Topic 18: Education

Every summer, when the results of university entrance exam come (1)_________, many newspaper stories are published about students who are top-scorers across the country. Most portray students as hard-working, studious, smart and, (2)________, from low-income families. They are often considered heroes or heroines by their families, communes, villages and communities. And they symbolize the efforts made to lift them, and their relatives, out of poverty. The students are often too poor to attend any extra-classes, (3)_________ make their achievements more illustrious and more newsworthy. While everyone should applaud the students for their admirable efforts, putting too much emphasis on success generates some difficult questions. If other students look up to them as models, of course it’s great. (4)____________, in a way, it contributes to society’s attitude that getting into university is the only way to succeed. For those who fail, their lives are over. It should be noted that about 1.3 million high school students take part in the annual university (5)________ exams and only about 300,000 of them pass. What’s about the hundreds of thousands who fail? Should we demand more stories about those who fail the exam but succeed in life or about those who quit university education at some level and do something else unconventional?

Preschool offers many benefits. It can be a great place for kids to interact with peers and learn valuable life lessons such as how to share, take turns, and follow rules. But going to preschool does come with some emotions, for both the parent and the child. For a child, entering a new preschool environment (1) ___________ with unfamiliar teachers and kids can cause both anxiety and excitement. Parents might have mixed emotions about (2) ___________ their child is ready for preschool.

When you enter the classroom on the first day, calmly reintroduce the teacher to your child, then step back to allow the teacher to begin (3) __________ a relationship with your child. Your endorsement of the teacher will show your child that he or she will be happy and safe in the teacher’s care.

If your child clings to you or refuses to participate in the class, don’t get upset — this may only upset your child more. Always say a loving goodbye to your child, but once you do, leave (4)________. Don’t sneak out. Leaving without saying goodbye can make kids feel abandoned. A long farewell, on the other hand, might only reinforce a child’s sense that preschool is a bad place.

A consistent and predictable farewell routine can make leaving easier. Some parents  wave from outside the classroom window or make a funny goodbye face, while others have a special handshake before parting. Transitional objects — a family picture, a special doll, or a favorite blanket — can also help comfort a child. Also, (5)___________ in mind that most kids do well after their parents leave.

Our parents play an important role in what we’re today and in what we’ll be in future. It’s our parents who make us (1)_____ in all sphere of life, they guides us, supports us, teaches us, and propels us in all phases of your life. The biggest role is of our mother; most cherished and admired relation in the world. She is special for everyone and should be. She is one (2)____ teaches us everything from how to speak to what to speak, from how to eat to what to eat, from how to (3)____ up for school to college. She is with us from happiness to sorrow. She teaches us from what is right to what is wrong.

The idea of going overseas to study can be daunting, with visions of baffling languages or nights spent in isolation while you are gradually forgotten by your friends and family. (1) _________, the benefits of studying abroad - such as broadening your mind, improving your career prospects and making friends from all over the world - can make digging out your passport really rewarding.

“Studying abroad is an eye-opening experience,” says Anna Boyd, event manager at The Student World. “Being (2) _________ in another culture, understanding differences and spotting similarities, living on a beach or in the mountains, (3) _________ will have an impact on every student.”

Overseas study comes in many shapes and sizes. It might be a single semester abroad via an Erasmus programme, for example. Or you might elect to follow a full three- or four-year degree programme. Whatever your ambition, the key is starting early. Some countries require specific combinations of A-levels from UK students. Germany looks for four A-levels including maths or science and one modern foreign language, for instance, while others, such as the US, value extracurricular activities. Starting our research well ahead (4) _________ time can help you make the right choices. “Getting involved in sports, arts and music is also worth considering, as well as gaining experience through volunteering and work placements,” says Boyd. In fact, applying to study abroad could even work to your advantage , for example, you might encounter lower (5) _______ requirements.

Some U.S. schools, however, have tried to limit or remove technology to improve learning. One of them is in Silicon Valley, the centre of the American tech industry.

The Waldorf School of the Peninsula does not use any computers or (1) ____ technology in its education programs up to the seventh grade. The school’s website says while Waldorf teachers recognize the role technology can (2) ____ in the classroom, it must wait until the student reaches the right developmental age.

“We observe that a child’s natural, instinctive, creative and curious way of (3) ____ to the world may be repressed when technology is introduced into learning environments at an early age,” the website says. When students reach high school, they are allowed to use computers and digital tools in the classroom.

There are many independent Waldorf Schools throughout North America. The schools centre heavily on (4) ____ learning and aim to teach skills in “creativity and innovative thinking.” They also (5) ______ importance on students developing “social and emotional intelligence” as part of the educational experience.

College is usually the first time young people are on their own without parents’ guidance or rules. Students learn to participate (1) _____ a responsible member of various groups within the college environment: fellow students, roommates, teachers, college staff, sports teammates, religious groups, study groups, romantic partners or extracurricular clubs. You’ll also learn how to grow your sense of (2)_____ identity.

“Socialization is a process of learning what it means to be a member of a group and navigating one’s sense of self as (3) _____ of that process. Because there are many different groups on a college (4)_____ socialization might include finding like-minded peers on campus to differentiate one’s self from others and (5) _____ closer bonds with some group members (as in fraternities and sororities),” explained Karen Sternheimer, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Southern California.

In the professional or career world, a gap year is a year before going to college or university and after finishing high school or (1) ____ a year off before going into graduate school after completing a bachelor as an undergraduate. (2) ____ this time, students may engage in advanced academic courses, extra-academic courses and non-academic courses, such as yearlong pre-college math courses, language studies, learning a trade, art studies, volunteer work, travel, internships, sports and more. Gap years are sometimes considered a way for students to become independent and learn a great deal of (3) ____ prior to engaging in university life. Australians and New Zealanders have a tradition of travelling overseas independently (4) ____ a young age. In New Zealand, this is known as “doing an OE” (Overseas Experience). Sometimes, an OE is (5) ____ to one year, but often Australians and New Zealanders will remain overseas for three to five years, with many working short-term in service industry jobs to fund their continuing travels. Europe and Asia are popular destinations for doing an OE. In Australia, through exchange programmes and benefits for youth, there are so many opportunities for a young person to broaden their (6) ____ through travel in a gap year.

Like high schools, American colleges are sometimes criticized for discarding requires courses and offering too many electives. In the mid-1980s, the Association of American Colleges issued a report that (1) ____________ teaching a body of common knowledge to all college students. A similar report, “Involvement in Learning,” issued by the National Institute of Education, concluded that the college curriculum had become “excessively work-related”. The report also (2) __________ that college education may no longer be developing in students “the shared values and knowledge” that traditionally bind Americans together.

These reports coincided (3) ____________ a trend away from the liberal arts. Instead, students were choosing major fields designed to prepare them for specific jobs. In 1992, 51 percent of the bachelor’s degrees were conferred in the fields of business and management, communications, computer and sciences, education, engineering, and health sciences.

This trend raises questions that apply to the educational philosophy of all industrialized countries. In an age of technological breakthroughs and highly (4) _______________ disciplines, is there still a need for the generalist with a broad background and well-developed abilities to reason and communicate? And if the answer to that question is yes, should society take steps to encourage its colleges and universities to produce more such generalists? Like their (5) ____________ in other countries, American educators continue to debate these questions.

Myriad occupational schools in the central coastal city of Da Nang have received just a small number of applications over the past few years. “Last year we only had 142 new students, but the number of new enrollees is 50 this school year,” Truong Van Hung, rector of the Duc Tri Da Nang Vocational College, said, adding the school has set a target of recruiting 1,200 students for the 2014-2015 academic year. “Closing the school is just a matter of time,” he said.

Similarly, the Viet A Vocational School in Hai Chau District in Da Nang has not recruited any new enrollee for over one year given the absence of job opportunities for its graduates. “We do not want to enroll because we cannot help students land jobs after they graduate,” a leader of Viet A said. “We will only admit new students when we can have a partnership with companies who can employ our students after they finish their studies.”

Elsewhere, vocational schools in the southern province of Dong Nai are ‘frozen’. The Dong Nai Information Technology-Telecommunications Vocational School in the academic year of 2013-2014 enrolled only 82 students compared with a target of 1,000; the Nhon Trach Industrial Engineering Vocational School only had 200 out of its goal of 600 students for the school year; the 26-3 Vocational School received 150 students while they set a target of 250; and the South-Eastern Electromechanical Vocational School only recruited 300 out of the 500 students they planned to admit.

The situation means that equipment for training programs at those schools has been left unused and covered with rust. Local experts have commented that if the lack of students persists, vocational schools are at high risk of being closed, sooner or later.

Do you find the American education system to be confusing and different from the education system in your own country? Do you want to attend a university or a school in the USA? The American education system offers international students the most diverse set of options in the world. In fact, an international student who elects to take advantage of the American education system can pursue anything from nuclear science to film and dance. The possibilities are almost endless!

The American education system requires that students complete 12 years of primary and secondary education prior to attending university or college. This may be accomplished either at public (or government-operated) schools, or at private schools. These 12 years of schooling (or their equivalent) may also be completed outside the USA, thus giving foreign students the opportunity to pursue the benefits of the American education system and obtain a quality American education. Perhaps one of the most impressive facts is the large number of presidents, prime ministers and leaders from other countries who have experienced the American education system and graduated from a university or school in the USA. In many fields and industries, the American education system offers the most cutting-edge, sought-after programs at the world’s best schools. That is why graduating from an accredited American school and being exposed to the rigors of the American education system is an investment in your future.

Whether you want to study at a USA university, a top college, or at an ESL, vocational or high school, a thorough understanding of how the American education system works is essential. Without a clear grasp of the system, an international student will find it difficult to make the right academic choices. The information provided in the Overview of the American education system section will help you develop that understanding. You can also search our list of Universities, colleges, community colleges, graduate schools, and boys and girls boarding schools. It is no surprise that the United States hosts more international students than any other country in the world!