How would you feel if your child went to a school like this?

[Vladenschlutte]

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By completion of secondary school education, students would have:

• a basic (“literate”) knowledge of a broad range of essential subjects (English, writing, speaking, literature, mathematics, history, social studies, science, and technology)
• a greater depth of knowledge in a particular field
• fluency in at least one foreign language
• a future career plan

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<p>Personally, foreign languages just seem like one of those things that rich white people think are great which they try to push onto everyone else. I don’t know if it’s a subtle manifestation of white guilt or what it is. It’s useless to most people. Most people aren’t doing international business. Most people aren’t even going to remember the language. </p>

<p>I also think it’s unrealistic to expect kids to have a career plan which they will actually follow. How many kids go into college thinking they’ll become doctors and how many actually become doctors? How many bankers? How many lawyers? How many consultants? How many kids come out of high school with the plan of being in and out of work making close to minimum wage their whole life and for how many is that the reality?</p>

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Lessons will be structured so that students are always aware of the practical applications of the topic, and receive hands-on experience wherever possible. For many classes, the homework/schoolwork would be reversed from how it currently goes - most of the initial learning would take place at home as homework, with the practice and application or discussion taking place in the classroom. In theory, this will make lessons shorter and more effective.

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<p>If by practical application you mean something which can be readily applied to productive activity, many academic subjects have no practical application. </p>

<p>What percentage of high school students in the US do you think do (do, not copy) 50% or more of their homework in all of their classes? Take a guess. A hint, it’s low. 90%? It’s even lower. </p>

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“Explorations” are courses or series of courses providing an introduction to an area of study and teaching the very basics of the topic.
“Interests” are more in-depth courses or series of courses that are chosen by the student. These series build on Explorations, increasing breadth of knowledge within a particular subject area.
“Focuses” are series of courses within a particular field of study, chosen by the student. These series build on Interests, increasing breadth and depth of knowledge within a particular field.

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<p>The average high school student tries to balance what is easiest and what looks best to colleges. </p>

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During Primary School, students will complete a standardized series of explorations covering various areas of all the basic literacies. During the first half of students’ primary education, they will take a trimester-long introductory course in each of the nine offered foreign language classes, as well as an introduction to two-dimensional art, three-dimensional art, and music. At the beginning of the second half of their primary education, students will choose a foreign language to study, as well as an art form. Students can change their selections anytime through their final year of Intermediate School. Beginning in Year 4 (age ~8), students will be split into different levels by placement tests and teacher recommendations.

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<p>What does different levels mean? I hope you don’t mean something like the European education system. </p>

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During Intermediate School, students continue with their literacy curriculum, their foreign language, and their art form. Students will also begin to choose interests. Interests offered include topics in mathematics, history, literature, science, technology, and the social sciences. Students can also take up an additional foreign language (including additional options outside the nine from primary school) or art form in lieu of an interest. At the start of Intermediate School, English is dropped from the core and replaced with literature.

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<p>Intermediate school starts at age 9? Rather than the student’s interest we’ll get a great view of what student’s parents want their student to be interested in. Beyond video games or something, how many 9-year-olds know what they’re interested in?</p>