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Back to school is a yearly rite of passage. Although the journey doesn’t come with a roadmap, it should come with a few warning signs. “Hectic Days Ahead!” would certainly work. So would a “Yield” sign or two in the kitchen for the morning rush.
Trading summer relaxation for school-day structure is never easy, especially for families with young children. One back to school tip parenting experts often give is to adjust the kids’ schedules about a week before school starts. For example, make bedtime 10 minutes earlier each night and rouse the kids 10 minutes earlier each morning. This way, by the time school starts, they should be ready to go.
Instilling a sense of excitement about the start of school also helps. In that spirit, Family Times has gathered some fun facts about schools, both here and abroad. So get together with the kids and put everyone’s knowledge to the test with our “back to school” trivia quiz:
- Which U.S. state spends the most money on its public school students? a) New York, b) California, c) Connecticut, d) Texas
- In which U.S. city will you find what was named “America’s Most Beautiful High School”? a) Los Angeles, California, b) Portland, Oregon, c) Little Rock, Arkansas, d) Honolulu, Hawaii
- In which country does “public school” actually refer to a private school? a) New Zealand, b) England, c) Canada, d) Ireland
- The largest school in the world in number of pupils can be found in which of the following countries? a) China, b) Russia, c) India, d) Brazil
- Millions of teachers address the educational needs of students in U.S. elementary and secondary schools. How many, full-time teachers are there? a) 1.2 million, b) 3.7 million, c) 6 million, d) 9.5 million
Answers:
- a. According to U.S. Census data, New York spends the most money to educate its students: $19,552 per pupil (2012 expenditure). The Census took into account money spent on salaries, student transportation and instruction.
- c. Following its construction in 1927, Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas was named “America’s Most Beautiful High School” by the American Institute of Architects. The school is a mix of Art Deco and Collegiate Gothic architectural styles. Little Rock Central has also been designated a National Historic Site.
- b. In England, “public schools” are in fact “private” schools where tuition must be paid.
- c. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the world’s largest school in number of pupils is the City Montessori School in Lucknow, India. It had a record enrollment of 39,437 pupils in August 2010 for the 2010-2011 academic year. The school reports that enrollment has since grown to about 45,000 students. (The Guinness record for school size did not tally university enrollments, which can also number in the tens of thousands.)
- b. As of autumn 2012, the U.S. Department of Education had projected a total of 3.7 million full-time teachers working in U.S. elementary and secondary schools.
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