The American High School

1
The American High School

• How It Shapes Our College Freshmen

2
A Few Facts

• No national curriculum each state can set own
  standards
• Each teacher has freedom to decide what to teach
• Each teacher decides how to test, how many tests
  to give, how to grade tests

3
StudentsWho Goes Where?

• The public schools are free to all students who
  live in the geographical region
• For example E.O.Smith serves 3 towns
  Mansfield, Ashford and Willington
• Buses pick up students at their homes or close to
  their homes to transport them to school
• The schools must accept all students regardless
  of learning disabilities or physical handicaps

4
What Do They Do There?

• Classes run from 725 a.m. to 210 p.m.
• Your classes are chosen for you by meeting with a
  guidance counselor who checks to see that you
  will have the right classes to graduate
• The school year is approximately 36 weeks some
  classes go all year, some change at midterm

5
Typical Classes

• Science Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth
  Science
• Mathematics Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II,
  Pre-Calculus
• Social Sciences World Civ, American History,
  Geography

• English Tech prep, college prep, literature
• Art Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Jewelry
• Music
• Physical Education Gym required first 3 years
• Foreign Language Spanish, French, Latin, German

6
Andafter school!

• Sports Football, basketball, soccer, tennis,
  golf, track, volleyball, cheerleading
• Clubs Chess, Math, Latin, Ski, Drama, French,
  etc.

• Music Band, orchestra, jazz ensemble
• Drivers Ed--students can get license at 16 must
  have drivers ed course state regulation

7
So, the typical H.S. student is

• Well-rounded or has a superficial knowledge of
  many things?
• NOT prepared to be an independent learner
• NOT sure what s/he wants to study or has parents
  telling him/her what to study
• NOT sure what do with all the free hours in a day
  at college/or working all the free hours!

8
High School to College

• How does this translate into what happens in
  college?

9
Who comes to UConn?

• 35 entering freshmen in top 10 of high school
  class
• 79 in top 25
• 80 Connecticut residents
• Average SAT score 1177 (national average is 1026)

10
A Little History

• 1940 16 of population attended college
• 1961 48 High school grads went to college
• 1981 53.9
• 2001 61.7
• Between 1991-2 and 2001-2 tuition at public
  colleges rose 21 private 26

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Which means

• Students are increasingly less elite
• Average student is less affluent
• 2004 increases in tuition during preceding
  decade outpaced inflation and growth of median
  family income
• DEBT college students incurring debt and working
  while in school

12
Who leaves UConn?

• Graduation rate within 6 years 71
• To repay debts students choose practical majors
  well-paying fields
• Decline in majors like philosophy, history,
  English
• Increase in business, computer science, health
  professions
• Market driven, market focused universities

13
Your job then is

• Figure out how to deal with a class of students
  who have totally different backgrounds and levels
  of preparation
• Encourage/motivate them to do the work and keep
  up
• Teach them how to study in your field
• Remember they will not learn like you did!

14
Things to Think About

• Major differences between U.S. High school
  system and your countrys?
• How will these differences show up in the college
  classroom?
• Is there anything youll need to change about
  your teaching style?

15
Prepared by Catherine Ross Institute for
Teaching Learning University of
Connecticut Bibliography Nathan, R. (2005) My
Freshman YearWhat a Professor Learned by
Becoming a Student, Cornell University Press.