By Eva Silaidi, Anatoli Betsou & Elina Plali-Sorra (A Class)

Did you know that what is learned in school can directly affect students’ future career success? Nowadays schools not only educate children but they also develop their character as well as their interpersonal skills. The question is how and when schools and teachers manage to do that.

From a young age children at school are taught how to increase their team spirit by performing several tasks such as keeping their classrooms clean, or even getting involved in projects. This can be extremely helpful, especially later on with their professional lives, when they will have to cooperate and interact with their colleagues at work.

Schools in some countries choose to offer students the chance to try out different college or university courses by providing them with a “gap year” between the 11^th and 12^th grade.  By doing this, students will have the opportunity to realize what they want their future occupation to be like, to find out more about their personal interests and of course gain some independence. This way they will be well equipped for a bright academic future, but also set high career prospects.

To conclude, schools should prepare their students for their later work life in order to assist them to succeed in the career they have chosen. Pupils should be taught the basics of social skills and how to rely and trust themselves. Hopefully this will affect positively their imminent business success.

By George Livieratos, Pantelis Kondis &

Androutsopulos-Agiotatos Vasilis-George (A Class)

Deciding what to study is sometimes important and should not be hurried, as it can impact future success and career.  For a few people, choosing a course is simple: they have always wanted to be a surgeon or had always passion for geography and art. Others, however, are facing a lot of trouble deciding what exactly they want to do in their life.

A quick major decision may only lead to frustration and loss of time. People who choose the wrong course end up being unhappy and having a lot of issues studying. In order to make a major decision, time and information are needed. Young people have to consider all options and ask for advice or suggestions.

Identifying personal skills and strengths and choosing a course that reflects the person’s abilities is essential. Teachers and tutors can also help their students recognize their strengths and weaknesses. This process will help them decide which course fits them. If they find the right course at the right university they will be inspired to succeed.

Students of this generation are lucky that they have access to high-speed Internet and have information readily available at their finger-tips. The use of interactive tools will help them find a course based on their specific interests and requirements. People who have completed university courses can give an insight from a student’s perspective and inform younger people about the pros and cons.

Career opportunities are also vital. Students must take a look at the career prospects of the course before selecting one. They have to consider various factors, such as income, job, security, stress, responsibility and other benefits.

By Ifigenia Bakogianni and Christina Tsoupra (A Class)

Switzerland

Switzerland with a rather flexible and varied educational system is in 9^th place based on the Pearson Education Group. Both the government and a total of 26 regional cantons (subdivisions of a country established for political or administrative purposes) share responsibility for higher and tertiary learning. Not only this, but the Swiss Financial Institution and Swiss Banking School also provide advanced Ph.D. programmes for students, with an emphasis on teaching wealth management and private banking.

Canada

Canada, placing 10^th in the Pearson Group maintains a level of consistency and reliability. In fact, this level of consistency and reliability is also a significant feature of the Canadian economy, and this was most notable during the aftermath of the global recession. The Canadians follow compulsion in the education up to 16 or 18 years.

Finland

Finland is fairly enough in the first place with the single most innovative and unique educational system in the world. It has turned its back on the centralized and evaluation-driven model adopted by the majority of the western nations. It has been recorded that all students attend college and enter into a higher education in general. The most important is that most education is funded by the public, and Finnish citizens do not have to pay tuition fees at any level. Last but not least, Finnish teachers are more focused on learning rather than testing. Students undergo the national examination (matriculation) at the end of their general upper secondary education. They seek admission into institutions for higher education on the basis of their matriculation results and entrance test performance.

School children are primarily encouraged to develop their social skills. Most students rarely get homework until they are well into their teens. School days in the early years are short, and much of the time is spent on educational activities instead of academics. Teachers place a lot of emphasis on play, art, music, dramatics, and storytelling. However, at some point, Finland is not considered no#1 anymore: the premature child admission is said to be a big drawback in the system.

To cut a long story short, Education is one of those things that is considered pretty important throughout the world, but it still remains that not every country does it the same and indeed some countries are better at it than others.
 

By Panagiotis Dimitropoulos, Tassos Karakoulakis, Vasilis

Daoularis & Panagiotis Antonopoulos (A class)

Every parent knows that getting teenagers out of bed is no easy task, especially when they have to go to school, triggering depression and irritation, with themselves prone to shouts of  » I hate you » and everything is «so unfair!»

First of all, students get significantly less sleep when they are in school term – roughly one hour and 17 minutes less a night than when on holiday. They also have to wake up considerably earlier – about two hours and 30 minutes sooner. In contrast, the students – particularly boys – tended to adopt a later sleep/wake routine during the holidays. Recently, a research showed that students believe they need about eight hours and 45 minutes of sleep, although during the holidays they tend to get about nine hours and 12 minutes. During school term, they typically get less than eight hours of sleep. As a result adolescents are increasingly using stimulants to compensate for sleep loss, and caffeinated and/or sugary drinks are the usual choice. The half-life of caffeine is 5 to 9 hours. So a caffeinated drink late in the day delays sleep at night. Tiredness also increases the likelihood of taking up smoking. Collectively, a day of caffeine and nicotine consumption, the biological tendency for delayed sleep and the increased alertness promoted by computer or cellphone use generates what scientists call a “perfect storm” for delayed sleep in teenagers.

All in all, skipping sleep can be harmful. You can look bad, you may feel moody and you perform poorly. So, sleepiness surely has a big impact in teenagers” lives and should be avoided.

Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21829130-100-why-teenagers-really-do-need-an-extra-hour-in-bed/

By Maria Kardi (A class)

 Students grapple with many issues in their lives, and because of all of the competing things for your attention, it’s hard to concentrate on studying.

So if you are looking to make the most of your study time and get better grades at school, here are some tips to increase your effectiveness as a student.

Don’t forget that the key to effective studying isn’t cramming or studying longer, but studying smarter.

1. Use an Assignment Notebook: Organize you studying by writing down all your assignments and notes so you don’t forget anything.

2. Cut out all distractions: No TV, phone calls, or loud music. These can ruin your concentration.

3. Get a healthy snack and water bottle:  Keep yourself hydrated and small snacks like peanuts or fruit will help keep you energized.

4. Create a study space: Find a comfortable and quiet space with good lighting.

5. Take breaks: Working too long on a task can actually decrease your performance.

Sources

• http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Motivated-to-Study
• http://www.cod.edu/people/faculty/fancher/study.htm
• http://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/studying-training/studying-tips-resources/top-10-study-tips

By Michael Douvlis, Andriana-Theoni Nikolopoulou &  Agathi Tagari (A class)

  One of the most debated issues in education today is for how long it must be compulsory. The duration of the education varies in most countries. For instance, in some countries children must go to school until the age of 16 and in some others until the age of 18.

To start with, children who go to school until the age of 16 may not be that privileged. These students are thought to have more problems in finding a job. Should they find one, they might not have huge salaries, because they will undergo obsolescence due to the limited education they have. In addition, according to a recent survey, a degree can offer someone a salary 24 % higher than the one offered to a holder of a high school diploma and the non-graduates cannot find a secure job.

Not only does the education until 16 cause financial problems, but it also has an effect on their socialization. More specifically, these people feel marginalized and useless to society, and as a consequence, they face psychological problems.

On the other hand, 18-year-old graduates feel more complete. They do not only feel economically safer, but they have also practised other abilities. By interacting with other peers, they socialize and they learn how to solve problems related with their occupation. What’s more, it helps them broaden their horizons. It can be conducive to develop a character and they can also find a job easily whether they have a university diploma or not. Moreover, they are more capable of developing social skills and they can feel more independent.

All in all, there are a lot of different opinions regarding compulsory education. In our point of view, education should be compulsory until the age of 18, due to the opportunities it offers.

By Athena Katsigianni, Maria Giannopoulou & Iris Manda (B class)

The term “child prodigy” defines a person under the age of ten who produces meaningful output in some domain to the level of an adult expert performer.

Three examples of particularly extreme prodigies are the following:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Born on January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a musician capable of playing multiple instruments who started playing in public at the age of 6. Over the years, Mozart aligned himself with a variety of European venues and patrons, composing hundreds of works that included sonatas, symphonies, masses, concertos and operas, marked by vivid emotion and sophisticated textures.

Bobby Fischer

Bobby Fischer was born on March 9, 1943, in Chicago, Illinois. Fischer first learned the game of chess at the age of 6 and eventually became the youngest international grand master at the age of 15. In 1972, he became the first American-born world chess champion after defeating Boris Spasski. An eccentric genius, who was believed to have an I.Q. of 181, Fischer became known for his controversial public remarks in his later years. He was granted Icelandic citizenship in 2005, following legal trouble with the United States. He died on January 17, 2008.

Pablo Picasso

Born in Malaga, Spain, in 1881, Pablo Picasso, became one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century and the creator (with Georges Braque) of Cubism. A Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and stage designer, Picasso was considered radical in his work. After a long prolific career, he died on April 8, 1973, in Mougins, France.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_prodigy
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Amadeus_Mozart
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Fischer
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Picasso

By Theodore Batsikas and Vasilis Tsonakas (B Class)

Do you think that speaking is the hardest part of learning a language? If you follow the suggestions below, you are sure to find something that will help you with the  English language.

First of all, you have to be on the look out for opportunities to speak English whenever possible because if you don’t practise the language, you won’t be able to speak it correctly. Watching a film without subtitles could be a great way to practise or you can download games from the Internet.

Secondly, make it easier for yourself by doing things you find interesting. You can talk with your friends or learn the lyrics of your favourite song or just by reading a book in English.

Another thing you may like is visiting England and be forced to speak the language!

Learning English is a challenging task but if you make it a fun part of your everyday life, you are bound to succeed in the end!

By Konstantina Tsalamida (A Class)

       Have you ever asked yourself how young children, who are learning to talk, can understand their natural language? Or even use it correctly without any grammatical mistakes? Well, that’s not a mystery any more…

       Language is a phonological and grammatical system that helps people to communicate with each other. Children, actually, remember and use a language depending on how their parents and relevant talk until the age of five years old and until the age of eight years old they have already understand some grammatical rules of their natural language.

       The processes young children go through in order to use a language are absolutely planned by a mechanism called biological calendar which provides everyone with the opportunity to understand a language even if it’s not their natural one. That’s why the

majority of scientists believe that children should start learning a foreign language from the age of three or at least five because it would be easier to acquire it.

Howver, it’s never late for learning a new language!!!

Pictures:

1. http://e-didaskalia.blogspot.gr/2014/07/20_29.html
2. http://www.diakonima.gr/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/8bb3a4545314becd912e24d8565b0cd9_m1.jpg

Text Source: FOTINI KATRANIDOU

By Ioanna and Spyridoula Kalogirou (A Class)

Bullying in schools is a worldwide problem, growing at an alarming rate in recent years that can have negative consequences for the general school climate and for the right of students to learn in a safe environment without fear. Bullying can also have negative lifelong consequences—both for students who bully and for their victims.

Bullying consists mainly of direct behaviours such as teasing, taunting, threatening, hitting, and stealing but also of indirect attacks such us social exclusion which leads to isolation. The actions mentioned above, are performed by one or more students against a victim. While boys typically take part in direct bullying methods, girls who bully, mostly tend to utilize more indirect strategies, such as spreading rumours and enforcing social isolation. Whether bullying is direct or indirect, the key component of bullying is that the physical or psychological intimidation occurs repeatedly over time to create continuous harassment and abuse.

Characteristics of Bullies and Victims

Students who take part in bullying behaviours seem to try to attract attention and show their power. They appear to get satisfaction from causing injury and suffering on others but at the same time they excuse their actions by saying that their victims somehow provoked them. Studies indicate that family environment is a major cause of bullying. The use of physical punishment or harsh discipline, especially at the early stage of a children’s education, makes them react this way when they grow up .In contrast to what most people believe  students who regularly display bullying behaviours, tend to be antisocial and lack self-esteem.

On the other hand, those who are victims of bullying are typically anxious and insecure, rarely defending themselves when they suffer this behaviour. They tend to depend from their parents to a large extent so they have no friends and of course lack social skills. Most of times, their family is really overprotective. They also tend to be physically weaker and generally but not definitely, their appearance is not as not as good as their peers’.

Bullying has large effects on both victims and perpetrators in terms of health, wealth and relationship with common results. Victims of bullying will get easily depressed, as they cannot trust anyone. They will probably have difficulty in securing a job as well as building steady relationships with other people. From the other side perpetrators of bullying will also be affected in term of health as they are likely to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol that can develop into cancer. They will also have trouble in securing steady jobs because of their violent nature and feeling of oppression and superiority over others.

In conclusion, bullying is an important issue that needs close attention from both parents and schools. Bullying is caused by family and has to be resolved at early stage in order to avoid further problems in the future. Children at early age can easily be educated on the topic and can still change to better, while, adults have a hard time to receive advises from others.