Are Canadian Students Lazy? (Originally Posted On December 2, 2009)

According to one of the boys in my grade 11 class, us Canadians are lazy and have no idea what "real" education is. We don't know what it's like to study all afternoon and all night, we don't know what it's like to study for 10 or 11 exams at a time, and we don't have to remember/memorize the entire history of Europe or the names and dates of most major philosophers. Now, I will agree with Mr.THINKSheknowsitall (since I can't remember his name) when he says we don't have to do those things. Because we don't. Why not? Well in my opinion, it's because our educational system is smarter/more efficient/designed to make sure those things don't happen. Does that mean we're lazy, generally speaking? Absolutely not. Where did Mr.T.H.K.I.A.'s comment come from you ask? Well, Mercedes (one of the English teachers in the high school) asked me to talk to the class about my high school/high school education in Canada. Of course I gladly accepted because, I won't lie, these kids need an opportunity to see something different than what they know.

So, the story starts here, at Lord Beaverbrook High School. Well my story anyways. This was where I learned how Alberta's high school education system works. I remember being in Fairview Jr. high, and being so scared about what high school would be like, if I would like it, if I would be good at it, etc. It turns out its really nothing too crazy. I mean once I got used to the schedule, the classes, the hallways, made some friends, remembered my locker combination, things became like a daily routine that I could do with my eyes closed. My first semester (if I remember correctly) my four class timetable included Science 10, English 10, Spanish 10 and Gym 10 (or something like that). The fun thing about this type of schedule, was moving class to class, I met different people, and learned my way around the school. For Spanish people, this experience happens in grade 7 and is completely different. After elementary school (grades 1-6), kids start high school (grades 7-12). On the first day they would go to their designated classroom for the first of 6 classes they have that day. BUT, unlike in Canadian/American high schools, when the bell rings between classes, they don't get up and change classrooms, no, no no. They wait in THEIR classroom, with the same people for the next teacher to come and teach them a different subject. All subjects, with the exceptions of Music, Gym and Computers/Technology and Art which have special rooms, require the teacher to take all of their things and go to each of the different classrooms to teach their subject.

One thing I remember looking forward to in high school, was after exams in January when we changed semesters, changed classes, had a whole new schedule, it was so exciting to find out which classes we got, find out who we would be with in class, which teachers we would have. But here in Spain that doesn't happen. For 6 years (the first 4, grade 7-10 obligatory, and the last 2 optional) students have the same 10-11 subjects, with the same people all year long.)

When I started to explain that only a few subjects are mandatory for us Canadian students (English and Social 10,20,30, Math and Science 10 and 20, Gym 10, and CALM 20) and that all of our other requirements are our choice, the class turned into a riot. Well, then I started giving examples of our optional classes: Foods, Photography, Cosmotology, Art, Construction, Mechanics, French, German...the list goes on and on. And I'm sure you can imagine, they were disgusted! I thought for sure they'd be jealous or something, but nooo. They were actually very disappointed in us. My friend, Mr.T.H.K.I.A raised his hand and asked,
"Do you have Classic Culture as an optional class" and me being me, I responded,
"What exactly is Classic Culture?"
He then said, "You know, the history of Greeks and Romans..."

So at this point I am holding myself back from saying something on the lines of "What fricking teenager cares about "classic culture" in high school?" Instead I ended up saying "Well, those are things we choose to study in university."

After the bell rang I couldn't help but think more about what this guy was inferring. He was pretty much saying that because Canadians don't study classic culture, or religion, or philosophy, or thousands of pages of history, that we are idiots. But I really don't feel like that's true! We survive, we go to university, we (most of us) get pretty decent grades. I think the real deep difference between Mr.T.H.K.I.A. and I is that we each value different types of education. Well that could actually be said for the entire spanish education system actually. Spain values book knowledge, memorization, and facts, whereas in Alberta (and probably the rest of Canada too) we value more practical knowledge. Just because I had foods class, and not philosophy doesn't make me any more stupid. What is does make me on the other hand, is a better cook! Muahahaa