Anything to complain about your school system

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I just want to make a comparison between different education systems --- anything that you don't like about your school system?

Here, I can complain about three school systems, if you'd like-
vague memories of elementary school at a public school
It sucked, to start. They weren't willing to adapt to people who were above-level in things like reading. Plus, I didn't fit in. My least favorite class was recess...
Then, I went to a private all-girls school. For me, it was both perfect and horrid at once. I loved the actual work, of course. I'm not sure about the social stuff-I've now learned that the kids there were a lot more open to my quirks, and would in some cases go out of their way to explain to me what was wrong in given situations. I think this helped me in learning how I was expected to act. However, now I am at a co-ed school in Hong Kong (the above two were in the US)
It's very confusing and chaotic compared to the one in the US, even though they're both private, english-speaking schools.
In total, I'd say that comparing a smaller (60 kids per grade, 12-15 kids max in most classes, fewer in some) private all girls school to a larger (121 kids per grade, maybe 20 kids max in the classes) co-ed school, they both have their advantages and disadvantages. The smaller school I went to was nice because people really did go out and teach me things like personal space (seriously, they'd go and tell me when I was invading someone's personal space and give me an idea of what was reasonable every time until I understood) but it was a very different place from the real world, if you know what I mean-very sheltered, which was nice, but not realistic, and leaves me confused when I'm somewhere else (camp, my new school, etc)
On the other hand, it's quite easy to get lost and confused at my new school-very much more loud and chaotic. I tend to get frustrated due to the people/social standards I don't know, or the boys (so confusing to me!)

It should be noted that most of the things I said would apply only to me, and that I'm sure most people don't feel this way (I'm rating/complaining due to things that bothered me, and not most other people)
Plus, I've just recently moved to Hong Kong, so I'm not sure how to distinguish what's different, and therefore confusing me because of the different continent, former school's lack of boys, other differences between the two schools, or just something having to do with me.

My school is alright except that they have no idea how to deal with budget cuts. I understand that making budgets cuts is always difficult but is necessary with the current economic situation in Michigan but the first idea they had was to almost completely get rid of the extracurricular fine arts programs while leaving everything else untouched. After the obvious protest that idea was scraped and now more general cuts are being made, while they continue to fund expensive, and unnecessary, technology upgrades. I'm just glad that I'm a senior and will not have to deal with the Michigan education system anymore after this year.

In some classes, there aren't enough assignments and too many tests. In math for example, last year it was about 75% assignments 25% tests, and now it's more like 90% tests, 10% assignments (maybe even less, I've had 2-3 small assignments in this class). Even the summative is a test!
I learn so much better with assignments because I can check what I'm thinking and make my work as good as possible. Tests just don't work because I forget so many things and I don't usually have enough time to make sure I've done everything right, even with my extended time.

It is unreasonably long and useless. All of them. After 8+4+5+3+5=25 years of school I always miss some information that I need and do not need what I learned. Also I forgot about 90% of everything.
Honestly it is such a waste of time and always feel so sorry for all the kids and families that have meltdowns and crises because of stupid homeworks and bunch of useless inforamtion.

Sorry, I guess you didn't want to hear about this but I had to say. I am so pissed off by the whole system.

This is unfortunately what I want to hear.

I only had 13 years in school. However, I feel that I am learning useless stuff for most of my 13 years, whereas the real useful things aren't taught at all. I am a victim of stupid homework and useless information. And in addition, I feel that my school system sucks because it is fundamentally flawed in my own view, though others say it is good enough to prepare workers for the new economy...

I came into school to learn things so that I can achieve my dream of being an artist. However, in my country (especially a few years ago) art is really discouraged, it's like I just drew, drew and drew --- and teachers will never accept a slight deviation from the 'guidelines' in drawing. I am pissed off --- I am trained like a machine, not a human being... Or so I thought when I think of the past.

So I just became an empty vessel throughout primary and secondary school. I was only filled much later on.

Then I wanted to be a pharmacist. Never did I thought the Singapore education system changed just before I entered high school (junior college in Singapore). Previously, students can do just sciences in school. When I stepped into school, I am kind of forced to something that I don't understand --- while I'd want to learn more about the sciences (which are really easy) I am forced to do a humanities subject in school, which was useless in my view. And then depression sets in when the workload gets too much to bear, because it's just work, work and work... I melted down.

Fortunately, I did ok in humanities and I am happy with this later on, because I gained a fresh new perspective of life after watching a few videos on history and historical events on computer.

I am also unhappy as Singapore's education system is too distracting. Even qualitative things (in my opinion, and only occured when I entered school) like groupwork, classroom participation and now, CCAs are counted as quantitative marks. They only make me focus less on the gaining of knowledge that I wanted. And the SAT test is dropped two years before I enter high school. I have less options when it comes to the choice of schools to go on to!

In addition, like many other Aspies, I am also unhappy in interacting with people of differing interests as me. I always feel tired when I get along with them. But then, this problem is also present in real life.

But yeah, I am displeased at these not-so-good changes to me in school:

- Too many unnecessary exams (Common problem)
- Too many irrelevant stuff to be graded (in my opinions)
- Too many irrelevant subjects
- Too many things that make me unhappy in the end
- Too little options

No matter what, though, the first three options showed that I still need to adapt to these unavoidable characteristics in my education system:

Exams are necessary.

There is a quantitative need to compare different people's activities to make things fair.

The current globalized economy in Singapore that requires a well-rounded education which I have to adapt to, I need to be good in Maths, Science, Writing, Literature (for my cultural needs), Government (through propaganda, unfortunately), Economics, and like it or not, a Foreign Language (in my case, strongly considering the rise of a new superpower in China, I chose Zhongwen/Mandarin)

But to me...

The fourth option could be avoided, if more action is done. I clearly needed psychological help, but when it matters at the start of high school, I did not have adequate cover. I am still unhappy with it, as I still feel inadequate after medication for my psychological conditions...

As for the fifth, why the government still wants everyone to adhere to the same standards when trying to gain admission to the succeeding higher tier in education? Why can't there be more diversity in the education system, so that more people can choose the best standardized test they prefer or feel that they do better in?

Back in my old public school it was, If you are bullied, it is your fault. If you have a learning disability, you aren't worth the time to help. If you have a physical medical condition you might as well be ret*d because we don't want to deal with it because we are lazy (there was a girl in my special ed class with epilepsy and other physical health problems but had no mental or learning disabilities.)

Are you speaking about the dark side of Singapore's education system?

Sigh. Such is life in a not-so-enlightened place?

Nope. http://www.wb.k12.oh.us/ It's a school in the US. It's rural school so they weren't very enlightned. Thanks to them, I get sick whenever I see the combonation of brown and sickish yellow (they tried to say it was gold). The teachers who treated me so bad are still working there. The third grade teacher who treated me like s**t and is the reason I have PTSD today is still teaching. So is the fourth grade teacher who left a huge bruise on my arm (I heard from a lady at our yard sale she did it to her AS kid too and the school just covered it up because they are so short on teachers). I know it happened over a decade ago, but it is still so real to me. If my parents didn't take me out when they did, I probably would have commited sucide in the fith grade.

I am glad that I am not alone in fighting the unjust and dim system.

Thanks, we shall overcome!