moving of schools

 Another frustrating aspect of secondary school life is the attendance policy. In my secondary school a failure to be in class for one day would mean an immediate detention, unless a student arrived with a signed excuse from their parents. Such an attendance policy usually forced students to fear detention if they failed to show up. However, one final decision that is constructive in secondary school is class choice. Class timetables for each year in secondary school are already set according to the National Curricullum, with the choice of subject left to the student within boundaries. In my secondary school for instance, I had to take Art History in my first year, followed by Music (Tech) in my second year, and finally Art and Design.

College allows more freedom to its students, than secondary school because of the principal belief in the student's active involvement in his or her own education. Due to age plus maturity many of the decisions are partly left to the student, allowing much more freedom than he or she held in secondary school. The time table for the college student for example, can be modified to fit the student's individual need. They could be working during the afternoon, so they decide to put all their classes in the morning to allow them to go to their jobs.

This freedom allows them to set up a workable daily schedule. Another freedom that college students enjoy is a less strict attendance policy. College teachers allow their students to miss their classes occasionally if some sort of emergency should happen. I have yet to use this sensible and relaxed policy although I feel more at ease knowing that I can go to my teacher and negotiate if I need to miss a class. Class choice is also another freedom that comes with college. Students have a choice of deciding which classes they want to take for each year or term. I have found this freedom to be especially useful because I am able to balance my year’s schedule with both difficult and easier classes so not to overload myself completely. College gives much more freedom to its students than secondary school does, providing much more power to the student over his or her own education.

In comparing secondary school to college, I appreciate the freedom in college now more than ever. The fact that I was able to have a choice over my own class-time hours and classes has provided a much more satisfying and relaxing time to me than when I was in secondary school. It is because of this freedom that I enjoy college more than secondary school and that I will be successful for the rest of my time during college.

Damian Blake