From gigli.saw@dplanet.ch Tue Dec 6 14:43:53 2005 From: gigli.saw@dplanet.ch (Vance Roy) Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2005 15:43:53 +0100 Subject: [Culturechat] Education tests Message-ID: <6807092e6932f705bfea5443d54490c3@dplanet.ch> There are new figures out on education systems in Europe and the USA. The top four countries in order are, Finland, Korea, Canada, and Switzerland. This is in reading and math. The USA ranks seventh in reading and tenth in math. The Swiss spend the most per pupil in dollars at 88,951 from 1st through 9th grade. The USA is second at 83,910 dollars. Finland is sixth at 59,043, and Korea spends the least at 43,173 dollars. Interesting that the Swiss have the most foreign students in these grades at 20.5 %, while the USA has only 6.6 %. Finland and Korea have 1.7 % and 0.3 % respectively. Not all of us are getting our dollar's worth. All of this came out of the PISA testing which has its proponents and its critics. Vance Roy gigli.saw@dplanet.ch http://homepage.mac.com/fredch If a guy doesn't pay his exorcist, can he be "repossessed"? AJC Vent From gigli.saw@dplanet.ch Sat Dec 10 18:01:57 2005 From: gigli.saw@dplanet.ch (Vance Roy) Date: Sat, 10 Dec 2005 19:01:57 +0100 Subject: [Culturechat] Good news (for some) Message-ID: I have a Blog now. This is good if you dislike my rants and raves. You will find most of them on the Blog now (not all, I may slip now and then). If you want to see what I think, then it will likely be on the Blog. Either way, you can leave comments. I will add to it irregularly but will try to do this every few days unless we are gone. Hope most of you will find something in it to read. Go to: http://fredmishmash.blogspot.com/ Vance Roy gigli.saw@dplanet.ch http://homepage.mac.com/fredch http://fredmishmash.blogspot.com/ Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die. AJC Vent From gigli.saw@dplanet.ch Wed Dec 14 07:47:35 2005 From: gigli.saw@dplanet.ch (Vance Roy) Date: Wed, 14 Dec 2005 08:47:35 +0100 Subject: [Culturechat] Fred's Thoughts Message-ID: <02e02d3e9bdc8a575b52831487320c67@dplanet.ch> http://fredmishmash.blogspot.com/ A few rants are on my blog. Vance Roy gigli.saw@dplanet.ch http://homepage.mac.com/fredch Ipod, therefore I am. AJC Vent From ggm2020@att.net Thu Dec 15 14:40:19 2005 From: ggm2020@att.net (Glenn Marshall) Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 09:40:19 -0500 Subject: [Culturechat] Swiss education Message-ID: <002401c60187$81a31840$c8a94d0c@3211> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C6015B.8FC5E280 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Last week I shared with a friend the numbers that Vance Roy provided on = education costs, Swiss vs. USA. The response I got back by E-mail = surprised me, she said that the Swiss cost of living was lower than in = the U. S.=20 Can you tell me how the two countries stand on cost of living? And a side comment from the book "Think a Second Time", where the author = reported that there is no relationship between government spending and = excellence in education (pages 152-155). Glenn Marshall Re: "The Swiss spend the most per pupil in dollars at 88,951 from 1st=20 through 9th grade. The USA is second at 83,910 dollars. Finland is=20 sixth at 59,043, and Korea spends the least at 43,173 dollars." ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C6015B.8FC5E280 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Last week I shared with a friend the = numbers=20 that Vance Roy provided on education costs, Swiss vs. USA.  The=20 response I got back by E-mail surprised me, she said that the Swiss = cost of=20 living was lower than in the U. S.
Can you tell me how the two = countries=20 stand on cost of living?
And a side comment from the book = "Think a Second=20 Time", where the author reported that there is no relationship between=20 government spending and excellence in education (pages = 152-155).
Glenn Marshall
 
Re:
"The Swiss spend the = most per=20 pupil in dollars at 88,951 from 1st
through 9th grade. The USA is = second at=20 83,910 dollars. Finland is
sixth at 59,043, and Korea spends the = least at=20 43,173 dollars."
------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C6015B.8FC5E280-- From gigli.saw@dplanet.ch Thu Dec 15 15:17:12 2005 From: gigli.saw@dplanet.ch (Vance Roy) Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 16:17:12 +0100 Subject: [Culturechat] Swiss education In-Reply-To: <002401c60187$81a31840$c8a94d0c@3211> References: <002401c60187$81a31840$c8a94d0c@3211> Message-ID: <75aec0311b06683ac1d4677f16226d63@dplanet.ch> If one compares costs in US$ for things like rent, land, food, restaurants, utilities, etc. CH is not below USA in cost of living. But to be fair, the salaries are higher too. I really don't know how that works out in comparison with the USA. I do believe that inflation is lower here than in the USA, and the rate rises at a slower pace. The people are better at saving money than the USA. Debt is not as acceptable either. Sounds like a question for an economist. On 15. Dez 2005, at 15:40, Glenn Marshall wrote: > Last week I shared with a friend the numbers that Vance Roy provided > on education costs, Swiss vs. USA.  The response I got back by E-mail > surprised me, she said that the Swiss cost of living was lower than in > the U. S. > Can you tell me how the two countries stand on cost of living? Vance Roy gigli.saw@dplanet.ch http://homepage.mac.com/fredch The prison system canceling the inmates' crochet course on ski-mask-making is wrong, just wrong. AJC Vent From broy@dplanet.ch Fri Dec 16 00:29:41 2005 From: broy@dplanet.ch (broy@dplanet.ch) Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 16:29:41 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Culturechat] Barbara's English Class Celebrates in Giswil Message-ID: <200512160029.jBG0Tsc4019535@upsa-web107.ofoto.com> --simple boundary Content-type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 It's become a tradition in my English classes to have a party on the last evening of class. Last night, my Advanced English students arranged a special dinner at the Bahnhof Hotel Restaurant in Giswil. With an advanced reservation, a small group can eat in the restaurant's kitchen located in the basement. The meal is a surprise. The chefs choose the menu and the guests can watch their own meal (and everyone else's) being prepared. It was a delightful experience and very reasonably priced. Seven of us shared the cost which came to around 60 Swiss francs or about $48 each (including wine). It was an evening to remember. To see the pictures click on the link. Write to me directly if you have trouble viewing the pictures. You're invited to view these photos online at Kodak Easyshare Gallery! Just click on View Photos to get started. http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=b39pmej.7tqzkbaf&x=0&y=-ld80vz If you'd like to save this album, just sign in, or if you're new to the Gallery, create a free account. Once you've signed in, you'll be able to view this album whenever you want and order Kodak prints of your favorite photos. Enjoy! Instructions: Click view photos to begin. If you're an existing member you'll be asked to sign in. If not, you can join the Gallery for free. http://www.kodakgallery.com/Register.jsp Questions? Visit http://help.kodakgallery.com. ------------------------------------------------ EASYSHARE Gallery Customer Service http://help.kodakgallery.com/support Phone: (800) 360-9098 Outside the US and Canada: (510) 985-9798 ------------------------------------------------ If you cannot see the links above, copy and paste the following URL directly into your browser: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=b39pmej.7tqzkbaf&x=0&y=-ld80vz --simple boundary Content-type: text/html; charset=windows-1252 You have been invited to view Barbara's photos!
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English Class Holiday Party in Giswil
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It's become a tradition in my English classes to have a party on the last evening of class. Last night, my Advanced English students arranged a special dinner at the Bahnhof Hotel Restaurant in Giswil. With an advanced reservation, a small group can eat in the restaurant's kitchen located in the basement. The meal is a surprise. The chefs choose the menu and the guests can watch their own meal (and everyone else's) being prepared. It was a delightful experience and very reasonably priced. Seven of us shared the cost which came to around 60 Swiss francs or about $48 each (including wine). It was an evening to remember. To see the pictures click on the link. Write to me directly if you have trouble viewing the pictures.

- Barbara
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--simple boundary-- From broy@dplanet.ch Fri Dec 16 07:10:41 2005 From: broy@dplanet.ch (Barbara Roy) Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 02:10:41 -0500 Subject: [Culturechat] Barbara's English Class Celebrates in Giswil Message-ID: <43A26871.2060301@dplanet.ch> Sorry everyone, I forgot to sign this...most of you don't know who I am and some of you may not know that Giswil is one of the popular Untour villages in the Heartland of Switzerland.


It's become a tradition in my English classes to have a party on the last evening of class. Last night, my Advanced English students arranged a special dinner at the Bahnhof Hotel Restaurant in Giswil. With an advanced reservation, a small group can eat in the restaurant's kitchen located in the basement. The meal is a surprise. The chefs choose the menu and the guests can watch their own meal (and everyone else's) being prepared. It was a delightful experience and very reasonably priced. Seven of us shared the cost which came to around 60 Swiss francs or about $48 each (including wine). It was an evening to remember. To see the pictures click on the link. Write to me directly if you have trouble viewing the pictures.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=b39pmej.7tqzkbaf&Uy=-ld80vz&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0


Barbara Crowell Roy
Sachseln Switzerland
December 15, 2005