Reflection 9

In the article The First Schools, the Sumerian school flourished due to the invention of writing. The Sumerian school used the writing system called cuneiform; it consisted of thousands of pictographic tablets of clay. The clay tablets had economic and administrative memorandum on it. However, there was still several word lists that was intended for studying. That goes to show that even in 3000 B.C scribes was already thinking about teaching. The Sumerian school flourished during the last half of the third millennium.

From records that have been excavated, it is know that there was junior and high scribes, temple scribes, scribes that specialized in certain categories, and scribes that were leading government officials. The original goal of the Sumerian school was "first established for the purpose of training the scribes required to satisfy the economic and administrative demands of the land, primarily those of the temple and palace." The Sumerian school became the core of learning, culture, and creative writing.

Like the article The First Schools, in Ancient Egyptian Education, the students were also taught reading, music, and mathematics. The difference however was that in ancient Egypt, people learned mainly by watching their parents and they usually had to take up the profession of their parents.

In today's schools, students are put into three stages of mandatory education. The first is Elementary and this usually begins with grades K-5. After elementary, there is Middle or Junior High school. This is usually from grades 6-8. Then, there is High School or Senior High, the age range for this is usually grades 9-12. In each of these, there are required subjects and standardized tests the students must complete successfully in order to continue on to the next stage. These tests and standards vary by state.

In the state of Florida elementary school students are required to know how to read, write, and complete basic math problems in order to move on to middle school. They must also pass the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). In middle school, students are required to know basic algebra, take a Physical Education class, and Civics in the seventh grade. They must also pass the writing portion of the FCAT before they are able to move on to high school. In high school, students must take and pass health, four years English, three years of Math, two years of science and a foreign language, one year of P.E, and an economic and American government class. They must also pass the FCAT Math, Reading, and Science.