What is all the hoopla regarding the H.S. graduations? (credit, how much)

[Beware_of_Dog]

I have never seen so much headlines given daily to seniors graduating at every individual high school than here in S.D. I just don't see the big deal about it. Everyone graduates if they just show up for school. It is not like most of the kids really worked hard or learned much. I graduated even though I missed ditched 45 days my last semester (33 days in a row). Just seems like once again our society is over inflating the importance, quality, and achievement of something so minor and common. If everyone one can do it, what's all the excitement about?

[kettlepot]

While it's true that everyone can or could do it, for some reason 1/3 of students don't. Shocking, isn't it.

Don't forget, to graduate from high school you have to pass that exit exam that any 7th grader of average intelligence could pass, and yet shockingly, many can't.

[Encinitan]

Originally Posted by Beware_of_Dog

I have never seen so much headlines given daily to seniors graduating at every individual high school than here in S.D. I just don't see the big deal about it. Everyone graduates if they just show up for school. It is not like most of the kids really worked hard or learned much. I graduated even though I missed ditched 45 days my last semester (33 days in a row). Just seems like once again our society is over inflating the importance, quality, and achievement of something so minor and common. If everyone one can do it, what's all the excitement about?

Reading most of your posts and the nonsense you spill onto this board on a regular basis, it's not a shock to me that you 1) barely graduated from high school or that you 2) don't appreciate those who work hard to do so. When I saw the thread title, I thought, it can't be someone is taking exception with coverage of the graduations." Then I saw who started the thread and thought, makes perfect sense. Fail. Again.

[bloom]

Originally Posted by Encinitan

Reading most of your posts and the nonsense you spill onto this board on a regular basis, it's not a shock to me that you 1) barely graduated from high school or that you 2) don't appreciate those who work hard to do so. When I saw the thread title, I thought, it can't be someone is taking exception with coverage of the graduations." Then I saw who started the thread and thought, makes perfect sense. Fail. Again.

+1, please go to a different cityforum.com, Beware_of_Dog and anyother aliases you may have had, that is

[hitman619]

ROFL...........^^^^^^
My nephew had to do a final project before he graduated that i thought was pretty hard.

[skeke]

I was just out to dinner with people last night who were telling me about the senior projects that are now required at many high schools. They sounded fascinating and like a good way for kids to learn higher level thinking skills, organization and follow through.

[Carrie2979]

HS graduations may not be important to you, but when I graduated from hs it sure was to me and not only me but my parents. It is a sense of accomplishment and a step into adulthood, a sign of childhood being over.

[Beware_of_Dog]

Originally Posted by kettlepot

While it's true that everyone can or could do it, for some reason 1/3 of students don't. Shocking, isn't it.

Don't forget, to graduate from high school you have to pass that exit exam that any 7th grader of average intelligence could pass, and yet shockingly, many can't.

You would also be surprised how many future elementary teachers can't pass an 8th grade level math test in their senior year of college. At Arizona State University where I taught in the College of Education, we designed special computerized tutorials to help seniors be able to pass a required test before they could become a teacher in a few months. Sadly, it took many of them several tries.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by Beware_of_Dog

You would also be surprised how many future elementary teachers can't pass an 8th grade level math test in their senior year of college. At Arizona State University where I taught in the College of Education, we designed special computerized tutorials to help seniors be able to pass a required test before they could become a teacher in a few months. Sadly, it took many of them several tries.

Wow.

To hop on Dogs bandwagon a bit as I am a non-SD native, I never saw so many news headlines about HS graduation either. NEVER in any place I have lived.

Its not about discrediting a HS diploma, for me its something new I have never seen celebrated via the local news channels. I dont really have an opinion on the matter as much as I would have an opinion on seeing a fireman rescuing a cat from a tree.

[Beware_of_Dog]

And to answer a couple of your personal attacks on me (which I thought were unnecessary for anyone):

I hated high school and was bored to death, mainly because I completed all my necessary subjects to graduated a year and a half ahead of time. Back then you could not graduate early, thus I worked a full time job my senior year and went to class the last couple of weeks after explaining to the VP just so I could graduate. I didn't even care to attend my H.S. graduation, nor did I attend either of my college graduations. I did attend my friend/roommate's graduation for his PHD, but none of my own.

I saw thousands of college undergraduates pass through my classes at ASU and worked closely with many of them who obviously graduated H.S. yet could barely understand anything they read, or even make change in their head for a dollar bill. Lots of kids pass their so called projects in H.S. because they are teamed up with one or more kids who want to get a good grade and who do most of the work for the so-called "team" so they all could get a good grade. I even remember many nights I stood up late redoing or completing my team's projects so as to pass, knowing if I left it up to the others in my group it might barely get done if that.

My comments originally were more about how much the newspapers and TV stations make each day's graduation their lead stories for a full two weeks. I have never seen that anywhere else but here. I wasn't so much questioning the students joy in finally being "free". It isn't a bad thing the news makes such a big thing about it, just a strange curiosity that seems a bit overblown here in S.D. to what I have noticed elsewhere.

Sorry if I hit a nerve for some of you.