Visit to the High School

Through our upcoming visit to the high school, I'm hoping to expand my ideas of what a typical public (albeit specially selective) high school looks like. Because my own school was very unique -- predominantly Asian/Troy Tech IB program -- I look forward to seeing and experiencing a different atmosphere. Along this same vein, I think that the students' attitude here will be different than those back home, and I have some questions. How do they percieve the education they are getting versus what their friends have at other schools? Where is college on their radar? Is it something that everyone is working toward to just a select few? What do they like best about the high school that is unique to their school? Do they feel like this should be implemented at other schools? And finally I would like to see their impressions of us. What they expected from us and whether we met those expectations. 

While I have a lot to take from the students, I'd also like to give them some background into my own educational experience. If I am asked to delve into my own high school experience, I will admit that it was a priveledged one filled with many opportunities to grow. However, I will also touch on the fact that it had its faults, and those faults ended up being a downer on my four years. I hope that I don't see those same issues within the high school, and then I can convey how comforting it is to me to be in a highschool enviroment like that. 

Overall, I'm very excited to visit the high school and gain more insight into the public education system and the students' mindset toward it. I know I'll come away with more material that I can apply to our readings in class, which will be especially helpful.