps.

[Bloom girl]

Thank you and good luck to everyone, too

Today was the first day at school. Some students got almost all of the school books, and most of them (including me) got only 4 books xD They didn't have enough books at the storage (of school)
Anyway... I think that they will give us the rest of the books till October.

[alicia_musa]

im sick today so i didnt go to school i would still be in school anyway

[Another Morning]

I hope you start feeling better, alicia_musa D: And Bloom girl, at least you managed to get some text books. Good luck starting the year!

[alicia_musa]

thank you

[mightymarty2]

Get well soon alica_musa

@Bloom girl: Lets hope that's a positive sign about the commitment to schools, even in the news around Greece's finances are not positive

[alicia_musa]

thank you

[dittadulla]

The school system in Iceland is a bit different, there is one school from grade 1 to 10 that is mandatory and usually there's just one school in your neighbourhood that you automatically have to go to. From grade 11-17 there is a high school which ideally you could have your choice with a bit more, as they are very different and often translated to "Last two years of high school and first two years of College" and you can start to kind of shape your classes in the direction of your profession and what you want to study at University which you can continue to when you're like 20 years old.
In High School, you could as well drop out or take extra years, or speed through and skip one year, or even go back long after you've dropped out to finish. It's very flexible!

Anyway, I'm starting 10th grade now which means I'll be going to high school next year. I'm having a bit of a crisis because I *want* to go to school in Reykjavik but it'd pretty impossible since high schools in Reykjavik don't have any dorms, I can't drive until I'm 17 and I have no place to live there?? Ironically, the school in my hometown which is the one I'll be attending apparently actually has dorms. I live about 5 minutes away.

It's going to be pretty challenging I guess? Last year of basic school, need good grades to get in good classes? I'm not worried about actually getting in, there's law about that high schools are required to take in students under 18 that want in, whether it's first choice or the second! Kind of gonna miss my school and class though, we've been together for 10 years for god's sake...

I'm sorry about the financial issues in Greece, Bloom girl!! The textbooks should have been the last thing to be cut down, but I see with your spirit that you're going to get through it! Good luck with your English diploma! =)

I'm taking online courses for grade 12 in English myself, so in a way after this year I'm almost graduated from the entire English subject, depending on what I'm going to learn.

[winxclubrox23]

As of three weeks ago, I've started grade 12, which means next year I have to grow up and be a big girl, and go to university. xD I'm not sure how to feel about that. I mean, it's going to be nice getting out of this little town that I'm so sick of, but I would really rather prefer to be young forever and be lazy.

[Another Morning]

Good luck to Ditty and Tea being in your last years of required schooling \o/ You'll both be fine. And Ditty, I hope you can work out a way to get to the school you want.