My class of nine sophomore boys left us laughing today-- they're all friends, so they constantly crack jokes at each other, which I don't mind as long as they explain it to me in English, which most can do quite intelligibly. They're much more willing to talk than my other classes, where it's like pulling teeth to get the students to elaborate on a question or subject.
CRAZY DIFFERENCES IN FRENCH HIGH SCHOOLS:
- Extracurricular activities DO NOT EXIST: there are no school sport teams, no clubs of any kind. It's true all over France.. Schools are soley academic. Some of the kids play sports at unaffiliated clubs, but only practice at most three evenings/week. No two-a-days like in Texas. No missing class for an away game. No school rivalries.
-not-so-crazy, but still a difference: The students travel around as a class; for example, my group of nine boys also has science, math, french, etc, together. This is true in American middle schools for the most part, but in my high school every student had a unique schedule...
-School doesn't end until 6pm! They're in school from 8-6! Such a long day. It's practically getting dark by the time they're getting home. This being the case, they don't eat dinner until 8 or 9 pm, which is common among the French. They might make up for the long hours with longer holidays, but I think I'd opt for getting out at 4:00 everyday instead of a few extra days of vacation.
Maybe US schools should be more about academics and less about everything else. Remember how Texas passed a law where every student had to practice getting out of a school bus through the back in case of emergency. Hardly anyone even rides the buses in highschool but, fall and spring, a day is spent getting all students in and out of buses. And don't get me started on the cheerleaders practically lap dancing on the football players during pep rallies. I saw too much as the high school nurse. Please homeschool my grandchildren. I'll help.
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