On my first day of school in Seventh Grade, I noticed that I was excited much more than usual; I knew that the first year in Upper School would be drastically different from the years in Lower School. I had been a student of The Kew-Forest School ever since I was in Kindergarten, which means I knew many things about the school and I certainly would not get lost. However, going into seventh grade I had anticipated more difficult assignments and an abundance of tests and quizzes. Yet, even with all of these difficulties in the way, I managed to work my way around them. Along with that, I have joined together with new classmates and created friendships; I had also managed my friendships with other classmates from previous school years. The new teachers are truly amazing and they are almost flawlessly able to teach the concepts we need to learn in class. With amazing teachers, I also find myself doing very well and succeeding in all class subjects. With all of this in mind, I am easily able to say that my first trimester of Seventh Grade was truly an extraordinary and marvelous experience.
One of the major differences of going into Upper School was the change of the amounts of assignments, quizzes, and tests. At first, I was quite worried that this would overpower me and cause me to fall behind in all of my subjects. Instead, the exact opposite had occurred. Contrary to my other classmates, I found that I began to enjoy the new difficulties presented to me. In a way, it reminded me of how lucky I am to enroll in such an amazing school that provides an education that requires the students to reveal their true potential in academics. Unlike my original thoughts, I always enjoy having quizzes and tests; sometimes I even think we do not ...
... middle of paper ...
...y unique in comparison to the school years in Lower School. Originally, I expected an incredibly difficult school year that may end up overpowering me; however, I found that I was able to manage and work around the difficulties. I had become accustomed to all of the assignments and the teachers. I had began to truly enjoy the quizzes and tests we have. I am also remarkably joyful at the fact that I have made wonderful, enjoyable, and interesting friends in my class. I had also learned that I have such amazing, intelligent, and confident teachers who are certainly capable of teaching. All of this had also reminded me to be excessively thankful and grateful for all of the marvelous things I have. With all of these things to keep in mind, I can sincerely say that my first trimester in Seventh Grade definitely was an extraordinarily extravagant and incredible experience.
From the beginning of high school, students strap on their seatbelts and prepare for one of the most vigorous races of their lives – becoming successful. With the rare occurrence of a break, kids are expected to keep on driving as fast and as powerfully as they can in order to get into a “great” college, which would be followed by graduate school and then an actual job that would make a lot of money. In American society, common values include working hard, determination, and being so productive that free time is not even a question. However, this philosophy is taking a major toll on American college and high school students. For at least 40 years, America’s future has been steadily growing unmotivated, tired, and hopeless due to the overemphasis on performing well in school. This phenomenon is appropriately expounded in William Zinsser’s “College Pressures”, which takes a look at the top four sources of tension that cause these feelings of dejection and agitation. After reading this article, I came up with a few solutions to this national problem. It is time to switch the harsh, over-encouraging green light of education to a comfortable yellow one. In order to make this ideal transition, directors of education across the country need to primarily reduce the amount of out-of-class assignments, lighten the grading system, and incorporate days in the school year that allow students to express their thoughts about school and provide useful feedback.
Growing up, my parents never expected perfection but expected that I try to accomplish my best. The effort I’ve put forth in learning has been reflected in my grades throughout my high school career. I’ve entered myself in vigorous course work such as AP Government and AP English to become well prepared for my college career, all while maintaining a 4.4 grade point average this year. Not only do I engage in AP classes, but up until this year I had no study halls. I wanted my day to be packed full of interesting classes that I would enjoy learning about. My grades and choice of classes prove the effort that I put forth in my learning. Working hard now can only pay off in the future. Learning now creates a well-rounded human being. Working to learn is why I am so dedicated to my studies now.
through the seventh grade is more of a challenge than any of them had expected. It starts
As many people have told me before, it is a very different ballgame than middle school’s easy going years. There is much more work, the classes are harder, and the environment is completely different. Many people’s grades may slip and they may cower in fear at the barrage of assignments they receive class after class. Unlike other people, I am confident in my ability to excel at all classes and to sustain exemplary grades. Therefore, while many are trembling in fear at the prodigious assignments and work is bombarding them from all angles, I will be at ease, knowing that whatever obstacle is thrown my way, I will conquer it and be its own
Yet again, I was starting another school where I didn’t know anyone.I had to do it all over again, with the same thoughts going through my head, wondering what it was going to be like, always wondering if I was going to fit and make friends easily knowing how big it was. I decided that these next two years at this school were going to be focused on college and my school work, I wasn’t going to be in any clubs or sports. I thought to myself that joining a sport at a small school was very different and I didn’t want to know what it was like at a big school. I managed starting this school just like I managed starting high school. Good thing I am very outgoing so I enjoy meeting new people! I remember my first day of school there like it was yesterday. Walking in and seeing thousands of faces that I have never seen before. It was huge, 1500 in each grade. It was so big that they had two different campuses; one for the freshman and sophomores and another for the juniors and seniors. It was really hard making friends but I was lucky enough to be able to go to the Lake County Tech Campus associated with the College of Lake County and I made a lot of friends there in my nursing class. It was a very racial school, there wasn’t a majority of one race whereas Central was majority whites. I enjoyed all of my teachers that I ever had at Warren and I felt that I really learned a lot compared to feeling like I was ever
Many studies show that older high school students tend to not take the mandated standardized test but rather “have fun” with the test by filling in the answer bubbles with pictures (Tests 3). The only time that students care about the results of a test are if they affect their grades or future goals. From th...
Let me take you back to being a sophomore in high school: fifteen-about-to-turn-sixteen-year-olds, beginning thoughts of college just blooming in their minds, and they are taking more challenging classes than ever before. Every year, classes are changed in schools in order to fulfill new requirements and the difficulty is increased in order to challenge the new students. These new classes and the amount of choices students now have between the different classes available now put new pressures on students that the older generations may not understand. Not only do students have the choice of electives, but now they have the choice of different mathematics, sciences, and English courses on a range of sometimes four different levels. With all these choices, students may have a hard time deciding which is the proper course and level to take. Unfortunately, there is one more pressure in the mix of this decision: the pressure to take advanced placement (AP) courses. More students are taking AP classes every year but the number of students who “bomb the AP exams is growing even more rapidly” (Simon). This leads into the idea that students are not getting more intelligent than the previous classes, but simply that there is too much pressure on them to take these AP courses. Students in high school are being pressured too much to take advanced placement courses whether or not they are academically qualified for them.
During my early education, meaning elementary school and middle school, I was a very average student. I gave an average amount of effort to my grades, and I received above average results. This did not bother me, until the end of my 8th-grade year. At this point in the year, I was filling out what classes I desired to take the following year, my freshman year. I realized that from this point forward, I had to take my education much more serious, in order to get accepted to whichever college I desired. therefore, when planning my classes, I decided to challenge myself more than I ever have in the past, and take multiple honors courses. I assumed because of my grades, that I had what it took to be an honors-level student, but I was very wrong. One teacher, Mrs. Johnson, made me realize the kind of effort, time and energy needed to be devoted to my education.
...ademic hardships. Even though I lost so much during junior year, I was unaware of the fact that secretly I was actually gaining a great deal of life experiences and real-life lessons for the future. Quite honestly I feel lucky. I feel lucky that I matured early in life; with this new maturity I feel I can accomplish anything. I feel I can make a positive difference in this world. I feel like this experience will be the primary step in my success, in terms of my career, and in the launch of my Children in Need campaigns in third world countries. I feel like the young superman who just learned how to fly, slightly aware of his magnificent impact towards the world. In short, I feel junior year provided foundation for the more mature and adult chapters of my life, and without the numerous obstacles of junior year, I would never gained the key to a successful future.
Over the years school curriculums have become more difficult and intense. For many students, their focus has drifted from learning and making an effort to understand the material to seven hours of memorizing. Students hold onto information for only as long as necessary. Their focus is not trying to enhance their knowledge to better themselves in the future. A large part of the problem includes the expectations put on young adults attending high school and college.
In this first semester I learned different things in each class and I put them in practice inside and outside the school. Also, I had some college classes this semester and I did my best to have good grades. For example in English class I learned a few things, but they are the most important things that I learned for my life and knowledge. In this class I learned about debates, archetypes, and The Secret Life of Bees.
Through these fun and challenging times each one of us has built strong relationships. Whether it was with friends or a teacher, we have developed connections and memories that will be with us forever, even if we lose contact with those individuals. Some students have discovered they have a passion for writing through a creative writing class or want to have a career in business from taking Mr. Ide’s inspirational marketing classes. Others have participated in CLIP or summer school to catch up and make it possible for them to be here today. I went to Heights Elementary and have spent the last 12 years with the same group of people. Attending school with the people I’ve known since elementary and middle school, and making homecoming posters with them for four years in a row, has given me a chance to get to know the people around me better than I ever thought I would.
Although homework may seem like drudgery, the hard work that is put into homework may pay off in the long run. In the article, “Does homework really work for students?” Jacqueline Carey, the mother of seventh grade student Micah Carey, stated that “homework gives [students] a good foundation for when they move on further in school” (Johnson). Not only that but according to Donyall Dickey, principle at Murray Hill Middle School, “if students do not acquire things in class, they will acquire them through homework” (Johnson). As we can see homework helps and prepares us for higher grade levels while in primary school that can possibly prepare us for college. It also helps us to remember the materials that were taught in class. Another reason homework can be beneficial is the fact that it can prepare us for tests and the dreadful pop-quiz that a teacher may randomly give us. This fact was proven, according to a 2006 study by Harris Cooper, director of Duke University’s Program in education, in the article “Homework or Not? That is the (Research) Question”. The studies instituted that “students who had homework performed better on class tests compared to those who did not” (DeNisco). Another compelling thing about homework, are the qualities a skills th...
Fun, scaring, exciting are the feelings of my first week of school. This is a brand new experience of my life having to leave my friends and teachers in middle school behind. New school, new friends and new teachers are all part of this new school year. This one is different though, it’s the first week of high school.
I was able to overcome many problems and challenge myself in different aspects. At the very beginning of the year, I was very sensitive and having a bad experience meant a bad life to me. Later on, I started to realize what I am doing in school, and why I am here… I understood that life without ups and downs means you're died.