American Schools and school system in USA

Résumé du document

Each state defines its own educational system, there are no national decisions or laws determining the syllabuses, the contents of the High School Diploma (HSS), or even the length of compulsory education. Some Americans argue that this lack of cohesion partly accounts for the very poor standarts achieved by many American students.

Extraits

[...] University students can also attend summer schools. Extra-curricular activities : american students go to school to study an to enjoy themselves. All american schools have clubs, and the bigger (and richer) the schools, the more clubs there are. For instance, in a "spanish club", the students try to speak in spanish, they watch films in spanish, and cook spanish dishes. Sport plays a big role : at school games, the cheerleaders of each school encourage their schoolmates. They shout words of encouragement and chant the school motto. [...]

[...] There is no school on Saturdays. The classes last 40/ 45 minutes, depending on the schools. In a lot of schools the day starts with "homeroom", a meeting during which attendance is taken, different kinds of information given, and during which everybody (students and staff alike) also pledges allegiance to the flag. Standing, their right hanfs on their hearts, they say : pledge allegiance of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation und God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all". [...]

[...] In many schools it is very easy to get. All you need is a few credits, some of which like DIY, or "preparation for marriage", have very little to do with education in the academic sense of the term of 12th- graders pass the HSD, but only half of these students go to college afterwards. In order to have access to higher education, they have to take other exams, like the Scholastic Aptitude test which is marked out of 1,600 points. [...]

[...] They are helped by social workers and the police. In some schools, tough security measures have had to be taken, with arms destectors at the gates for instance. Bus is the transportation of children by bus to schools outside their neighbourhoods, to help them mix with other, more fortunate, children or teenagers ; this is supposed to stimulate them and help them to achieve more. Originally, busing was created as a means to promote racial integration but now, most american parents think it is detrimental to the standards of the "good" schools. [...]