Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Education Chart

The following chart compares the education systems in Slovakia, The UK, and the US:


 
 The UK
 The USA
 Slovakia
  Pre-School
  a Nursery (Jasle): Age 1-4
Playgroup (Škôlka): Age 2-4
  a Nursery: Age 1-4
Pre-K (Nursery School): Age 3-4
Head Start Programs – for poor children in big cities: Age 3-4
Jasle: Age 1-3
Škôlka: Age 3-6
 Primary Education
Infant School (The first year is called Reception): Age 5-8
Junior School: Age 8-11
Elementary/Grammar School:
Kindergarten – 6th Grade: Age 5-11
Základná škola
Age: 6-15 (11 for some students)
Secondary Education
Comprehensive Schools: state
Academies: Fancy name for a comprehensive school.
Grammar Schools: state schools that require an entrance exam, called The 11 Plus
Free Schools: independently controlled state schools
Private Schools: charge a fee
Public Schools: high status private schools, like Eton, Harrow
GCSE Exam (Age 16)
College (2 years) – preparation for University. Age 17-18
Middle school: Grade 7th – 8th Ages 12-14
High School: Grade 9th – 12th Ages 14-19
Public Schools: state schools
Private Schools: are private J
Charter Schools: like free schools.
Magnet Schools: specialize in one subject. They choose students by lottery or entrance tests.
Pilot Schools: a school created as an experiment in education.
Home Schooling: Parents teach you
Day Care: afterschool childcare for working parents. It’s privately run.
Stredná škola:
Gymnazium: preparation for university.
Stredná odborná škola: vocational school.
Združená stredná škola: a combined school.
Učilište: trade school with no Maturita, and you can’t go to university.
 School Traditions
Prom/School Formal: spring dance, Age 16, and again at 18
Homecoming Dance: fall dance, for 1st football game on home field.
Senior Prom: spring dance, last year of high school.
Ples: fall dance for 2nd year students.
Stušková: fall event for seniors
 Controversies:
 
1. Failing schools
2. Grammar Schools are elitist.
3. Do you mix students with
    different abilities or not?
4. Confusing system keeps
    changing.
5. University has become too
    expensive.
6. Easy universities with grade
    inflation are giving “Mickey
    Mouse” degrees.
 
1. Funding & Failing Schools
2. Teachers’ Unions, Tenure &
    Firing Bad Teachers
3. Standardized Testing
4. Religion & Prayer in School
5. School Vouchers
6. Bilingual Education
7. Textbooks & Censorship
8. Affirmative Action, Segregation, &    
    School Busing
9. Creationism vs. Evolution
 
1. School Funding
2. Teacher Salaries
3. Corruption
4. Schools lowering
    their standards,
    due to low
    student
    enrollment.
5. easy universities
     giving “Mickey
   “Mouse” degrees.
 Graduation Exams
GCSE for Secondary School.
None for college. You don’t graduate, there’s no ceremony.
Final Exams: every year, and
Senior State Exams: like the Maturita, and different in each state
Maturita: state exam with different difficulty levels.
 University Placement Tests:
A Levels: one test for all university applications
SAT (east & west coast)
ACT (mid-west)
Prijímačky – each school is different
 
Higher Education
 
Tuition:
 
 
Undergraduate Degree:
 
 
 
 
Graduate Degrees:
 
University
 
 
£.9000 (€11125,00)
 
 
Bachelor’s Degree: 3 years*
* 1 year extra for practicum in architecture, engineering, surveying, foreign languages (study abroad)
 
Master’s Degree: 2 years
 
College (private)/University (public)
Community College: cheaper, less reputable.
$28,500 a year (€20886) (average)
Scholarships: need-based & academic.
 
Bachelor’s Degree: 4 years
 
Graduate School:
-Law School: 3-4 years
-Med School: 8 years
 
2+ years for a Master’s Degree
4+ years for a PhD
 
Vysoká škola
 
 
0 (€2000 for dorm and travel)
 
Bachalarska diplom: 3 years
 
Ingeniersky/
Magistersky
Diplom: 2 years
Phd: 3 years