Monday, December 11, 2006

Soldiers and High School students- similar? different?

I just finished reading an article on Birmingham High in the SF Valley and how they are trying to help students stay in school. It started me thinking about several aspects of high school life, and how it is similar to a soldier's life. Firstly, you must be prepared, including bringing the right materials and the right attitude to school (or war). Secondly, who you are connected with influences your success- your friends will drag you down or lift you up. Thirdly, how hard you work along the way will make a difference to the outcome and to how far you go, which is also true in the military. Yet there are, of course, contrasts. I would like you to complete the following: 1) Read the article here: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-me-dropout9dec09,0,7516387.story?page=1&track=crosspromo&coll=la-headlines-frontpage 2) Think about what contributes to success at school, both from the student's perspective and from the school's perspective. Then, think about what contributes to success in a war. How can you categorize success from a student's standpoint, and how can you characterize success from a warrior's perspective? Jot down your thoughts on this in preparation to write. 3) Compare and contrast your school experience with the war experience we are reading about. I understand that high school is probably not as full of physical danger, but think abstractly- what are some "dangers" you and your friends have faced? How is Lincoln like a "minefield" in a war? How is it different? Consider these questions, and write a 250-word response (about 3/4 of a page) that shows thoughtfulness and points out similarities and differences. It is due by the end of the period, either posted to my blog as a comment or printed out on Microsoft Word.

12 comments:

DannyX said...

For a student to truly succeed in school they have to come to school with determination and with eagerness to learn new things, because if you attend school unwillingly then you cant expect to learn much since the subject wont interest you so you wont pay any attention to class at all. Students have to be determined to learn because as stated before by many people if you put your mind to something you can make it happen. These are the qualities that determine a successful student from a dropout student. The school is successful when it can take if not the whole students at least 80 % of the students and take them through the graduation floor, it is successful when it can control every student and keep a clean school, when it can raise all test scores and be regarded as one of the finest schools to attend. A successful warrior has to also be determined to live, to strive … to know and want to get out of war alive, they have to be cautious and alert of any imminent danger that may arise, a warrior has to be able fight for what he believes for because if he fight for something that to him or her seems dishonorable or not worthy of a said action.

Anonymous said...

Can you identify a person just by looking at his/her appearance?
Is good grade relates to a person's personality?
If good grade represents to successful, what is bad grade represent?
In my opinion, a student who is successful should not be just looking at his/her grade.
Grade represents nothing related to success. However, most schools really care about students’ grades, they think that good grades equal to a successful student.
I think that a successful student should participate in school activities, get along well with other schoolmates. On the other hand, they have had good heart to help each others.
Successful not only relates to good grades, but also relates to the relationship around the school.
Someone who is powerful and defeats others, can it describe as victory?
Absolutely not.
In my opinion, war can never describe as victory. During the war, there were lots spirits lost their homes; buildings were damaged. At this situation, I don’t think that there is a victor. The countries which participated in the war were unwilling. They totally lost. They lost their soldiers, they lost their spirits, and they lost their sympathetic hearts.
When you face the difficulties, it frustrates you to keep going. When you stop, you can never achieve it and that will turn you into danger. That’s the problem that I and my friends face in Lincoln High School. In the war, soldiers must keep going. If they fear about their enemies in front of them, they stop and give up. You will find that you are in a danger situation later on. There would be lots enemies behind you. So you should be brave to fight the enemies and fight for your way. Otherwise, you will wait to dead.

Anonymous said...

In a way my school experience is like war. Here at Lincoln it seems like you always have to be watching your back from "enemies". People get really offended if you look at them the wrong way. Even stepping on the wrong persons shoes could mean you've made an enemy. Thankfully up until this point i havent had any enemies. I've always kept to myself and stay out of peopels way. Also our school being in Lincoln Heights, an area known for its gang related violence, doesnt make you feel any safer. Personally i've never really felt unsafe but its those moments when you put your guard down and when u least expecti it is when it strikes and your unprepared. I always hear about fights and peopel getting jumped and about shootings only blocks away and even so i dont really feel unsafe. Of course school is no where near as dangerous as war is but it has it similarities. Its also in a sense the same because your constintly under pressure. At war your under pressure to make sure you make it through another day and at school your under pressure to do you r best and succeed. In both situations your family is depending on you. They depend on you to "make it".

magali said...

I think that soldiers and high school are different, because students come every day to learnd new things. If we came every day to school we can succesful and get a good grades.The soldiers I don't nkow what is the responsibles of them but I think that was difficult

Anonymous said...

i think soldiers are differnt from students for the obvious things such as fear. The fear varies from being afraid to die or to be afraid to get too close to others if they leave you. High school is the same as in being prepared. In a war you have to be ready for combat but in school you have to be ready to learn. Soilders attack their enemies and students attack their school work. If a soildier is sucessful and trians hard he will survive and if a student works hard in class they will also succeed... in the working world

SmokeScreenFTW said...

I dont think that High School Students and Soldiers are any different from each other. School can become a battle field for some and a place for fear for others. Just saying the wrong things to the wrong person cant turn your high school experience into a war. Having to beware of your surroundings and watching your back. Also some students have the fear passing a class or surviving high school without any trouble and be similar to being a soldier.

Anonymous said...

I THINK THAT STUDENTS AND SOLDIERS ARE SIMILAR .STUDENTS MIGHT NOT GO THROUGH DODGING BULLETS BUT "WE" DO HAVE OUR OWN OBSTACLES.SCHOOL IS LIKE WAR!!..COMING TO LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL IS LIKE A BATTLEFIELD. YOU HAVE YOUR FRIENDS AND YOU HAVE YOUR ENEMIES. PEOPLE ARE MEAN AND THEY DONT GIVE YOU A CHANCE. IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOU.ITS WHO YOU HANG OUT WITH AND HOW YOU PLAN ON SUCCEEDING. THE GOAL IS TO GRADUATE.YOU HAVE LOTS OF DISTRACTIONS.
CHEENA24

Juanloks said...

Success from a students point of view is pass high school and go to college. A soldiers perspective is to win the war and go home safe. The expirience i have to go through is not fail any classes and be responcible and do my work. High school is pretty hard if you dont pay attention in class and go to class every day.

CMelgoza said...

I think that high school is like war because . . .
WAR--- At war people are afraid of being killed and perhaps even of killing others, I mean that’s what they’re there fore yet many are young and don’t necessarily feel that they want to be there, but when a draft comes they have no choice. They must kill the monster or the monster will eat them. I really think that it’s horrible, that it has to be this way. And really it doesn’t but the commander in Chief is the decision maker, and he does most things regardless of what the people think.
SCHOOL--- I think that when it comes to school you don’t have the extreme danger of dying yet you have the danger of failing in which you feel horrible if it was to be as so. In school people are young like many in war, many are pressured to do not only good but great just like war, they are pressured to go and fight and in school it’s the grades that you are pressured to have great, and sometimes some people really try and can’t get passed that C. They sometimes can’t go to a specific University and live there dream after H. S. or there parents are not so proud. The way this is compared to war is that many due to drafts can’t complete a dream that might not be war but rather school, or a good jab, All because they must go DIE for a country whom sometimes seems to not appreciate what they do. School also has enemies that seek to put you down and give you a bad reputation like at war the opposing country is seeking to kill you and put you down. The dangers do not necessarily compare because one is more extreme then the other yet they are both lower your self esteem.

lazerfloyd said...

I don't think there are that many similarities between school and war. In school all you have to do is pay attention, do what you have to do, and don't do anything stupid. Sure, in a war this stuff is important too. But it's important in any situation, not just school and war. Also, in a war, even if you do everything you're supposed to do, you still have a pretty good chance of getting you're head blown off. In school, just about the worst thing that can happen is they send you to the dean where you get a nice thorough finger-shaking in your direction. In school if you mess up, sure you might feel bad about it, but if you mess up in a war, you may not be around to tell about it. So everyone should stop feeling sorry for themselves because school isn't really so bad of a deal. Once you get to war, you don't have the time to complain about how hard it is and how your feet hurt from walking so much and how your mom isn't there to tell you she loves you. grow up. school is a pain in the neck. war is hell. there's a huge difference.

anabelie said...

What contrubutes to succsses at school is a good school that cares for the students, and a good student most importantly. But not necesseraly a fine school because there have been students who succssed in the worst school around and end up in collage, but a great school does help. I think that the student has the only key to succsees regardless of what school they attend. A student needs to thrive for success if they want to come out a winner. They should be responsible and prepare for shool every day. Teachers and councelers are there to help the student and thy could only help so much, but is the student who is dam lazy to keep up with theire work (I know because I've been there, I admit it. I am lazy some times) and the output of that if failure. Most importantly, every student shouln't give up on anything, specially in shool, whether it's because they've failed, or they've had a tragedy life experience, or they need to work insted of study, etc...
They could still go to shool. I know it isn't much fun, but it is not bad either. Similarly, war is like school too. Soldiers are responsible for beeing there in the first place, they sign theirselfs up for war like a brave tough man and they end up thinking thy shouldn't of done that(unless theres is a draft, they should do theire best anyway). Like students; they do something wrong or brave and then they regret it. Soldiers also have to think positive of their jurney in order to come out a winner. They should be prepare mentaly and physicaly for war, like students; bringing their materials and homework to school, and danger is everywhere too and in school and war anything can happen, but that does not have to stop you (if youre sill alive) from thriving for success.
-anabelie

Eduardo C. said...

This article is about students who drop out from high school. For example, this one guy drop out because he needed to help his family and I know "that’s everyone's problem and main reason for us students to drop out, the reason of need of money. Specially in this days that everything is getting expensive, but imagine back in the day i guess it was more harder" well anyways he begin to work on construction, because he needed to help some of his family member. So he did what he had to do, to earn his money and share with his family. Then one day he went back to school and told his story. (the one we read) He finish high school and got his high school diploma and move on and did his life.

Another example, is that this one girl got pregnant during her high school year. This girl then when back to school. She receive her parent’s support "I think this kind of parents are good parents, parents who care about their kids future they deserve a lot of respect ". Well she finish high school, and went to college study and got her master degree. As i see this person, working her ass off to get from one point to another and actually accomplish what she was going for. So i think that anyone else could do it as well. I really admire this person for what she done and accomplish.

Well in my opinion
for a student to truly succeed in school they have to come to school with determination and with eagerness to learn new things, “like my mother said when I was messing in my fresh men year" because if you attend school unwillingly then you cant expect to learn much.