Research About School

http://www.universityparent.com/2009/02/18/class-rank-unimportant
This is mainly about the importance of class rank. Or more specifically how it may not be very important. The main point of a class rank is basically for students to be top 10% of there class. It is mainly used for college admissions. Colleges assign a admission officer that checks for a person's high school rank in there classes and with that and other requirements they determine whether you are "worthy" enough to be accepted into the college. It also talks about how it would effect a students performance in school if class ranking was removed. It seem as if removing class rank does remove actual evidence of who is in first place but it still does not remove the fact that a grade A student is still the best in class. They would continue to keep working hard to be the best in their class whether they have a piece of paper or knowledge of their class rank. Although it may also encourage students to try to do better.

I think I can really relate to this article. Mainly because I think high school is complete bull at times but it makes me feel like a hypocrite because I do so well in school apparently (according to my grades). I think it is the fact that school at times seems to be like a competition with other students. I feel the appreciation of getting a good grade and getting A's in classes. Maybe it is because growing up I was never real praised a lot or noticed for any abilities that I had so I keep trying to be the best at what I do or maybe the most organized at what I do. Proving to myself that I can do good, getting the A on the report card at the end of the semester gives a sense of accomplishment. As if all the hard work was worth it. Although it is weird that I would put in so much hard work for a little letter or number on a piece of paper. I do not know my class rank, and although I do not know it still does not stop me from doing really well. Neither does cause me to slack.



http://www.almightydad.com/education/things-they-dont-teach-you-in-school
This article talks about this guy and his dad discussing about what are some key things that should be taught in school besides from choir classes such as math and English. There are many skills that should be being taught in school that would be actually helpful throughout our life. It talks about the difference between Book Smarts and Street Smarts. How Street Smarts may help us throughout life, these street smarts can otherwise to known as common sense. Some skills that this guy thought are life skills that should be taught in school include; How to Make Friends, How to deal with aging and he fact that we are going to die, and child care (how to take care of children, I guess when we have them). May not be something we are actually interested or relate to what we want to do in the future as a career but are actually basic skills of living.

I thought this was really interesting, there was so much discussions about schools teaching classes about things we need to know in our future such as how to do taxes and stuff I myself never really thought of classes that teach basic skills. I think these skills mentioned would be great. I mean a class to how to make friends, this would help me greatly for I do not have many friends, like really good friends (more then just a acquaintance), life life long friends. And I am not really good at making friends because at times I consider myself social awkward when I am not making small talk. So basically I think classes that directly help me as an individual would be of great interest such as how to great close bonds with family members or self defense classes or how to travel.


http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/8-essential-skills-they-didnt-teach-you-in-school.html
This is the 8 essential skills (apparently) that is not taught in high school or "Skills they didn't teach you in high school." This one is a little tiny bit different then the internet source above. As the previous one talks about stuff that needed to be taught such as how to make friends and how to cope with aging. This article relates a lot more to what was discussed in class. Things more broad such as how to speed read, how to manage time, how to negotiate and not get taken advantage of (much like Anias's idea), etc.

This is basically like an expanded idea of how school may not be teaching us significant life skills and things that we need in order to survive physically or mentally. Instead we learn about how to make a line of best fit on a graph, I mean a lot of the stuff in class may help us learn basic problem solving skills and think better but it is not as important as learning thing that can be seen as an everyday ritual. Like how to make sure you have good hygiene or how to clean things so its completely germ free. It makes me think of my boyfriend's foster sister who is 11 and just got her period a little while ago. She did not know what and I am guessing she was never taught by her parents as she is a foster child obviously, she figured there was something wrong and got scared, thought she was sick. My boyfriends mom had to explain and teacher what a period was, what to use during a period, and all the basics of what a women should do when they get there period. If there were a class like; what to expect in different stages of your life was taught then maybe things like this would not happen. Boys and girls would be less frightened or self conscious, etc.

When I was younger I had to travel back and forth between Hong Kong and New York since I was about 9 years old. I was never taught how to travel, what things to look out for, what to do if i felt sick, what foods to bring, where to look for gate numbers, what I was not suppose to bring on planes then I would have probably had a lighter time traveling and less of a scary one. I mean now I taught myself how to travel and it comes pretty easy to me when I travel being 18 and all but that was through all the crying cause I didn't know what was happening when a plane flight was delayed, I thought I was going to get lost in the middle of know where. Or what it meant when the guards check through all your personal belongings,or that you can asking ask the plane stewardess to bring you food and drinks. There are many life skills that should be taught depending on a personals individual role, needs, and lifestyles.

Add On
http://www.hkis.edu.hk/contentpage.php?type=wg&workplaceID=211&appid=237&apptype=2
So I was just thinking about when I went to school at HKIS in "lower primary" (thats what they called it) and how much fun it was and how much I actually enjoyed high school. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been life if my parents did not divorce of if my dad didn't go broke and was able to afford such an expensive school like HKIS, what would if have been like if I actually stayed and went there as a high school student. I was curious so I looked up the high school curriculum, my friend from Hong Kong who I knew since my days at HKIS would tell me how lucky I was I did not have to take sewing classes or cooking classes or modern technology classes or whatever. And in my mind I figured I would kill to take cooking, sewing, technology classes. So I wanted to compare the curriculum they have to School of the Future that primary only has Math, Science, English, Social Studies, and one year of electives which can be chosen from around 5 different subjects. Unless you failed a class of course.

Many of the courses at HKIS are pretty basic just like SOF. They have Math and Science. Although they have certain things different such as Modern Language which is something I could probably use. It apparently helps you have "Effective communication skills" which I could possibly use at times. They also teach Mandarin which I never stayed in HKIS enough to learn fully. My brother is able to speak cantonese and Mandarin. Unfortunately I was not, I would have liked to learn. There is Information Technology which I think teaches you how to use modern technology and Health and Well being which is definitely something that should be taught to kids. I personally would have liked to stay in HKIS i guess because it seems like it would better help me as a individual student. I doubt it would for a different student but for me it does so I guess there is always different schools or curriculums that is needed to fit each students individual needs.

http://www.briankim.net/blog/2007/03/top-5-things-that-should-be-taught-in-every-school/
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-School-Teaches-Us-to-Fail-at-Everything&id=633496