Comments on: The Cuban school system and a Somerville 14 year old http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/09/01/schools-and-youth/the-cuban-school-system-and-a-somerville-14-year-old/ An independent, open forum for reports and opinions about life in our city. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:37:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/09/01/schools-and-youth/the-cuban-school-system-and-a-somerville-14-year-old/comment-page-1/#comment-16241 David Sun, 14 Nov 2010 21:26:33 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=2948#comment-16241 Hello. I've always had an interest in Cuba going way back. I have no background or relations from that country but it always seemed so beautiful and with many kind people as well. I was wondering if the college students and high school students also wore a type of school clothing as well? Anyway, this is a great article. The drop out rate in some schools in California are above fifty percent. There is no family cohesion or community activism as you see in Cuba. No regard for pushing a child into higher education or learning. Terrific article. Thank you very much. Hello. I’ve always had an interest in Cuba going way back. I have no background or relations from that country but it always seemed so beautiful and with many kind people as well. I was wondering if the college students and high school students also wore a type of school clothing as well? Anyway, this is a great article. The drop out rate in some schools in California are above fifty percent. There is no family cohesion or community activism as you see in Cuba. No regard for pushing a child into higher education or learning. Terrific article. Thank you very much.

]]> By: Rudolf Kallas http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/09/01/schools-and-youth/the-cuban-school-system-and-a-somerville-14-year-old/comment-page-1/#comment-12671 Rudolf Kallas Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:27:03 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=2948#comment-12671 I feel like I'm getting really old. From back in the day compared to now, putting something decent together has gotten crazy simple. Man, I am blown away at what you can do now! I feel like I’m getting really old. From back in the day compared to now, putting something decent together has gotten crazy simple. Man, I am blown away at what you can do now!

]]> By: Melissa McWhinney http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/09/01/schools-and-youth/the-cuban-school-system-and-a-somerville-14-year-old/comment-page-1/#comment-9652 Melissa McWhinney Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:28:24 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=2948#comment-9652 Great article, Kira, and beautiful pictures! Actually, when I think of Cuba, I think of great sandwiches, and the sea-wall that people walk along in Havana. But you've opened my eyes to much more, with your perceptive observations. I'd love to hear about how this experience has changed you as a person -- will you do things differently now, having visited Cuba? Great article, Kira, and beautiful pictures! Actually, when I think of Cuba, I think of great sandwiches, and the sea-wall that people walk along in Havana. But you’ve opened my eyes to much more, with your perceptive observations. I’d love to hear about how this experience has changed you as a person — will you do things differently now, having visited Cuba?

]]> By: Xumi http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/09/01/schools-and-youth/the-cuban-school-system-and-a-somerville-14-year-old/comment-page-1/#comment-9628 Xumi Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:36:50 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=2948#comment-9628 Kira, your trip sounds like it was a lot of fun for you and you've written an excellent article. It's alwasy encouraging to see a young student who understands and appreciates the value of family, the community and helping others. That shows a lot of maturity. Being fourteen is a fun age and it is very healthy (no matter what age) to see different cultures, appreciate them and then understand their differences. Maybe next article you can explore the Cuban system of government (Castro and/or his brother have governed since 1959 - have there been free and fair elections?), is there freedom of the press, how is their standard of living (higher or lower than the US?) and - most importantly - how are the career opportunities for the typical Cuban? Again, great article and remember to always challenge yourself. Always be curious and always - family first. Good luck this year in school! Kira, your trip sounds like it was a lot of fun for you and you’ve written an excellent article. It’s alwasy encouraging to see a young student who understands and appreciates the value of family, the community and helping others. That shows a lot of maturity.

Being fourteen is a fun age and it is very healthy (no matter what age) to see different cultures, appreciate them and then understand their differences. Maybe next article you can explore the Cuban system of government (Castro and/or his brother have governed since 1959 – have there been free and fair elections?), is there freedom of the press, how is their standard of living (higher or lower than the US?) and – most importantly – how are the career opportunities for the typical Cuban?

Again, great article and remember to always challenge yourself. Always be curious and always – family first. Good luck this year in school!

]]> By: Kira http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/09/01/schools-and-youth/the-cuban-school-system-and-a-somerville-14-year-old/comment-page-1/#comment-9535 Kira Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:21:40 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=2948#comment-9535 I agree completly. Most likely they got out of it through teaching all of the right values to the children starting when they were very young and keeping family in first priority. I agree completly. Most likely they got out of it through teaching all of the right values to the children starting when they were very young and keeping family in first priority.

]]> By: Kira http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/09/01/schools-and-youth/the-cuban-school-system-and-a-somerville-14-year-old/comment-page-1/#comment-9534 Kira Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:17:04 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=2948#comment-9534 Thank you very much. I would love to write about that. Currently i'm still working on getting ajusted to high school but a little later i would love to write an article about that. A short responce ot the dress code question is that it is very mixed. Most students do not like it at all, including me. However most of these students do see and accept some of the advantagesas well. For exammple there is so much less judgment based on cloths and getting ready in the morning is much much easier. I personally think that we should keep the dresscode but have at least three non-dresscode days a month instead of only one. This way we can express ourselfs but keep some of the advantages of dresscode. Thank you very much. I would love to write about that. Currently i’m still working on getting ajusted to high school but a little later i would love to write an article about that. A short responce ot the dress code question is that it is very mixed. Most students do not like it at all, including me. However most of these students do see and accept some of the advantagesas well. For exammple there is so much less judgment based on cloths and getting ready in the morning is much much easier. I personally think that we should keep the dresscode but have at least three non-dresscode days a month instead of only one. This way we can express ourselfs but keep some of the advantages of dresscode.

]]> By: Columbine http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/09/01/schools-and-youth/the-cuban-school-system-and-a-somerville-14-year-old/comment-page-1/#comment-9480 Columbine Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:53:22 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=2948#comment-9480 Wow. Hard work, self-discipline, and love of the country. Now, that's something I'd like to see more of here. It's still around, although mostly among retired folks, the military, and people from working families who kind of disappear in all the noise. I wonder how so many Americans came to define "success" as "I'm going to take everything I can and to heck with everybody else! If I can get it, I deserve it, and if they can't, they don't!" And I wonder how Cuba got out of it. Wow. Hard work, self-discipline, and love of the country. Now, that’s something I’d like to see more of here. It’s still around, although mostly among retired folks, the military, and people from working families who kind of disappear in all the noise. I wonder how so many Americans came to define “success” as “I’m going to take everything I can and to heck with everybody else! If I can get it, I deserve it, and if they can’t, they don’t!” And I wonder how Cuba got out of it.

]]> By: Linda Haviland Conte http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/09/01/schools-and-youth/the-cuban-school-system-and-a-somerville-14-year-old/comment-page-1/#comment-9479 Linda Haviland Conte Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:47:39 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=2948#comment-9479 Thanks for that very fine report on your trip Kira! Sounds like you did some research too. I'd love to hear more, but I guess it's back to school for you tomorrow! How about writing to us about that? (I know, I'm probably pushing my luck.) Do kids at Prospect Hill feel okay about their dress code? Thanks for that very fine report on your trip Kira!
Sounds like you did some research too. I’d love to hear more, but I guess it’s back to school for you tomorrow! How about writing to us about that?
(I know, I’m probably pushing my luck.) Do kids at Prospect Hill feel okay about their dress code?

]]>