Living In USA

Partly because of summer heat but mostly because we began as an agricultural nation, summer holidays are very long. Children and youth get restless if they have nothing to do, especially when they are living in cramped city apartments. As a result, there are thousands of different kinds of summer camps for children. They are run by many organizations such as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, YMCA, YWCA, or religious institutions. There are also many private camps, which, although expensive, provide horseback riding, skilled instruction in various specialties, wilderness trips, and the like.

Older teenagers are more likely to seek summer jobs or go off with their own age groups on camping or other trips. Many go backpacking in the mountains. Anyone living in a city apartment may want to encourage such summer prospects for their young people.

Many teenagers earn a portion of their college expenses by working during the summer at such jobs as deckhand, waiter, clerk, harvester, construction worker, camp counselor, baby-sitter, gas station attendant, telephone operator, or messenger. American teenagers are not concerned with status. Being unskilled, they try to find jobs at whatever level they can, seeking not only money but also experience. They learn work skills, responsibility, and the ability to take orders and to get along with a boss and new kinds of people. As they grow older and more competent, most teenagers get better jobs, probably still unskilled but more closely tied to their fields of interest — in hospitals, political headquarters, newspapers, schools, or wherever. Students from abroad should check carefully into visa regulations, however, if they want to use the long holidays in this way. The dean or foreign student adviser at any school should be able to offer advice here, but the visa question should be raised in one's home country before leaving.

The American system of higher education can be bewildering in its diversity. There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States, about half of which are private rather than public, tax-supported institutions. There are essentially four broad categories of postsecondary educational institutions:

(1) vocational or trade schools,
(2) junior colleges (including most community colleges),
(3) colleges, and
(4) universities.

Trade Schools and Technical Colleges
Trade schools can be public or private and offer courses that are generally not considered to be at the college level. They are similar to the vocational high schools except that they are geared toward adults and may or may not require a high school diploma (or equivalent) for admission.

Junior Colleges and Community Colleges
Junior colleges were once a common element of U.S. higher education, but the rise of community colleges in the last half of the twentieth century has left few of them in place. They were designed to help students bridge the gap between high school and college and to offer coursework that is generally considered to be the equivalent of the first two years at a college or university. Community colleges also offer two years of course work, after which students receive either a two-year (associate) degree or transfer to a four-year college or university. Some junior and community colleges resemble vocational schools, others are very academic in their focus. Careful research is needed to determine the right fit.

Colleges
Colleges are four-year institutions leading to the bachelor of arts (or science) degree and have few if any graduate programs. There are both state and countless private colleges. Some of the most prestigious undergraduate institutions are colleges rather than world-famous universities. For example, Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, and Wellesley are generally considered to be of the same caliber as Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford. There are a few colleges that still enroll only women (and even fewer — just two — that enroll only men).

Universities
Universities offer a range of graduate, professional, and research programs in addition to undergraduate degrees. Some of them enroll as many as 50,000 students. Tuition at most private institutions is considerably higher than at state-supported schools, but all have tuition charges that will appear high to people from most other countries. Remember that unless you are a permanent resident or U.S. citizen (or one of a few other immigration categories), most public financial aid is unavailable to you. Some states will offer the in-state tuition discount to all of its residents regardless of citizenship; others will not. Keep in mind, though, that there is considerable merit-based financial aid available from the institutions themselves.

In many countries it is very difficult to get into a university because of competitive entrance examinations but easy to graduate once you are admitted. In the United States, it is relatively easy to gain admission to many colleges or universities but often quite difficult to finish all course work successfully in order to graduate. Universities and colleges rated at the top academically are very competitive, but most high school graduates are able to find a college or university that matches their qualifications.

American children are among the most scheduled in the world. In addition to their academic work, children in the United States are offered a wide range of activities sponsored by the school during after-school hours. These activities, usually called extracurricular activities, are designed to help broaden children's skills and abilities and to give them a chance to practice leadership and assume responsibility, to supplement school courses, and to provide additional stimuli. These activities are another way for you to remain involved in your child's school experiences — adult volunteers are usually in short supply.

There is often a range of activities from which to choose, particularly at the junior high and high school levels. Nature clubs, musical organizations, science clubs, art and drama groups, or language clubs are common, as is a wide selection of sports activities. Virtually every high school has a student-run newspaper, often with a photographic darkroom. Some extracurricular activities take place during the school day, but many are held after classes are over. Even though they are optional, they are considered a part of the American educational experience. Parents encourage their children to participate in those programs that best suit their own special talents and interests. Students learn a great deal during these activities, especially in terms of relationships, social and intellectual skills, and a welltrained body.

Both employers and college admissions officers in the United States carefully consider the extracurricular activities in which students have participated, both during their free time after school and also during the long holidays. These are indicators of a young person's leadership potential, enthusiasm, creativity, breadth of interest, vitality, and personality. These qualities are weighed, together with the student's or candidate's academic record, to assess intelligence, perseverance, and ability to use what he or she has learned.

Most schools have organizations made up of both parents and teachers. They meet together regularly to discuss and confer on various matters pertaining to the school — curriculum, budgets, faculty, salaries, library facilities, and so forth.

Parents often volunteer to help with classroom or after-school activities. They sometimes make costumes for plays, play the piano, bring snacks or cookies for a party, or assist a teacher on a class field trip. Some come at regular times to tutor children in the classroom, under the teacher's supervision. Volunteering at your child's school is a good way to meet people in the area and to learn how the school functions.

In good schools a real effort is made to have the home and the school work together for the child's well-being. You will generally find teachers eager to talk with you about any problems you may have concerning your child — although the larger the class, the less time (understandably) the teachers have. Where size permits, there are often parent conferences — scheduled appointments so that parents can meet privately with one or more of their child's teachers to discuss particular problems or progress. You will also be sent notices of meetings or programs. You may be invited to a "parents' day," where you follow your child's schedule through a full day of classes, or a "parents' evening," an abbreviated version, with ten - to fifteen-minute classes. This is enlightening and enjoyable for most parents. Parent-teacher conferences may be scheduled regularly or at the request of either the teacher or the parents. These conferences are an important way to understand what is expected of your child, and to find out whether he or she is experiencing any academic or social difficulties.

Both mothers and fathers are expected to attend such meetings and to show their interest in the school and their children's education. School functions also provide a good way to meet your neighbors and to make friends in the community. Since Americans enjoy meeting people from other countries, you will probably find your national background a help rather than a handicap in getting acquainted. This is true even if you are having trouble with the language.

An extensive network of private schools parallels the public school system. Some of these schools are closely associated with a church or religious denomination and are called parochial schools. Some of these, such as those sponsored by the Society of Friends (Quakers) and many Catholic schools, are popular among people of all faiths. Private schools receive no financial support from tax funds and are, with the exception of some parochial schools, expensive — some more so than others.

Why do people spend so much money, often to the point of major financial sacrifice, to send their children to private schools? The reasons vary.

1. Classes tend to be smaller with greater individual attention than in public schools. Some children need this kind of supportive individual instruction.

2. Most private schools are highly selective; through interviews, references, and examinations (at least for the upper levels), they seek students of quality. This means that they can usually maintain higher academic standards than the public schools, which have to accept students of all abilities.

3. Discipline is likely to be better and academic standards higher than in public schools, which are often overcrowded and understaffed.

4. Some parents living in crowded or academically disadvantaged areas feel they must send their children to private schools to prepare them for admission to a selective college.

5. A few parents prefer to send their children to schools sponsored by their own religious denomination.

6. Some parents seek a more homogeneous student body than is found in the public schools.

Those interested in finding out about private schools can contact the National Association of Independent Schools at www.nais.org/.

Boarding schools exist mostly for children of high school age (15–18), though there are also a few for younger children. If you happen to settle near a boarding school, you may be able to enroll your child as a day student. Otherwise, these children live in school dormitories and attend classes on the school campus.

You may find private schools teaching in German, Spanish or French, or adhering to a specific educational philosophy such as Montessori or Waldorf. Contact the Council for American Private Education (www.capenet.org/) for more information.

Public Schools
The great majority of American children attend public schools, that is, schools that are tax-supported and free. It is often confusing to newcomers to find that there is no national standardized system for all fifty states. Each state has been free to develop its own model. These vary so widely in quality, facilities, disciplines, and academic standards that people often move in to (or out of) a state because of the quality of available schooling.

To make matters even more confusing, local school districts have considerable decision-making authority within each state framework. City, township, and district schools have their own curricula, boards, budgets, and standards, even though these must follow certain broad guidelines outlined by their states.

School support comes primarily from taxes at state and local levels, rather than from national funds. When the federal government does contribute to education, it does so primarily in the poorer states, where local funds are inadequate. National funds tend to be channeled for buildings, transportation, or other projects that do not affect the curriculum. As previously noted, Americans jealously guard their independence from their own national government. If there is a chance that, as a result of accepting national funds, the government may be able to exert some kind of control, such funds are often turned down by community school boards (elected citizens). There have been heated arguments — even riots and demonstrations at the college level — when citizens have felt that the federal government was exerting too strong an influence on curriculum through support of scientific research programs, for example, or military training, or other specific projects. Since many of our ancestors and many of today's new citizens have come to this country for the express purpose of escaping too much government control, this feeling still runs deep.

In line with this emphasis on local control over education, there are no national examinations at either school or college level as there are, for example, in France, England, or Japan. College Board examinations, which are taken across the country for entrance to colleges and universities, are administered by a private organization, not by the federal government, and no college is compelled to use them. This state and local independence results in substantial variation in the quality of public education, even from one town to the next. In our fast-growing cities, elementary and high schools are nearly all badly overcrowded. In recent years many have been troubled with violence, teacher strikes, and other problems. In suburban areas and small towns, public schools tend to be more settled, with adequate facilities, reasonable ratios between teachers and pupils, and good academic standards.

The pendulum (between state and federal control on one side and local control on the other) does swing, however. There is a national law that requires school districts to implement standardized tests and it requires them all to use the same test. Several states have had a standardized testing program for a number of years.

As a newcomer, you may raise questions and talk as freely as you like about schooling with any Americans you meet. Many people here are deeply concerned about education. They constantly discuss the subject among themselves, and they will be delighted to talk with you about it also. Much is good and much is bad in our current educational establishment. We are in the process of reevaluating and restructuring the whole educational system of this country in order to meet our current needs and the urgent needs of the twenty-first century, including many new pressures from our vast and rapidly changing population.

Vocational Schools
Many school districts offer a distinct curriculum for those students who are not preparing to go on to higher education. In the last two years of high school, they may take courses in cosmetology, automobile or computer repair, or other fields. Vocational schools are aimed at moving their graduates quickly into skilled and semiskilled occupations. Because nearly half the eighteen-year-olds do not attend college or university, vocational education is an important part of the educational system.

Magnet Schools
Many school districts offer schools with specialized curricula, such as an emphasis on arts, science, or foreign languages. Students are admitted to the programs competitively, and unlike other public schools, enrollment is not assigned by the student's address. If your city or school district offers magnet schools, it is worth the effort to learn more about them. Magnet Schools of America (www.magnet.edu/) is a good place to start.

Charter Schools
Somewhere between public and private schools are charter schools, so called because they receive a charter from the state in order to operate. These are publicly funded, privately operated schools that receive extremely high levels of autonomy from state or local regulations governing public schools. In the 1990s, there was a dramatic increase in charter schools, especially in large cities. These schools are funded based on the number of students they enroll. Freed from the burdens of teacher unions and the obligation to educate every student, charter schools evoke heated passions from both supporters and detractors. On the one hand, they generally provide a superior education and attract the brightest and most capable students. On the other hand, they drain limited funding from the larger urban schools, as well as leaving behind those who are most difficult to teach. Some of these schools have curricular emphases such as science or foreign languages. Charter schools offer many of the benefits of private schools without charging high tuition. You can find more information at www.uscharterschools.org/.

There is such variation in preschools and nursery schools that it is best to wait until you arrive to see what is available in your neighborhood. Private nursery schools are often expensive, but there are also informal play groups, religious-affiliated nursery schools, YMCAs, YWCAs, or other less expensive possibilities in most communities.

Little children often attend these for only three to four hours, two or three days a week, but they start to learn about sharing, following instructions, and being part of a group. They also enjoy the companionship of other children their age, which is often hard to find in city living.

If you live in an area where there are many small children and an outdoor place to play, you probably will not need such an organized group. However, in impersonal apartment houses, children are sometimes lonely. In addition, you may want to give your children a little extra help in learning American ways and English before they start school, which can be a rough adjustment.

If you do not find a preschool that you like near your home, you may find that there are dance classes, art classes, gymnastics classes, swimming lessons, or other activities for little children, where you can bring your child into contact with playmates once or twice a week.

Large apartment units often provide day care or supervised play groups for little children during certain hours of the week. Mothers sometimes pool their resources and take turns with each other's children, partly to give themselves an occasional free afternoon and partly to give their children needed companionship.

In most areas the school year begins in late August or early September and ends somewhere near the middle or end of June. A few schools, generally at the high school level, also offer summer sessions. These are optional, but they give students a chance to make up work that they have missed or failed, take advance credits or extra courses they have not had time for in the school year, or just become familiar with a school before the new term starts. Summer sessions normally hold classes in the morning and then offer a range of sports, trips, and leisure activities in the afternoon.

If you arrive in the United States in the spring with a teenager who plans to enter a regular school session in September, you might want to consider enrolling him or her in summer courses to improve English language proficiency, make friends, or gain self-confidence. A new and interesting trend is starting among some schools, particularly on the west coast, namely a shift to a year-long pattern rather than having long summer holidays.

Overview
Education is an important part of American life, and the wide variety of educational choices is sometimes difficult for visitors from other countries to understand. One-half of all the people in the country between the ages of 18 and 25 are enrolled in a college, university, or technical training institute. All boys and girls up to age 16 are required to go to school. There are three broad categories of education that serve this population: (1) public schools (including charter, magnet, and vocational schools), (2) private schools (including religious, boarding, day, Montessori, and Waldorf schools), and (3) home schooling.

Education here is intended for everyone. Schools are expected to meet the needs of every child, regardless of ability, and also the needs of society itself. This means that tax-supported public schools offer more than academic subjects. It surprises many people when they come here to find high schools offering such courses as typing, sewing, radio repair, computer programming, or driver training along with traditional academic subjects such as mathematics, history, and languages. Students choose from a large selection of courses, depending on state requirements, their interests, future goals, and level of ability. The underlying goal of American education is to develop every child to the utmost of his or her abilities and to give each one a sense of civic and community consciousness.

Because our population is so diverse, schools have traditionally played an important role in creating national unity and in "Americanizing" the millions of immigrants who have poured into this country. Schools also play an important role in the community, especially in small towns.

The American approach to teaching may seem unfamiliar to many, not only because it is informal, but also because there is less emphasis on learning facts than is true in the systems of many other countries. Instead, Americans try to teach their children to think for themselves, to analyze, to explore, to develop their own intellectual and creative abilities. Students spend much time learning how to use resource materials, libraries, and computers. Americans believe that if children are taught to reason and to research well, they will be able to find whatever facts they need throughout the rest of their lives. Knowing how to solve problems is considered more important than the accumulation of facts, which often grow obsolete.

Computers are used in many classrooms, frequently starting in kindergarten. If your child does not know how to use a computer, you can help him or her a great deal by providing computer lessons in advance, even while you are still in your own country. To find such classes after you arrive in the United States, consult the school or ask a local computer store where classes are given.

Naturally, when any family moves from one country to another, the question of schooling for their children is always an urgent one. Unless you are in a small town, there will be a variety of schools — public, parochial, or private; day or boarding; coeducational or all-boy/all-girl; traditional or experimental — available to you.