Page 12 - link magazine

Getting used to a school with 3,000 pupils
Shefali Singh, from Shaw, described spending 6 months at school in India in the January 2012 Link, comparing the experience of attending school in Eng-
land. In September she moved with her parents to Chicago. Here she contrasts a different education system.
The first thing that strikes certain parts of a course
you is the lack of a uniform. carry more weight than others.
Entering Naperville Central Homework is only worth 5 per
High feels like walking into cent of the overall grade, but
an airport departures lounge. tests and quizzes are worth
Not only are there over 3,000 95 per cent.
people, each and everyone The grades in all of your
of them creatively expresses classes are then converted to
themselves through their a four point scale, where an
clothing. A is worth 4 points and D is
The clothing rules aren’t worth one. These are then av-
strict at all, and as long as you eraged to calculate your GPA
are wearing items that can’t or Grade Point Average. This
be considered harmful or of- is absolutely crucial as it’s the
fensive, you can wear it. first thing colleges look at on
Discrimination, racism and your application.
any form of bullying are dealt Overall, I find school is
with very severely and there is an The way a student chooses their activity which takes up our last period. quite a lot harder in America, but
online ‘tip’ system that allows students classes or courses is also very differ- I’ve chosen drawing this year and plan that’s probably because of the fact
to anonymously tell school officials ent to England. There are some basic to take lifeguard training next. that I’ve chosen to take more chal-
about any harassment going on. graduation requirements, such as Grades are also a huge deal in lenging classes.
In such a huge institution counsel- completing four years of English and America. Whereas in England, the That’s another thing about school
lors in a large student services depart- at least three years of Maths, but oth- only grades that really seem to matter in America, not only can you choose
ment work with each child to help erwise, a student is free to pick their are your GCSEs and A Levels, in high your courses but also the difficulty to
them plan their courses and life after courses from a huge book that lists a school each and every grade helps you suit what you think you’re capable of.
high school. There are also people very wide range of classes. There are earn marks. And going to college for two years
called deans, who you usually go to eight periods in a day, one of which is For example a 15 out of 20 on a or university for four years at age 18
when you’re either in trouble or are lunch, and we have PE every day. We homework assignment counts to- is an expectation of all high school
feeling troubled. can also choose an extra-curricular wards your collective grade, whilst graduates.

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12 swindonlink.com • March 2013

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