The US Education System group one christine, liyan, marcus, nicole group one christine, liyan, marcus, nicole

Education Systems: Singapore versus United States of America

The US System Elementary: Kindergarten to 5th grade Middle/Junior High: 6th to 8th grade Senior High: 9th to 12th grade 9th: Freshmen 10th: Sophomores 11th: Juniors 12th: Seniors

Curriculum: Elementary School Local school district gives teachers brief overviews of things they’re expected to teach One book per subject per student Students usually learn: Mathematics - arithmetic, sometimes rudimentary algebra English proficiency (eg. basic grammar, spelling, vocabulary) Fundamentals of other subjectsspelling vocabulary Learning standards identified by individual States

Curriculum: High School Minimum number of mandatory subjects, optional additional subjects ("electives") to fill out their required hours of learning Mandatory "health" course, but options often provided to "test out" or complete independent study to meet it Foreign language and art education also mandatory in some schools

Curriculum: High School Common minimum courses of study in mandatory subjects: Science (3 years; Biology, Chemistry and Physics) Mathematics (4 years; incl. Algebra, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Statistics, and even Calculus) English (4 years; incl. Literature, Humanities, Composition, and Oral Languages) Social Sciences (3 years; incl. various History, Government/Economics courses) Physical Education (at least 2 years)

Grading System ABCDF, E, I, N or U Below 60%

Major Examinations Exams are mostly set by schools The most common set of tests that the majority of students sit for is SATs, before entering college

Extra-Curricular Activities High priority given to sports, clubs and activities by the community, parents, schools and students themselves Organizations that develop rules for competition, usually forced to implement time limits on hours practiced as a prerequisite for participation

Homeschooling Home schooling is another form of education. Many select moral or religious reasons for homeschooling their children. The second main category is "unschooling," those who prefer a non-standard approach to education.

Teachers Training for Elementary school teachers: Emphases on Human cognitive & psychological development Principles of curriculum development & instruction Typical qualifications: Bachelors or Masters Degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education

Provision of Education Child education is compulsory Mainly provided by the public sector, with control and funding from three levels: federal, state, and localpublic sectorstatelocal Free education in public school Private education

Scholarships Scholarships are common, usually for exceptional sporting or academic achievements Certain scholarships are offered to students that are disable or from minority groups Often funded by schools, and private organisations and companies

Weaknesses of the US System No standardized testing Differing educational emphasis as curriculum varies from state to state Average scores of US students below average as compared to other develop countries Lack of discipline, violence and drug use High drop out rates

Strengths of the US System Emphasis on creativity Encourages the individual Allows intellectual exploration long period of time before making career choice major subject normally not chosen in first year of college Liberal arts form of study mixes together students of different interests Holistic and balanced education (extra curricular activities) Flexibility of the system

Higher Education Private Universities Public Universities Liberal Arts Colleges Community Colleges

Private Universities Majority of US universities and colleges are private Operated as educational and research non-profit organisations Many prestigious US universities are private Some private universities are closely affiliated with religious organizations (eg. the University of Notre Dame) or even directly operated by religious organizations (eg. Brigham Young University)

Ivy League Athletic conference consisting of 8 private institutions of higher education Brown University Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College Harvard University University of Pennsylvania Princeton University Yale University Term has connotations of academic excellence, selectivity in admissions, and social elitism

Public Universities Largely state-founded and operated institutions Every state has at least 1 public university Highly ranked public universities include: University of California, Berkley University of California, Los Angeles University of California, San Diego University of Michigan University of Virginia University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Public Ivies Original Ivies: College of William and Mary Miami University University of California University of Michigan University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Texas at Austin University of Vermont University of Virginia Expanded to include institutions like: Pennsylvania State University University of California, Berkley University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) University of Florida

Liberal Arts Colleges A college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general intellectual capacities, in contrast to a professional, vocational, or technical curriculumprofessionalvocationaltechnical Generally, a full-time, four-year course of study at a liberal arts college leads students to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degreeBachelor of ArtsBachelor of Science Mostly privately funded institutions Encourage a high level of student-teacher interaction Known for being residential and for having smaller enrollment, class size, and teacher-student ratios than universitiesresidentialuniversities Some colleges offer experimental curriculaexperimental curricula

Community Colleges Primarily two-year public institutions providing higher education and lower-level tertiary education, granting certificates, diplomas, and associate's degreespublictertiary education certificatesdiplomasassociate's degrees After graduating from a community college, some students transfer to a four-year liberal arts college or university for two to three years to complete a bachelor's degreeliberal arts college universitybachelor's degree Primarily attract and accept students from the local community, and are often supported by local tax revenue

Community Colleges Five facets of education: Transfer education: two-year student that will then transfer to a four-year institution to pursue a BS/BA degree Career education: two-year student that will graduate with an Associate Degree and directly enter the workforce Developmental: remedial education for high school graduates who are not academically ready to enroll in college-level courses Continuing: Non-Credit courses offered to the community for personal development and interest Industry training: contracted training and education where a local company pays the college to provide specific training or courses for their employees