Okay, you know the drill! It's time to make your fingers bleed!!! (Not literally of course)

This topic is what most of you might dread...it's school and education!!!

I'm feeling a bit evil today. Do I care? Nope. Things might get more evil later on.

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*Sigh* Education. You either love it or hate it. School is a topic I can heavily relate to because I've been going there my whole life.

I've always been curious about the different education systems around the world and I thought, why not learn about it right here, right now?

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1 ▪︎ Where did you go to Preschool? Kindergarten? Elementary School? Junior High School? Senior High School?

This one is a bit complicated so buckle up! I attended preschool in Dynotots (Vietnam), Kindergarten in Australian International School (Vietnam), Half of my first grade in Ho Chi Minh International School, the other half in Royal Oaks International School (Philippines) along with 2nd - 3rd grade. 4th grade until 12th grade (Present) in Saint Louis College - Cebu (Philippines). I skipped a grade, I didn't attend K2.

2 ▪︎ What is the age that children begin school in your country?

3 years old is the usual age to start school, I however started school at 4.

3 ▪︎ Did you go to College or University? Where did you go? What made you decide to go? What did you study? How many years did you go? Did you work while you went there?

I haven't went to College yet, but when I do, I might comment over this.

4 ▪︎ (College) Did you live in a dormitory when you went to college? Who were your roomates?

Haven't beem to yet. Might update my answer in the comments inline soon.

5 ▪︎ Did you enjoy going to school?

Not really. But when I was younger, I did.

6 ▪︎ Did you go to a good high school?

I haven't really experienced any other high school but I feel like I did go to a good high school.

7 ▪︎ What do you remember about your teachers? Who was your favorite teacher? Which teacher impressed you the most? Do you still stay in touch with your teachers? Did you have any teachers that you didn't like? What do you wish your teachers understood about you?

I remember my teachers being bearable, not a lot of them were as mean as media predicted they would be.

My favorite teacher was a religious education teacher in my 4th grade because he was so funny and he really tried to make the class entertaining. He is really good at pottery and he gave us some of his works as a souvenier.

The teacher that impressed me the most was my english teacher in 8th grade because she is so eloquent in speaking, a really good dancer, is really good at imprompting and loves anime.

I don't really stay in touch with my previous teachers. Sad, but true.

I had two that I didn't like. One of them was my home economics teacher because she just teached really badly and gets angry 24/7. She also has really bad hearing and doesn't listen to our reasoning. The other one is a male teacher, although I was never taught by him, I heard that he was really rude to some students and he was caught smoking in the faculty rooms. They were both fired.

I wish my teachers understood that there are some people that just prefers to listen and participate silently. They should call only on volunteers because they know the answer, don't call on someone random who didn't understand the topic and then embarass themselves.

8 ▪︎ How many students were in your high school?

I can't for the life of me rememeber the exact number. But the overall number for the school I currently attend is about 1000 plus.

9 ▪︎ Describe the students who attended your high school. Did they have a good influence on you? Did they make your childhood and teenage years harder or easier?

They were a bit more on the rich side of the country. Some of them inspired me to do better with myself, some of them are a bit eh. They made my years in school easier though because there weren't any serious bullies.

10 ▪︎ What subjects were you good at?

I was really good at english and arts. People usually praise my vocabulary and they rely me to explain some difficult english terms. For art, I usually get good marks. These two were my most favorite subjects growing up.

11 ▪︎ What subjects were you bad at?

It might sound embarasing but Filipino and Chemistry were the subjects I suck at. I usually attend International Schools so when the time came to learn my own country's language, I sucked. I still suck now but I can understand a lot and speak a little bit. For Chemistry, I just hate it with a passion. I can stand some topics but it's mostly hell on earth.

12 ▪︎ What are the skills that seperate good students from bad students?

I will be honest, people associate them through grades but I associate them through determination. The people who still do their best even though they know it's useless are good students for me because they are willing to learn. The others who do it just for the sake of grades are what I consider bad students.

13 ▪︎ What are the qualities of good teachers?

Someone who can change the class atmosphere, doesn't have super high standards, they are interested in their topics enough for us to be interested in it too. They don't rely on the curriculum and they actually teach us. (I'm talking about my Philosophy teacher, I admite him so much)

14 ▪︎ Did you study with other students?

No. I never had group studies unless I need someone to ask me questions. I get distracted too easily if I study with other students.

15 ▪︎ Are there any subjects you wanted to study but they weren't available at your school?

Psychology, Astrology (deeper than just constellations, planets and milky ways), living life (I don't really know if that's a subject), Music (as in actual singing and instruments), Photography

16 ▪︎ What do you think of homeschooling? Were you or anyone you know homeschooled? Do you wish you were homeschooled? Do parents homeschool their children in your country?

I think homeschooling is the best system ever. I know someone who is homeschooled because of a certain sleep disorder. I do wish I was homeschooled, my friend told me she didn't really have a tutor. She just studies by herself and then takes tests from our school. In my country, homeschooling is not common and parents would rather let teachers teach because they're too busy. My parents are my second teachers though so I learn a lot at home too.

17 ▪︎ Are school uniforms good to have? Why or why not?

Yes, because it's school, not a fashion show. You aren't there to show off, you're there to learn. This also makes it easier for students to choose what to wear to school instead of spending useless minutes thinking of what to wear everyday.

18 ▪︎ Are most schools coeducational in your country? (Meaning both boys and girls attend one school)

Yes, I rarely see girls only or boys only schools.

19 ▪︎ Have you ever been late or absent to school? If so, why? Did the teacher get angry when you were late?

Yes I have, but for my 12th grade, my record is clear and clean. I used to be absent because I had mild asthma and was hospitalised for a while. There was also a time in 11th grade where I deliberately stayed at home 1 whole week because I didn't feel like going to school. My parents were really mad. Reasons for being late were usually because my carpool would break down and we would have to wait for repairs. My teacher didn't really get angry since it's rare that I am late because I hate to be late.

20 ▪︎ Have you ever failed a class?

Yup, especially in Filipino. We have a grading system where the highest overall total per subject is 99 and the lowest is 70. The pasing grade is 75 and the expected grade to be an awardee is 80 above.

Since I'm about to be a college student, most colleges have a requirement of a grade 80 and above. The only less than 80 grade I ever had in 12th grade is 79 in Physics (2nd Semester Midterms) all because they decided to move our grades from Robotics to our 2nd Semester Finals.

21 ▪︎ What were some of the rules you had to follow at school? Which rules did you think were unfair?

Always wear your ID and school uniform, be on time, always speak english, always greet the teachers, pass schoolwork on time, no cellphones allowed and many more. There is a particular rule that doesn't really apply to me but to the boys and it really annoys me too. Boys have a strict haircut (I forgot the dimensions) and they had inspections every month. I also hate how we can't bring cellphones. My classmates break this rule secretly though.

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1 ▪︎ Were there cliques in your high school? Were there gangs?

Nah, our school isn't that cliché, we don't really care about that.

2 ▪︎ Did you study a foreign language in school? Was it taught well?

Yes, it was Vietnamese when I was in Vietnam. (Technically that's not a foregin language in Vietnam). I was really young though I so can't remember most of the words.

3 ▪︎ Did you or anyone you know attended a private school? Do private schools offer higher quality education or are they just prestegious?

I attend private schools. I never had experienced a public school but I hear from my classmates who did say that private schools do have higher quality education and aren't just prestegious for the sake of being prestegious.

4 ▪︎ Do you prefer bigger or smaller classes?

Smaller. I experienced both and my 12th grade is my smallest yet. We are 25 and it's just more easier to manage since we are little. We also got along quicker and we had a lot of room.

5 ▪︎ Did you study abroad? Do many people in your country study abroad?

Yes, in Vietnam. Yes, usually in USA. There are some who haven't but really want to in our country.

6 ▪︎ Where do you think we learn the skills neccessary to become good citizens — elementary, junior high school or senior high school?

I personally think Senior High School really taught me a lot about my adult life. My teachers really delved it on in their experiences and we had more interesting subjects like Personal Development, Philosophy, Media Lieteracy, and Work Immersion.

7 ▪︎ Were good grades important to you?

Yes, only because it was something I could be proud of.

8 ▪︎ Did you procrastinate studying? Did you ever pull an all nighter?

I have. I'm even doing it right now. My finals week is next week and here I am on Wattpad. I don't pull all nighters but I do wake up at 2am - 4am just to do them.

9 ▪︎ Did classmates talk to each other much more before or after class?

After because we always plan where to go on our off days. Just yesterday, our teacher invited us to eat out after school.

10 ▪︎ Did you skip class very often?

We weren't allowed to skip. Security was really tight. I never really had skipping in mind.

11 ▪︎ (College) Do college professors give students syllabuses at the beginning of the term? Were you clear on what proffessors expected of you?

My answer will be commented here in after a few months.

12 ▪︎ Do you know anyone who does not know how to read or write?

No, but I hope they are doing alright. It's not easy to get education in a society that disregards "imperfect" human beings.

13 ▪︎ Do you think your teachers gave too much homework? How much homework should teachers assign students?

Yeesssss!!! I hate it so much, we always have at least one homework everyday. Teachers should talk and decide on different deadline days to even the load.

14 ▪︎ What was your mode of transportation going to and going back from school?

It used to be my parents, and then my aunt and until now, I have a carpool. Soon though, I'll be of legal age and I would be able to drive. My father already bought me a motorcycle as an early birthday present and I learned how to drive automatic and manual cars from him last summer so I would also be able to drive a car to school.

15 ▪︎ Was school ever cancelled for a day? What for?

Yes, mostly for natural disasters, faculty meetings, special tests, and holidays.

16 ▪︎ How much free time does a high school student in your country have?

Not a lot. We're constantly busy. I mean, I don't know for other schools but my school has high standards.

17 ▪︎ Why do some students cheat during tests and exams? How do they cheat?

It's because of the pressure to do well in school. No one wants to fail but some people just don't want to put their time into studying so they result to cheating. I also have experienced cheating and the most common is just whispering answers to each other when we know them, hiding our notebooks in our bag and leaving our bag open and we even go as far as to ask our teachers for hints and clues.

18 ▪︎ What is your attitude towards cheating? How should parents and teachers react?

If it's for nothing serious, I don't honestly mind. Our classmates motto is "Let's all graduate together!" So we try to help each other out. My parents don't usually know and my teachers are sometimes oblivious. I was caught once and my teacher was really disappointed in me. I felt really guilty after that.

19 ▪︎ Are you allowed to eat, sleep and smoke in your classrooms?

Eat and sleep? Only when there aren't any teachers around or if the teachers themselves say we can. Smoking is banned but I have a classmate who bought an e-cig online designed as a watch. It's hard to explain but it's legit.

20 ▪︎ Do you belong to any clubs in your school?

Right now, clubs aren't really recommended to 12th grade students. I used to be in a dance, book, arts and scrabble club.

21 ▪︎ Did you study art in high school?

Yes, of all kinds. Visual and Performing. Drawing, singing, dancing, acting. Fashion, architecture, fine arts, digital arts and editing (my fave).

22 ▪︎ Did your high school have a band? If so, did you play in it? What instrument would you like to play in a high school band? Why?

Yes, but they only consist of boys so I don't play in it. If I did, I would like to play the xylophone because I used to play piano and it's the closest thing to a xylophone.

23 ▪︎ Do most of your teachers take attendance?

It's a requirement for them to. They take attendance even when we have field trips or we are outside of the classroom.

24 ▪︎ Do some of your teachers let class out early?

Yes

25 ▪︎ Do you carry a dictionary to school?

I used to carry an english and a filipino-english and vice-versa dictionary. However, I don't really need it that much now.

26 ▪︎ Do you have any evening class?

No and I never want to. I want my evenings to myself.

27 ▪︎ Do you play on any of the school's sports teams?

No, I wasn't really a sporty person.

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1 ▪︎ If you are or were a college student, what advice would give a high school student who is about to go to college? (aka me lol)

Maybe someday I can give one here in the comments but right now, I need some advice.

2 ▪︎ Does your country provide a good public school system?

I'm not sure but from what I've seen, they usually can wear any kind of uniform, they start school really early, they don't have a lot of limitarions and the teachers are paid a hefty amount.

3 ▪︎ Does your country have good public universities? If not, why do you think there is a lack of funding for education in your country?

I don't really know. I'll try to answer this again soon.

4 ▪︎ What realistic changes would you make to your country's attitude toward education?

They should really stop seeing education as a requirement. They always judge students who want to learn more creative things than logical things.

5 ▪︎ Do elite universities help or harm your country?

They kind of harm my country because they set really high standards and most children become afraid of college because of how demanding it is.

6 ▪︎ Did teachers grade students fairly? Did you ever feel like you should have gotten a better grade than you did in class?

Sometimes, I did think my classmates and I deserve better. They do grade fairly but they can be biased sometimes.

7 ▪︎ Are tuitions reasonable in your country? In college, is it easy to get scholarships or government grants?

No. Most of our country's population are poor. The tuition is soo expensive and that sometimes hinders children to go to school. As a student in a graduating class, I can say it's not easy to get a scholarship since they have high demands but it's not impossible and a lot of my classmates were able to get scholarships.

8 ▪︎ Are women encouraged to pursue education in your country?

Yes, thank goodness they are.

9 ▪︎ In your opinion, are top mark students smarter than others or just better at memorizing things? Did you really learn in school or did you memorize information and pass tests?

I am in the category of top mark students and I can say that it depends. The people who are in the top like me that I know are smart in more ways than one. They always join competitions, always go the extra mile for presentations and projects and they don't even really study that intensely.

10 ▪︎ Do you think teachers are paid enough? Do you think teachers are well educated?

No, they aren't. There are teachers who are and there are some that I'm like, how did you become teachers?

11 ▪︎ Is it difficult for people without a college education to get good jobs in where you live?

Yes, it's the cold hard truth. They have prejudices on students who attended college and they always think that if you finish school, you're smart and if you're a dropout, you're not.

12 ▪︎ Does education guarantee a good job?

No, there are people who graduate from the medical field only to become call center agents because they don't have many opportunities.

13 ▪︎ Why do you think people become teachers?

There was one point in my life that I wanted to be a teacher because I like the idea of telling my stories, learnings and experiences to people who might get inspiration from me.

14 ▪︎ Should parents influence their children's school choices?

When they are young and unable to, yes. If they are old enough to choose, they should give their child a chance to make their choices.

15 ▪︎ Do children have a right to an education? Should education be free?

Every child should be able to go to school. Education doesn't have to be free but it also doesn't have to be so expensive.

16 ▪︎ What improvements does the school system need?

Subjects that help students discover their potentials and broaden their thinking. They should consider letting children learn in a comfortable environment and choose their method of learning either through hearing, seeing or feeling.

17 ▪︎ Do you think your country should spend more money on schools?

Yes, for the love of all that is holy can we please upgrade our curriculum? The government should focus on improving school systems.

18 ▪︎ Once you graduate from a university should you stop learning? What are some ways a person can continue to learn?

No, I won't. You can learn through experiences and difficult decisions. Reading books and watching videos are greay learning tools foe me.

19 ▪︎ Would you ever vote for a politician who did not attend college?

It doesn't really matter to me. If they are smart to me, I don't really care if they went to college or not.

20 ▪︎ What is a genius?

Someone who steps out of the box and does things their way. They don't think one way and they explore different options and different ways of learning.

21 ▪︎ How important is curiosity in a student?

Very important. It's how we learn in the first place.

22 ▪︎ Can you teach someone who has no desire to learn?

Yes you can, but that doesn't mean they will always learn, if you know what I mean.

23 ▪︎ Do you think a person can become a genius or are they just born that way?

I think there are such things as born geniuses but that doesn't mean you can't become one.

24 ▪︎ What would you do if you saw someone with a gun at school?

Real guns aren't as available in our country so it was never a big issue. However, if I was in that situation, I would honestly find the nearest telephone and call my parents.

25 ▪︎ Which is more important? The essential skills in life you've learned to develop on your own or the artifical structure in college about the "real" life?

I think your frist hand learning is more important but there are some things in college that I can see be really helpful in the future.

26 ▪︎ We should not just learn about life, but live it. Do you agree?

Yes because you only live once. I don't want to spend my life learning about it when I will just die in the end. It's best to learn while you live.

27 ▪︎ What kind of world do you think this world would be if people never went to school?

It might be ideal for others but when I think of the big picture, it's better to have school because our parents can't teach us everyrhing since we're all human afrer all.

28 ▪︎ Are boys and girls treated differently by teachers in coeducational schools that you attended? If so, how?

Yes, my school is really anti-boys. Whenever someone messes up, my teachers always assume it's a boy. There are girls who offer to help carry our teacher's things but then the teacher would say "it's okay, just let a boy handle it."

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This one is super duper long. I might upload the other 4 tomorrow since I was busy filming my video for Media Lit. You see? Even on weekends we barely have breaks.

Also, sorry if there are typos, I was too tired to proofread.

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- 🥀 Roze