More from Aristotelio School

When I went to Greece I visited a private school (look back in the blog to the October visit to Aristotelio school). The students were very friendly. I recently received many questions as a comment to my post from one of the teachers that I met there. I am going to post my answers here for two reasons. First, I do not have her email address and can communicate this way. Second, she asks many questions about middle school and I am not an expert. I have tried to tell her what I know and also to put in some web sites, but maybe some readers have other information you want to add!

Mrs. Lagoyanni,

I am so thrilled to hear from you. I was hoping that my visits to schools there and sharing with the schools in the US I was connected with would create some positive exchanges. I will attempt to answer some of your questions and then maybe you can write me some more specific questions that I can refer to someone who really works in a Middle School. What I know is as an educator, parent and someone who has trained teachers and visited many schools. Someone who actually works at a Middle School would have some better information and I am sure I could find a good connection.

The curriculum in Junior High Schools: In the United States there has been a move from the traditional Junior High where students change classes and have many different teachers and always different students in each class to a Middle School Concept. A Middle School is run with a team concept. Students are in teams and although they change classes they are with the same students and move among a team of teachers that works together and knows all of the students. This is thought of as a sort of transition between Elementary school where students stay with the same teachers and students all day to High School where we hope students are more independent and take different classes depending on their interests. Here is a link to help you learn more about the Middle School Concept: The National Middle School Association http://www.nmsa.org/ Phi Delta Kappan Research Reports http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kmidad.htm Middle Web http://www.middleweb.com/index2.html

In the United States each of the 50 States is responsible for their own curriculum plan. There is a strong movement in all of the United States to spell out the curriculum and so most states have a list of Standards for each grade level and each subject. I am not finding one place where you can look at multiple state standards, but since I have lived in Missouri and Texas here are links to their standards. You can look under grades 6, 7, and 8 for the curriculum standards for each grade: Missouri Show Me Standards http://www.dese.state.mo.us/standards/ (this is a summary, there is a document called the Frameworks that has more detail). Texas TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/) As you can see they are quite different, especially the organization in each state.

I will have to talk to someone from a Middle School to get more specific information about how that is organized in a school day.

2. Audio Visual Material: This varies greatly on the school. Almost all classrooms have one internet connected computer that sometimes is mainly used by the teacher. Sometimes this is hooked up to a projector and can be shown on a screen, OR it is hooked up to a Television. Many classrooms have overhead projectors. Depending on the subject there is other equipment (tape recorders for language labs, science equipment for science classes, etc...)

3. Schools are in session from early September (or late August) through the end of May (or beginning of June). There is a certain number of hours required by the state that students must be in school. Students usually attend school from 7:30 or 8 am until 3:00 or 3:30 pm.

4. Lunch: Every school has lunch time. American practice is to have lunch from 12-1 (noon), so in workplaces, homes, and schools this is when people stop and eat. In schools the exact time and length of the lunch break depends upon the size of the school and how the daily schedule is set up. Some have lunch break as early as 10:30. It usually lasts about 45 minutes (I think). Schools usually have one cafeteria which mainly serves a hot lunch. Some school cafeterias have choices of different food and others have a certain dish that they prepare for that day. We don’t have the wonderful spanakopita and cheese pies that Greeks eat and we don’t usually eat during the day except for the lunch meal. Some schools have snack machines where students can get chips or a candy bar between classes.

5. Homework: I will have to talk to someone in an actual Middle School to find out what the standard for homework is. I am not sure although I think that similar to what your students in Aristotelio said it varies greatly between different students and teachers.

I will have to save Extra curricular activities and Private Schools for a different note. Or maybe others will send in their information on these topics!

Thanks so much for your interest. I am hoping others will send in some information since anyone can see our exchange. If you want to write me personally my email address is janicef@jfriesen.net. Please do send me your email address if you have one since I don’t have one for you.

Her note-to save you from going back to the other post:
Dear Mrs Friesen,

I am writing on behalf of the principal, Mr Plastiras, and the students to thank you in turn for what you wrote about us in your blog. it was so nice for the children to know their thoughts were taken into consideration. We would be delighted if you visited us again at any time.

As for your offer to help us, the principal is interested in knowing further information on the education system if possible. could you tell us more about the curriculum in junior high schools in your country? In particular, which subjects does a curriculum include and how many hours per week are they taught? Is any audio visual material used in the classrooms? We are also wondering how long each session is and how long the school breaks are.

Another thing we would like to have some information about is lunchtime; when do the American students have lunch and how much time does that take? Are there any special cafeterias in the school where the studentscan have something light to eat?

Additionally, could you please tell us about homework assigned? How long does it take an average student to do his/her homework? Furthermore, what extra-curicular activities does an average teenager do in the afternoons?

Regarding private schools, would it be possible for you to tell us in what ways they differ from state schools?

Thank you in advance for your assistance. We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Body Worlds Exhibit

Back to Philadelphia.... One thing that I was able to visit while I was there was the Body Worlds exhibit. This exhibit is very controversial because it displays real cadavers which are preserved.

I found the exhibit very interesting. It was at Franklin Science Museum and I thought that it was appropriate (maybe not for young children... but it could be OK) I just didn't feel like the "specimens" were real people. There souls were gone and all that was left was the "stuff" which was treated and looked plastic and it was very educational. My sister in law, who teaches nursing says she takes students there and that it is very educational.

I felt there must be more to the controversy and so I am learning one of the best ways to learn things is to scan blogs. I found this one that explained about the use of executed Chinese prisoners. The show leads you to believe that all of the corpses are from donors who are happy to have their remains used that way. Not everyone believes this is true. If you are interested read more here:
http://lostbudgie.blogspot.com/2005/09/executed-chinese-in-toronto-body.html

Or, this article that is referred to in the blog above which questions the title of Dr Gunther von Hagens.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3532467.stm