1. The US System of Education A Personal Perspective Katie Subra – subr0054@umn.edu English Language Fellow Minsk State Linguistic University

2. My Experience in Public Education

3. Education Hierarchy in the U.S. Graduate School/Continuing Education Colleges/Universiti es, Technical Schools, Certification Programs K-12: Elementary, Middle, Jr./Sr. High Schools- Age 5-18 (Compulsory from 7-17) Public School=free & most common. Other School Choices Vary (Immersion, Charter, Homeschooling, Montessori, Private) Colleges: 4 Year B.A. Programs Univeristy: 4 Year B.A. + Full Graduate Program s Masters Degree Programs (Required to teach College level) 2-3 yrs M.D., Ph.D Programs, Other Research, & Publications Required for Tenure Technical Schools offer 2 Year Associates Degrees & Certificates (Medical, Mechanical, Tech…) On-the-Job Training or Certification may be ongoing. Teachers require CEC & Licensure.

4. Language Arts/English World Languages (sometimes) Math Physical Education Art Science (Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics) History & Social Studies Music AP Courses Electives – Art, Music, Phy.Ed, Industrial Arts, … Geography Computer Class/Typing Homeroom/Study Hall Home Economics (Middle-H.S.) Industrial Arts (High School) Common K-12 Subjects

5. Moderate class sizes (15-30 students) Support for Special Education offered through public schools Teacher quality and amount of tax dollars spent/pupil varies by district. (The higher the property tax, the higher the public school funding… usually) Zoning causes competition and limitations for attendance; support for Arts, Music, Sports, Science, … varies by district Depending on size of district: K-12 could be in 1-4 buildings. (Elementary, Middle School, Jr. High School, Sr. High School) There are state & national standards; curriculum by districts K-12 Norms

6. Private Schools Charter Schools Montessori Immersion Schools Home-School & Distance Education Montessori & Charter are examples, but some private schools cost or are religiously affiliated Publicly funded; privately operated Self-motivated and individualized education plans; small class sizes; mixed levels Content courses through a foreign language (Chinese, Spanish,…) Parents/Guardians must follow state standards and complete standardized tests; Some online Alternative Education Models

7. K-12 Socialization Extra-curriculars Sports Academic Clubs Music in Schools Theater Behavior Society-Team work Incentives (grades) Punishments (suspension) Parent-Teacher conferences, report cards, emails, class site Friendship School dances (prom, homecoming) Holiday events Yearbooks & Class photos Volunteer organizations Class Reunions Competitiveness Sports, Academics, Higher Ed Between pupils & rival schools Students vary: extreme – lazy

8. http://www.raconline.org/racmaps/

9. Larger Universities may be broken down into colleges: Liberal Arts & Humanities Medicine & Health Education & Human Development Business and Management Economics and Marketing Science and Engineering Nursing Biological Sciences Law School or other Graduate programs *Certificates, Professional License, A.A., B.A./B.S., M.A./M.B.A./M.S./M.L.S…, Ed.D/Ph.D/M.D, Post-doc Popular College and University Subjects

10. Most high school students begin applying to 4 year schools in their Junior or Senior year (11 th /12 th grade) Competitive colleges require high test scores (SAT, ACT, AP College Courses) as well as volunteer experience and extra-curriculars. Financial Aid, grants, and scholarships are available, but limited (status) The percentage of students enrolling in college in the fall immediately following high school completion was 68.2 percent in 2011. Students often wait to choose their major until after completing general credits in a 4-year University. While it is possible to complete a B.A. Degree in 4 years, many students take 5 years to do so, depending upon funding situations. College and University Norms

11. Top Schools: Entrance & Rank Things to consider: Availability of scholarships (merit & diversity-based) Location in US or urban/suburban Individual programs Cost (Top 10: $40-50,000/year) Internships or job placement Professor (well-known, specialists) Variety v. Depth Application deadlines & paperwork Acceptance rate/Rolling enrollment Language classes or TOEFL requirements National University Rankings: 1.Princeton University 2.Harvard University 3.Yale University 4.Columbia University 5.Stanford University 6.University of Chicago 7.Duke University 8.Massachussets Institute of Technology 9.University of Pennsylvania 10.California Institute of Technology/Dartmouth College

12. Profile of My Alma Mater University of Minnesota – Twin Cities -Close to my home (120 km) -Great Liberal Arts Program, Science & Engineering, Psychology, Education, School of Business -49.5% Acceptance Rate -Tuition $10-15,000 /year -Financial Aid Available -34,000 Students (>6,000 International)

13. Campaigning for Higher Ed

14. WONK Ads: American University – Washington D.C. WONK = Person "in the know" (Knowledgeable) What is their message about their University? Who would it attract?

15. "Hail to the Victors Valiant" Ads: Univeristy of Michigan "Skin cancer is beaten differently here." Field- specific advertisements. What is their message about their University? Who would it attract?

16. Because Ads: University of Minnesota "Driven to Discover. Creativity fuels the new economy." What is their message about their University? Who would it attract?

17. My 1st ESL Class – UM Minnesota English Language Program

18. My most recent ESL Class – WSU (Winona, Minnesota) English Language Center

19. Questions? - Useful Links American Councils http://www.americancouncils.org/ http://www.americancouncils.org/ Association for American Colleges & Universities http://www.aacu.org/ ELF Belarus – My Teaching Blog http://elfbelarus.wordpress.com/ US News Ranking of Top Universities http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best- colleges/rankings/ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best- colleges/rankings/ Contact me: subr0054@umn.edu