Talking and Writing
Think back to your early school years. Compare and contrast your school with Chestnut Academy. Track where your school scored, went abreast with the Academy and where it lagged behind.
The issue of homework is especially topical for this country. Pupils' academic excellence has become, in quite a few cases, the sole and only criterion of school's rating. In the outcome, there are places where nobody will bother you with any homework and there are those where the kid will not have time to look up until they go to bed well after midnight. Where is the happy medium?
Below is a list of people who make education possible. When you were at school you had real people standing behind these job titles. Which of them gave you the best and worst memories?
School Staff
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Management/Administrators |
Faculty |
Office and Support Staff |
Special Services Staff |
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Principal/Head Teacher Vice Principal/Deputy Head Teacher in Academics/ Extracurricular Activities/ Logistics, etc.
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Kindergarten Teachers 1st/2nd/3rdGrade Teacher Special Day Class Teacher (long-term substitute) Subject Teachers |
Science Lab Aide School Secretary Library Technician Crossing Guard Custodian/Watch Keeper Night Custodian Cleaning Staff Food Service Workers |
School Nurse Speech/Language Specialist Counsellor/Psychologist |
To conclude, write a status report about a school that you know of. Survey the major issues. Use the language of the aforecited materials.
Role-play
Imagine you are a parent desperate to find your child a good school. You spot a promising school, read the publicity materials, but would like to ask the school management some questions in person. You go to the prospective school for an appointment. Now let's say your desk-mate is the school's head teacher. He/she will have to handle the "difficult" questions. On the other hand, the head teacher will be interested in your person and how much you are prepared to participate in the school's life and help to solve arising day-to-day problems. The head teacher will describe the school and might either dust your eyes, embellishing things; tell the truth; or admit to shortcomings. In the aftermath, both are to decide whether you meet each other's expectations.
Legal Grounds for Denial of Admission (Legislation of Colorado, USA):
1. Graduation from the twelfth grade of any school or receipt of any document evidencing completion of the equivalent of a secondary curriculum.
2. Failure to meet the requirements of age, by a child who has reached the age of 6 at a time after the beginning of the school year.
3. Having been expelled from any school during the preceding 12 months.
4. Not being a resident of the school attendance/catchment area.
5. Failure to comply with the immunization requirements of law.
Now let's imagine that you are a school head teacher/principal. You have come across some materials, which tipped you that some things in the school have to be changed or upgraded to keep pace with the current global changes. You summon your deputies for a meeting and bring forward the question. You ask for opinions on the issues listed below. At the same time, you must be realistic and have feet on firm ground. Now co-operate in groups of three, prioritize the tasks and work out a draft project to boost your school to a higher level. Then report your plans of action to the class.
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Issues for Consideration | |
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