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Grex > Parenting > #32: High Schools in this area: what do you think? | |
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mta
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High Schools in this area: what do you think?
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Oct 22 21:01 UTC 1993 |
Is there anyone here who has recent experience with the local high
schools? If you would be so kind, I'd appreciate hearing about
your experiences;specifically with the level of academic challenge
and the school's culture.
Thanks.
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| 183 responses total. |
katie
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response 1 of 183:
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Oct 26 16:35 UTC 1993 |
No recent experience, but from all I have heard, if a good education
and college is your goal, Greenhills is the place to be. They do assist
with tuition on the basis of need.
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scg
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response 2 of 183:
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Feb 12 16:44 UTC 1994 |
I've been going to Community for two and a half years, and I really like it.
The school's "culture" could only be described as very loose but very trusting.
Everybody goes by first names. There are no bells. People are allowed to
leave when they don't have a class. Classes that end early get to leave,
rather than just having to stand by the door and wait. It's a small school,
so everybody knows almost everybody else. To some people this would sound
like chaos, but due to the students generally being mature enough to handle
it it generally works quite well.
As for the "level of academic challenge" it can be as challenging or
as easy as the student chooses to make it. There is an incredibly wide
variety of options open to students in terms of what they want to take. In
addition to a pretty full range of the standard high school classes offered
in the building, as well as some more inovative in building classes, there
are many other ways to get credit through the Community Resource program. In
this program, if a student wants to take something, they can go out and find
somebody to teach it and then get credit for it. These things can range from
University of Michigan classes on the challenging end to things that are
almost complete blow off classes on the other end of the spectrum. This is
one of best aspects to the program, IMO. For example, I am currently getting
credit for taking six classes, even though only three are standard in building
classes. In one of the others, probably the one in which I am learning the
most, I am working with a group at the UM on teaching workshops to sixth
graders at a middle school in Detroit.
One big thing about Community is that it is not a place to go if all
people want to do is skip class and go out and smoke. Students who abuse it
and don't pass enough classes *will* get kicked out and sent back to their
neighborhood high school.
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scg
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response 3 of 183:
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Feb 12 16:49 UTC 1994 |
smalls 32 linked to genx 11
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kami
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response 4 of 183:
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Feb 12 22:46 UTC 1994 |
sounds wonderful! wish more schools had that level of respect for their
students. Maybe more students would act appropriately. Do you find transefer
students screwing around for a while before they figure out that there's no
percentage in it?
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vidar
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response 5 of 183:
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Feb 12 22:55 UTC 1994 |
I'd hardly consider being a teenager being a kid. However, we are not here
to discuss that, we are here to discuss schools in the general area.
I as well, have gone to Community for 2 1/2 years. I do not think I could
have had a better experience. While I will admit that the original reason
I came was to escape the violence of Huron, once I got here more things
made me like the school. However, since the end of my Freshmen year
peoples attitudes have declined. Instead of the Sweet, Loving (well
MOST of them were) Seniors, we have a bunch of Seniors who want to kill
everyone.
I do not like the fact that people cannot paint their lockers
like they could '87-'92. Then again, we bought lockers with a warrenty
that is void if any of them are painted. People are fighting in the
halls, the enrollment process gets screwed over by that chink fascist,
and Campbell (The everythin everyone *else* says is rascist, but I cannot
be rascist.). Why can they not leave a good thin alone? Or are they too
stupid to see a good thing when It's right in front of their ugly faces?
Though I will be going to Dalat School in Malaysia next year, I
will still graduate from community. However, they will froce me to go
to Chapel every week. Is it not against International Law to enslave
free people? If on the yearbook staff, they get to see the one with
all signatures (which often relate to my paganism). I don't care if
they are fundamentalists, what they see is what they get.
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scg
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response 6 of 183:
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Feb 12 23:01 UTC 1994 |
re 4:
It does usually take people a while to adjust to Community and not
screw around. Hopefully it does not take too long. Those who screw around
for an enitire semester and do not pass five classes get kicked out.
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vidar
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response 7 of 183:
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Feb 12 23:04 UTC 1994 |
But Dean Bob doesn't follow what I learned as the policy for Kicking people
out to the letter. It said (or says, depending) that people kicked out
are not allowed back on school property EVEN as duel-enrolles.
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scg
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response 8 of 183:
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Feb 12 23:10 UTC 1994 |
(the policy you are referring to is suspension, not kicking people out for
bad grades. But that discussion should probably be taken somewhere else to
avoid hijacking this item)
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kami
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response 9 of 183:
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Feb 12 23:14 UTC 1994 |
Vidar, I have heard teachers describe whole classes as being more or less
creative, cooperative, etc.- Consider Chinese astrology, which looks at birth
year rather than month- you might try asking some teachers how this year's
seniors compare to the previous two, and if they've always been that way (ask
at the middle schools, for example). Might make a fun little research paper.
Unfortunately, the behavior of one class may well affect the way the next few
are treated. I WISH we could get rid of the more reactionary elements on the
school board. Why do school boards get so entrenched? Petty power? Sigh.
Try to enjoy your new school; as to chapel, try to see it as a sociological
experiment- what universal elements show up in their religion? How does it
meet the needs of its adherents? What does it assume about humanity and the
universe? etc. After a term or so, you can see if your parents can get you
an exemption on the basis of it not being your religion, but that may make it
harder for you to develop strong friendships among your classmates- they may
resent the exception or see it as a judgement against them. Your religion
should be a comfort to you and the basis of your ethics, not an "in your face"
weapon against the establishment, IMO, although your personal ethic may
certainly preclude actively hiding it. See the difference?
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vidar
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response 10 of 183:
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Feb 12 23:14 UTC 1994 |
Good Idea. However, I think you're reffering to expulsion, which is just
a nicer way of saying kick out. Suspension implies that you return after
time.
Back to the original Topic.
What I know about Huron's violence is only what my sister told me. She
stretches the truth occasionally, but who on Midgard does not. I think
she would not lie about what happened to her.
Those visions were what me think of Huron as a Prison, now I think
of it as a concentration camp. It is, after all, if someone who blows up
a toilet is more dangerous than a rapist. Seig Heil, Dr Mial!
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vidar
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response 11 of 183:
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Feb 12 23:15 UTC 1994 |
Re# 9 slipped in while I was responding to 8.
Re #9: While your idea might be useful, I doubt I have the patience.
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kami
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response 12 of 183:
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Feb 13 04:16 UTC 1994 |
actually, this item seems to have become a jumble of responses out of order.
Who was responding to whom when? (this is re: #11.)
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vidar
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response 13 of 183:
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Feb 13 14:00 UTC 1994 |
I think we were both responding at the same time. Whoever is done first,
finishes first, and gets the lower response number. Anyway, back on Topic:
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facelift
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response 14 of 183:
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Feb 15 05:26 UTC 1994 |
Community, but it's just not structured enough for me.
I've had a lot of trouble with getting out early, first names, etc., even
though I went to M.Y.A. (The Devil's school).
Maybe partying will help...
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vidar
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response 15 of 183:
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Feb 15 22:48 UTC 1994 |
Structure is the base of all Evil! How can you be such a piss ant?!
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facelift
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response 16 of 183:
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Feb 22 00:32 UTC 1994 |
It's just easier for me to get along. I have trouble taking responsibility. As
for that slur, I didn't appreciate that, Vidar.
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vidar
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response 17 of 183:
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Feb 22 03:13 UTC 1994 |
Your not supposed to, and it is not a slur but is an insult.
If you want structure, go to Niflheim!
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kami
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response 18 of 183:
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Mar 1 06:02 UTC 1994 |
Vidar, please- not here. Can you disagree more gently, friend?.
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vidar
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response 19 of 183:
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Mar 1 21:40 UTC 1994 |
Not with an ass like that.
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facelift
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response 20 of 183:
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Mar 3 03:41 UTC 1994 |
Boy, do I feel like a hipocrite (see item 14) but
I still think that its easier for me to work in a more structured environment.
Myabe I'm just not used to all the responsibility we get at commie. maybe I'll
get used to it.
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kami
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response 21 of 183:
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Mar 3 17:48 UTC 1994 |
exactly. It takes time to decompress from a lifetime of external controls and
find your own pace and internal motivators. Better to do it now than later in
college or worse yet in the work place. You can make allies of your teachers,
you know- ask someone with whom you have a good rapport to help you come up
with schedules that you can stick to, real deadlines and goals, maybe even]
personal rewards. It may be that just the pleasure of being able to share
work in progress and the finished product with an interested adult will be
enough to help you get things done. As to behavioral stuff, that's a bit
harder with all the distractions and temptations around you, but you may still
be able to talk to some of the teachers about ways you can tell when you are
about to get out of control and decide whether that's a good time and place for
it. If you are the one asking for the guidance it may be less like the all-
powerful grownups putting a little boy down and therefore easier to work with.
Keep at it.
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facelift
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response 22 of 183:
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Mar 4 17:56 UTC 1994 |
Actually, in the past few weeks, it has gotten better. I am pretty much on good
terms with all my teacher, and that is most definitly a first in high school.
I'm beginning to feel more comfortable also with the Idea that someone is not
always going to be on my back about my work, and I would have to be the one
onmy back. I have turned in a couple of assignments late, but for the most
part, I feel on top of everything. I still think that I'd rather just go for
certain classes than full time though. I've met teachers at pioneer who know
how to teach some subjects much better than teachers in community (case in
point CherylGrace), but the math department at pioneer is awful.
I havn't been asking for guidance on what is Ok, and what is not. I
think that I have pretty much figured it out by myself. I've never skipped a
class and I've only been late once in Community. I have noticed, however, that
theteachers are a lot more open to help me with my work. I asked my math
teacher if I could come in after school and he said "sure". I soon learned
that he didn't have a sixth hour, and he came in after school just for my
benefit. I have a few friends who would take it for granted, but I really
appreciated it. But I'm Rambling.
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kami
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response 23 of 183:
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Mar 4 18:33 UTC 1994 |
no, that's exactly what I meant about decompression time and looking for
allies. You'll do fine.
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scg
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response 24 of 183:
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Mar 4 20:47 UTC 1994 |
To defend Cheryl Grace (please don't take over this item as a Cheryl Grace
item, but I do feel I should reply to what facelift said about her), I took
her law class last year and found her to be an excellent teacher. I learned
much, much, more in that class than I have in most of the classes I've taken.
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