Good Schools (those not from canada) (live in, vs, education)

[nickjbor]

I'm puzzled why so many from outside canada ask, about canada, where the good (high or elementary) schools are? I think that I'm not the only canadian puzzled by this question, but the fact that it gets asked so much makes me wonder how things work in other countries, and/or if there ARE any "good schools" in canada after all.

[k8swirl]

We came to Canada in '88, and had no concept of "good" vs "bad" schools. But having lived in really small town rural Canada (NWT, northern BC), as well as large cities in Canada, I think there really are significant differences in quality of schools. The rural, small schools I went to through highschool were bad...awful really. I can remember my first year in a Canadian (small, rural) school, I was shocked that students were reading Peter Pan in grade 9 English - and having troubles with it. In the small towns I lived in, mining the lumber industry were key, so there was no premium on education from the parents - and most of the kids dropped out by grade 11 to work and earn big $$ at the mills. So the communities at large were not all that interested in education. The teachers tried but I can't even imagine the burnout rate when the students and their parents didn't give a ****. There was little competition, so very little effort put one at the top of the class - which makes true excellence difficult. Drugs and alcohol were also a large part of life for anyone aged 12 or above. Compare that to the city I live in now where you have a choice of multiple schools offering multiple programs in a place where a good proportion of families and the community value education - the end result: a much better education for kids.

Although I'm sure there are small rural communities with excellent schools, based on my experiences, my kids will be attending "good" schools in a larger city.