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Hello there. It's me again, with another of my weird questions.
Could someone give me a brief overview of the american education system? How many grades are there? For what age groups are each for? What are those weird terms (to me) i keep hearing about.. like junior, senior, sophomore, k-12 and the like.
i'll ask more specific questions once the ball gets rolling. http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/smile.gif
I don't know if it was just my lack of watching the news, pathetic American news coverage, or the American education system, but when did Nunavit happen?
.Sal
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Salinger/TheDuck
"If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck,
and quacks like a duck...it's gotta be Salinger." -Quack!
"You're living in America/Leave your conscience at the tone."
- Jonathan Larson, Rent
http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/sig_staff.gif
K-12 is the usual term for the childhood education. It covers kindergarten through 12th grade.
A breakdown by usual age and "nickname" if any.
Kindergarten = 5 year old.
1st grade = 6.
2nd = 7
3rd = 8
4th = 9
5th = 10
6th = 11
7th = 12
8th = 13
In some school systems K-6 is called elementary school, 7th and 8th is Junior High.
In some school systems, K-4 is elementary school and 5-8 is middle school.
9-12 is called High school.
9th = 11, Freshman.
10th = 15, Sophomore.
11th = 16, Junior.
12th = 17, Senior.
There can be regional variations where junior high and middle school begin and end. Sometimes the terms are used interchangably. I had a friend that had 7-9 in middle school, 10-12 in high school, whereas I had 5-8 middle school and 9-12 high school.
[This message has been edited by Captain Blake (edited 03-13-2001).]
Captain Blake's numbers are a year off, at least for the states I'm familiar with.
In New York State, subtract 1 from Captain Blake's list:
Kindergarten: 5
First Grade: 6
yadayadayada
12th Grade: 17
The 'battle' to form Nunavut happened between 1973 and april 1st 1999.
Since then, it's been an official 3rd 'territory' in Canada, occupying the eastern portion of what was then the North-West Territory.
It's basically a province filled with Inuits.
I'm not surprised you ask the question though. Many canadians probably don't know that Nunavut is.
You're right, VJ. I'll go back and edit. I was interrupted in the middle and didn't check my numbers. Thanks!
Just checking something.. When you say
12th grade: 17.
Does that mean that you enter 12th grade being 17 years old and when you finish it, you're 18?
The 5 for kindergrarden is usually the age they shoot for, sometimes they're 4 or 6, depending on where their birthday falls.
It's not set in stone. And if your kid is a total duffer, he can be held back; though we rarely do that anymore... If he's a shining star of intellectual ability, they'll sometimes jump them a grade early on. If they are WAAAY ahead of the curve in high school, some school districts will allow them to test out early and head for college.
To be honest, i only knew the answer to that because back when i was a 'perpetual college student' the only classes that motivated me where anthropology and politics.
I even thought of getting a degree in politics with a minor in native american studies. http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/smile.gif
You need to be 17 years old on the day school starts for grade 12...Quote:
Originally posted by Anarchy Bob:
Just checking something.. When you say
12th grade: 17.
Does that mean that you enter 12th grade being 17 years old and when you finish it, you're 18?
Actually, you only have to worry about that when registering for kindergarten - as long as you are 5 on the first day of kindergarten (American school usually starts the first week of September), you're in. If you are turning 5 in October, you have to wait until the following year.
I was born the first week of September, so I know all about this http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/smile.gif Of course this meant that I was the baby of the class.
Now (way) back then, the drinking age was still 18. So many of my high school friends could go out drinking during senior year of high school, but I was SOL that year, *and* the summer before college.
Fortunately the powers that be hadn't invented the picture ID yet...
Here in Washington State, the School System varies from district to district.Quote:
Originally posted by Salinger:
Next week, I'm going to be heading up to San Juan Island in Northern Washington state where my girlfriend's parents live.
We have two Systems -- Middle School and Jr. High, and they are (for the most part) the same state-wide.
Both systems have a few things in common:
Both are 13 years long, consisting of Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, etc. -- all the way though 12th Grade.
9th Grade is also called "Freshman Year"
10th Grade is "Sophomore Year"
11th Grade is "Junior Year"
12th Grade is "Senior Year"
You will start Kindergarten when you are 5 years old (July 29th is the Cutoff day. If your fifth birthday is July 30th, you won't start kindergarten until you are 6).
That said, the only major difference is when the schools are split to the next-highest.
A Jr. High system is split as follows:
K-6 = Elementary School
7-9 = Jr. High [However, the 9th Grade Year goes on your college transcripts as being part of High School]
10-12 = Senior High School
A Middle School System is
K-5 = Elementary
6-8 = Middle School
9-12 = High School
Also, rural schools may mix it up a bit -- IIRC, Colville only has two schools (with a total of about 400 kids)
After that, there is always College, which is an entirely different ball of wax.
Gamethye
Given the recent news we've heard regarding shootings in US schools...I'm going to assume that you didn't mean this literally? http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/wink.gifQuote:
Originally posted by qerlin:
The 5 for kindergrarden is usually the age they shoot for,
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How do I set a Laser Printer to stun?
Oh, Paul...
>snigger<
I work with High School kids... >chortle< so...I shouldn't laugh >titter<
but...
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
that was funny.
>snif< I mean, it's not....
but it is....
I'm glad I didn't find this thread first, because I would have said something like:
Kindergarten - age 5 taught basic gang signs, how to hold a weapon...
First grade -
err... nevermind... I'm going to quit before I get myself in more trouble.
As a side note, I found out tonight that I am not allowed to use the phrase 'go ballistic' around the kids. Parents are afraid that it might lead to another shooting or something. As if a turn-of-phrase is really the root of the problem. Let's hide our heads in the sand folks, nevermind examining the problem head on with a little unflinching introspection....
>sigh<
people...
-R
[This message has been edited by Roxby (edited 03-13-2001).]
Usually, yes. Although in my high school, most people didn't graduate on the first try, and so were 19 or 20 when they graduated. Ah the benefits of a rural education. http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/wink.gifQuote:
Originally posted by Anarchy Bob:
Just checking something.. When you say
12th grade: 17.
Does that mean that you enter 12th grade being 17 years old and when you finish it, you're 18?
Well, if I hadn't found Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie on mp3.com I probably still wouldn't have known about Nunavut. I was really surprised after I finished listening to their song "Nunavut" to find out that the song was not just a little joke song, that there was a province filled with Inuit called Nunavut.Quote:
Originally posted by Anarchy Bob:
The 'battle' to form Nunavut happened between 1973 and april 1st 1999.
Since then, it's been an official 3rd 'territory' in Canada, occupying the eastern portion of what was then the North-West Territory.
It's basically a province filled with Inuits.
I'm not surprised you ask the question though. Many canadians probably don't know that Nunavut is.
Next week, I'm going to be heading up to San Juan Island in Northern Washington state where my girlfriend's parents live. I'm going to have to ask her father about Nunavut. He's an anthropologist who specializes in Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest...I imagine he knows something. http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/smile.gif
.Sal
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Salinger/TheDuck
"If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck,
and quacks like a duck...it's gotta be Salinger." -Quack!
"You're living in America/Leave your conscience at the tone."
- Jonathan Larson, Rent
http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/sig_staff.gif
hehehe . . . I mean sad events and all. But it was bound to happen.
I should know . . . I'm not far from that age, and I remember it REAL well. (coming on 20 now)
It's sad that kids can be so cruel to each other.
Note the reasons why most of these school shootings have happened . . .
. . . I mean it was sad that these events occured . . . but I'm not suprised.
Have you ever been the outcast?(remembers the 6th grade)
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"See Everything; overlook a great deal; correct a little." -Pope John XXIII
On Quantico, they skip middle/junior high altogether, and go from Elementary (K-6) right to High School (7-12)!
It was wierd, sharing halls and lockers with the bigger High School kids as a 7th grader, because there's usually a HUGE difference in visible age between 7th and 8th grade. The 8th graders didn't look much different than the 9th graders, though, so that was no big deal.
high school who is still young enough to remeber that???
god I feel old...
Where I grew up, I went from elementary school (K-6) to a combined high & intermediate school (7-12).
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Anyhoo, just some random thoughts...
I didn't turn 5 until two months into Kindergarten. This plus other factors made me naturally the smallest, puniest kid in class.
Oh, I remember it fondly.
That's the combo of death in public school... unusually smart and unusually puny.
There is a school system in the US? http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/biggrin.gif
Seriously...
So there are only 12 grades in the US school system? We have 13 plus the year you have to spend in the army.Very unfair somehow...
Quote:
Originally posted by Surak:
There is a school system in the US? :D
Seriously...
So there are only 12 grades in the US school system? We have 13 plus the year you have to spend in the army.Very unfair somehow...
Well... 13 if you count Kindergarten.
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"I'd rather die standing than live on my knees..."
Shania Twain
Oh, I forgot.
In Germany Kindergarten is from 3 to 5 or 6.Depends on your birthday if it is 5 or 6.So if you also count Kindergarten as school, I spent 16 years in it.
Well, some places have a Pre-K, for kids that are too small, or too young. My nephew was born in late Nov, so he was technically too young to go to kindergarten just before he turned 5. They put him into Pre-K, so that he could get the schooling, but not have to deal with older kids, or be forced to wait an extra year.
Your average "underprivalaged" kid goes through a myrid of classes now even before 1st
Theres Child Alert ages 2 to 3 which aims to get kids with potential learning problems a boost right out of the gate
Followed by
HeadStart which is essentually Government sponsored Day Care this is usually for kids aged 4 to 5 but sometimes 3 year olds find there way in.
Its quite unsetteling to be driving along in your avaerage school bus with a bunch of kids aged 3 to 5 who are 1.) scared senseless being the first time away from mommie and 2.) are saying to them selves 'hey No Mommie'! Makes for quite a mix.
In more affluent areas, your "priviledged kid" also attends pre-school before entering kindergarten, usually at the parents' expense.
A kid in an affluent school district who has not had some exposure to a "school" before kindergarten can even be at a "disadvantage" compaired to his beginning-kindergarten classmates. However, it will even out over time.
Also, for aggressive students, most US high schools offer Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate classes in high school, many of which are considered college level courses. Some school districts allow "advanced" 12th graders (seniors) to take classes at local colleges in lieu of some classes at the high school.
So, K-12 is standard in US schools, but what a student "studies" at a grade level can vary considerably based on the school district and choice of classes in upper grades.
May I say the IB is just a piece of crap? At least for me, it was useless. I can? Thank you.
And the thread was very clarifying for understanding all those strange nicks for the different school levels in USA.
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Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide, No escape from reality
When I went to HS you could attend classes at the local JC, but you had to apply those EITHER to HS or to college... not both.Quote:
Originally posted by mac22003:
Also, for aggressive students, most US high schools offer Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate classes in high school, many of which are considered college level courses. Some school districts allow "advanced" 12th graders (seniors) to take classes at local colleges in lieu of some classes at the high school.
NOW you can apply them to both... some kids attend the college instead of HS, and the HS teaches special versions of the mandatory HS classes for them on the JC campus (civics, economics, ect).
The daughter of a friend of mine graduated HS and had an AA from the JC on the same day (at 17) and graduated from Arizona State a year and a half later with a BA and started student teaching... she wasn't even 19 yet!
Go figure.
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"I'd rather die standing than live on my knees..."
Shania Twain
The HS in my town allows 10th through 12th graders take half of their day at the local vo-tech school. Graduating seniors who have attend tech school even get a free year at tech after they leave high school. I wish I could have done that when I went to HS. Of course, back then I was a goof off who didn't pay much attention at school anyway.
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"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of
their dreams."
--Eleanor Roosevelt