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Hey, how about this: Start a thread with pictures of your pecs.
Otherwise, if you don't care for the pictures that are posted in this thread, why do you click on it? Is it some kind of compulsion?
Man, neck a beer and relax. You can always admire my pecs later.
You don't understand how physical fitness and extra-curricular activities, such as fine arts and sports, improve the educational experience?
I don't understand why you, who worked in Russian schools, fail to understand that ECs here are generally provided by specialized schools. And I don't understand, how you can compare a music or arts class with a full featured music or arts school.
Phys ed is provided by 100% of Russian schools. But no weight loss phys ed! And building a big stadium at a school is something nobody here will think about - because it'll be redundant at best, and probably pathetic, comparing to city stadiums. For phys ed a simple field is enough.
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By the way, I've been to school #48 in Vladivostok. Visit it, then compare.
Comparing it to some of the best schools makes little sense, since it's one of the worst (and I don't make claims like you do), and it is strikingly similar to ordinary US schools.
And, weight loss aside, your best schools are no better than Russia's best, that are supposed to suck totally, comparing to ordinary US schools. You failed already - why continue?
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there is open enrollment in Minnesota, and students are free to attend any school they would like.
Yeah, and all Russians are free to attend the "school of the future" in Moscow.
Schools for the rich? Well, it means they are not only financed from taxes, but from donations of students' parents.
Donations too (Wayzata even has at least 7 organizations raising funds for it), but even financing from taxes is extreme. Size matters a lot too - it's bad for education quality, but good for offering more.
I'd think one would be hard pressed to find a public school that doesn't receive donations in one form or another. Does financing through a state lottery count as "non-taxpayer funded".. i'd bet most states would be guilty then.
I do vaguely recall International Paper Co. paying for renovations to a couple of schools in Svetogorsk, and donating computers as well. Kinda would figure when it's the largest employer in town.
I'd think one would be hard pressed to find a public school that doesn't receive donations in one form or another.
Nothing wrong with it, but comparing a school for the rich with a school for the poor is. One of them may be truly public, while another only on paper.
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I do vaguely recall International Paper Co. paying for renovations to a couple of schools in Svetogorsk, and donating computers as well. Kinda would figure when it's the largest employer in town.
It doesn't end with such support in Russia. You know why Vladivostok's Gymnasium #1 looks much better than some School #48? #1 may have many poor kids, but it's also got enough rich ones to flourish.
Of course, the primary difference is not in flash, but in teachers.
BTW, aside from non-remarkable interior, the only "bad" thing about School #48 is that it doesn't offer lots of useless ECs, like Ushu classes (totally pathetic, of course - what can a general school offer?), offered by the nearby School #7.
And, infrastructure wise, it's definitely not worse than, say, Minneapolis North High. While academic achievements are simply incomparable - MNH wouldn't even survive here, and its director could have to run, to avoid prosecution.
Public schools in Seattle don't look anything like those Minnesota schools. There's a private school with similar architecture. The public schools are in older buildings. Which is irrelevant to the quality of teaching, anyway. I'm still for the Finnish model: moldy buildings, highly qualified teachers, and lots of them, for small class size.
And, infrastructure wise, it's definitely not worse than, say, Minneapolis North High. While academic achievements are simply incomparable - MNH wouldn't even survive here, and its director could have to run, to avoid prosecution.
By what standards do you assert such a thing? ("North has black kids" would not be very convincing, by the way.)
You've definitely strayed off-topic. Now you're talking about student achievement, but there's no basis for comparison of student achievement between Minneapolis North and School #48 in Vladivostok that I know of. If you have such data, I would love to read it. If not, why make such a comment?
If you want to compare/contrast methodologies (or achievement) of Russian and American schools, then why not start a thread about it? I would enjoy it very much, as part of my time in Russia was helping local teachers update and improve their English language teaching curriculum and approaches, so it's something I'm interested in for sure.
Public schools in Seattle don't look anything like those Minnesota schools. There's a private school with similar architecture. The public schools are in older buildings. Which is irrelevant to the quality of teaching, anyway. I'm still for the Finnish model: moldy buildings, highly qualified teachers, and lots of them, for small class size.
That's interesting, because my best friend's son went to a public school in Magnolia which was absolutely gorgeous. It wasn't a high school, though.
As I've shown in this thread, many of the Minneapolis city schools are in older buildings. I think that's pretty true in most American cities. They still tend to have pretty good infrastructure, though.
I have not been to Finnish schools, but I have been to Finland, and I didn't see anything there that would make me think they would be in poor condition. I have a very difficult time believing their schools are old and rickety.
Donations too (Wayzata even has at least 7 organizations raising funds for it), but even financing from taxes is extreme. Size matters a lot too - it's bad for education quality, but good for offering more.
Are you implying here that Wayzata has poor education quality? You'd be sorely mistaken.
Anyway, large class sizes can have a detrimental effect on learning, but just because the school is big doesn't mean class sizes are.
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And building a big stadium at a school is something nobody here will think about - because it'll be redundant at best, and probably pathetic, comparing to city stadiums. For phys ed a simple field is enough.
