Schools and Studies
"He, who does not care for being instructed, you shall in vain try to instruct, unless you awaken in him a fervent interest in learning." This was said by Jan Amos Comenius, the author of many other wise sayings. After enrolling in the nine-year elementary school, six-year-olds begin their compulsory school attendance. The school year begins on September 1st and finishes on June 30th. Children gradually learn to read, write and count; later they get acquainted with the fundamentals of history, geography, the natural sciences and the fine arts. At the end of each school year, pupils get reports about their academic record in different subjects. This is followed by long-awaited two months of holidays, which they look forward to very much. But they have also other holidays e. g. Christmas, Easter and spring holidays.
In the final year of the elementary school many people face a problem. During this time everybody needs to choose his future occupation. The choice depends not only on our interests but also on our performance and success at school. We can choose from various options: to study at some secondary school (industrial, medical, economic) or an apprentice training centre, or some art school. One of the alternative secondary school is a high school, which is designed to prepare its students for university studies. At present time there are also private and religious schools. In contrast with the past, more emphasis is placed on foreign language studies (English, German, French, etc.) as well as computers and economics.
Secondary school studies last for four years. At the end of the fourth year students must pass a graduation examination. Knowledge of four subjects is verified there. The graduation examination committee rules as to how we performed.
If we want to study at college or university, we must successfully pass the entrance examinations and interviews. The choices are really quite wide-ranging. We can decide whether we will study at a school with a technical, humanistic or economic orientation, one of the medical faculties, or at a conservatory. Universities and technical Universities have several levels. The lowest, usually lasting three years, is the bachelor's degree. Upon successfully completing this course of study, we achieve the title of bachelor. After completing studies at an economics or technical college we obtain the title of engineer. The complementation of studies is marked by a ceremony called graduation, where we get a diploma certifying the successful complementation of our studies.
There are also specialized schools for learning how to drive any kind of vehicle. These schools are known as driving schools. The final exam consists of theoretical knowledge of traffic regulations but also of actual driving skills. Then we get our long-awaited driving license and we can set out onto the streets.
School System in the Czech Republic, UK and USA
School system in the Czech Republic
In the CR, school attendance is compulsory from the age of 6 till 15 (or 16). It is free of charge and all children have the same possibilities for their future education. This system includes 4 grades:
a) Pre - school education
In our country there are nursery schools for children from the age of 1 to 3 years. From the age of 3 to 6 children attend kindergarten. This pre-school education is not compulsory.
b) Primary education
From the age of 6 to 15 (or 16) children attend basic schools. There are 2 degrees there. The first degree is from the first to the fifth class. Children learn the 3 R's there: Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic. Second degree is from the 6th to the 9th class. They learn Czech language and literature, foreign language, Maths, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, History, Geography, Civics, P. E., Music and Art.
c) Secondary education
Boys and girls over the age 15 (or) 16 attend secondary schools such as Grammar school, Special School and Apprentice centres. At secondary school students are taught most of those subject as at basic school but they are expanded in their content. As for special subjects, they learn economics, typing, accounting, computers, and various kinds of laboratory work. Students finish their studies with the school-leaving examination
d) Tertiary education
Tertiary education refers to universities and Technical Universities. Successful students from secondary schools can enter any university.
School system in Great Britain
School is compulsory for children between the age of 5 to 16. Primary schools are for ages between 5 - 11 and Secondary schools are for ages over 11. Children under the age of five go to kindergarten. In Britain, 93% of pupils go to state schools. At the age of 16 about two thirds (2/3) of these pupils leave school and get jobs or apprenticeships. This system of education is free of charge. Some children take the Certificate of Secondary Education (C. S. E.) which means the satisfactory completion of school at the age of 16. More ambitious children take the examinations for the General Certificate of Secondary Education at ordinary level (GCSE - O level) or advanced level (GCSE - A level) at the age of 18. The GCSE - A level is the basic qualification to enter university. There are more than 40 universities in Great Britain.
School system in the USA
In the USA there is not a national system of education. Each of the 50 states has its own laws regulating education. Children begin school at the age of 5 or 6 and continue until the age of 18. Every child gets minimum 13 years of education free of charge. Primary or grade school is from the 1st to 6th grades. Then students attend middle school (also called junior high school) for three years. After middle school, students attend secondary schools, which are called "high schools". The goal of secondary school is to get a high school diploma. Students should take on average 17 or over 20 units during their studies. Marks in most US schools are A, B, C, D, and F with an A being excellent and an F being failure. During the final year of high school, most students take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) which is a national college entrance examination. The results of this test will determine if the student should continue on to attend a college or university and it is used by universities to decide which students to accept.
Learning foreign languages
Knowing another language will allow you not only to communicate with people from other countries and learn about their cultures, it will also assist you in practical ways. Students in all fields will be able to apply the skills and knowledge that studying a foreign language provides. Most important, studying another language helps you become more competitive after graduation from school. In my personal experience, learning a foreign language opened up totally new doors and allowed me to have a much more broad range of experiences.
Studying a foreign language may be the best way get to a rewarding career in the areas of international business, education, tourism, foreign service, management and social service, to mention just a few. No matter what field you specialise in today, you will benefit from studying another language and culture because it provides you with a broader view of the world and an additional marketable skill.
There are other reasons to study a foreign language, such as that learning a foreign language teaches and encourages respect for other peoples, it contributes to the development of one's personality, and it helps to preserve a country's image as a cultured nation.
Probably, at this time, the most important language used for world communication is English. It's spoken in many parts of the world, mainly in Great Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand (and also in Malta and Gibraltar). More and more English expressions are being borrowed into other languages, particularly in technical and computer related areas. In the Czech republic, the other languages we mainly study include German, French, Spanish and Russian.
As Goethe wrote, "Wer keine fremde Sprache kennt, weiß nichts von seiner eigenen" (Whoever knows no foreign languages, knows nothing of his own). Only by learning how other languages manage to express themselves differently from our own native language can students understand the unique qualities of their own language's words and grammar.
THE CZECH SYSTEM OF EDUCATION.
MY SCHOOL.
School attendance in the Czech Republic is compulsory from the age from 6 to 15. Most children attend state school, but there are also private and church school. Education at state schools is free of charge, but at private and church schools students must pay school fees. But also all of the students at secondary schools must pay for their textbooks.
The school year begins on September 1st and finishes on June 30th of the following year. School year is divided into two terms (September - January, February - June).
Pupils and students are evaluated by marks from 1 to 5; 1 is the best and 5 is the worst. Each student gets their school report with marks from different subjects.
Education in the Czech Republic includes these stages: nursery and kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, university and college.
A child from one to three years of age can attend a day nursery and from three years of age, kindergarden. This is the first contact with society. At 6 children start to go to primary schools and they stay here until 15. Children learn to read, write and count, later they get acquainted with the basic information of history, geography, foreign languages, natural sciences and the arts. In the final year of elementary school have to everybody choose future school, which prepare him to his occupation. But also pupils in the fifth classes of primary schools can decide to go to grammar schools.
They can choose of variety options of secondary schools:
1. grammar schools which prepares its students for university studies
2. special schools which include technical colleges, specialised in chemistry, engineering etc., business academies, agricultural and nursing schools, music and art schools which offer professional education
3. vocational schools which training would-be workers for their practical jobs.
Secondary school studies last four years. At the end of the fourth year students have to pass a graduation examination, usually consisting of oral and written parts. This examination is taken in four subjects at grammar schools and in five or more subjects at specialised schools. The Czech language exam and a foreign language exam are compulsory. While two subjects chosen from science subjects or humanities are optional. A student chooses one question of 25 to 30 topics and after preparation he have to answered the question in fifteen minutes. If someone do not pass the examination, he could attempt it in second chance in September. After passing the examination student receive the School-Leaving Certificate. From now they can study at universities and colleges or if they do not want, they can go work.
If students want to study at universities or college, they have to successfully pass the entrance examination and interwies in the subjects in which the university specialises. Students can choose school with technical, humanistic or economic orientation, medical faculties or conservatory. Universities have several levels. The lowest, usually lasting three years, is the bachelor's degree and after successfully completing this course of study they achieve the title of bachelor. At teacher's college, upon the completion they obtain the title of master. And after completing studies at an economic or technical college they obtain the title of engineer. The completion of studies is marked by a ceremony called graduation, where they get a diploma certifying the successful completion of our studies.
One of our most renowned universities is Charles University, founded in 1348 by Charles IV. This school was the first university in Central Europe.
MY SCHOOL
Name of school that I attend is Private Cheb School. Its situated on Jánské square number 15. There was a town hall in the past. Our school is divided between primary school - new grey building and grammar school- old red building.
- in each class there is desks, chairs, blackboard
- in our school there is two libraries - but there are not many books
- in old building there is small laboratory, computer room and one of the two libraries; there is also headmaster's office and staff room
- in new building there is very small gymnasium, room for drawing, piano and library
I think our school isn't good equipped. There is missing equipment for example - good laboratory (chemicals for experiments), equipment for exercise and we need more books.
Lessons start at 8.30. We have five lessons, then is a lunchtime - one hour and at 14.00 o'clock start afternoon lessons. So we finish at 15.40 on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. On Wednesday and Friday we have up to 13.00 o'clock. At morning we have two lessons of one subject, then one another subject and at last further two lessons. So at this system of education we can repeat new subjects matter, do some exercises, talk about it or if someone do not understand, the teacher have more time to explain it again.
Students are divided between scientist and humanities. It's divided accordingly that students whose like maths, physics, chemistry, biology and they are good or successful in these subjects they intent on science. So they have not learn supplementary studies of history. The same concern for students whose are interested in history, foreign languages.
There is also one problem in Czech education - in state schools are many students in one class, about 28. That problem is solving in our school because we have small classes. So in one class are about 10 students and teacher can dedicated to students and their problems with subject matter.
Presently, my favourite subject is P.T., the subjects I disliked was physics and chemistry.
Vocabulary:
compulsory - povinný
acquaint - seznámit, obeznámit
occupation - zaměstnání
optional - volitelný předmět
completion - doplnění
renowned - slavný, proslulý
further - další
accordingly - podle toho
intent - pozorný, soustředěný
supplementary - dodatečný, doplňkový
MY FUTURE CAREER
- as a small child, I dreamt of being a teacher in nursery; a little later, I wanted to be a doctor, but when I was older I realize I don't like blood of strange people
- I began to think of what I would really like to do when I was about 17 years old.
- I like working with people, I like travelling and work with computers, so I´d like to work for some company; maybe I want to be a social worker; I would like to be an archaeologist, but unfortunately I am not good at history
- for me it's not easy to decide what I´d like to do for my whole life because I still really don't know what I want to do all my life; but I know I like to have an interesting job and high salary
- for me good job should be well paid and interested too. I would like to have pleasant co-workers and the best way will be when my job include to being my own boss. I would like my job to include having possibilities for travel and also using my abilities and experiences.
- To me, money earned is important factor, but not the most important, in deciding my future job because money in this world are very necessary and I would like to have my own car, house... And I think that the salary is as important as job satisfaction.
- I have job only over the summer when I help to my father in his firm. I help him with some papers, with writing on typewriter and I have to put together curtain in to the parcel which my father produce. He produces curtains, tablecloths and nearly everything with textile too. Sometimes I helped to my friend in her solarium.
- It hasn't been possible for me to have an after-school job because I have too much homework.
- maybe I want to do a shop assistant in tobacconist's or in bookshop where I could read newspapers. But I want to be here only in the morning and I will have afternoon for myself.
- My summer job was about to earn money and help to my father. I waste my first pay for clothes and remainder I let for my holiday in Italy.
- Qualities that I think a boss appreciates in workers include hard work and punctuality. Bad employee for me is someone who is lazy.
Vocabulary:
waste - utratit peníze
remainder - zbytek
appreciate - ocenit
punctuality - přesnost