Education in Italy. Let's see now ok I know many people that have college degrees that are making pizza, cleaning floors and unloading boats at the docks. College educated people here cannot find jobs. If you do not know someone who can help you find a job you are in big trouble. Also if you do not have money to go to college you cannot go. There are no students loans, pell grants, etc., like there are in America. Only the richer class can afford to go to college here. The result - the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor.

There are no ESL classes here for children. If you bring a small child here you will have to pay for tutoring out of your own pocket to teach your child Italian. There is no help for foreign students here it just goes to show how much they want foreigners here.

quote:

Originally posted by LadyAnabella:
There are no ESL classes here for children. If you bring a small child here you will have to pay for tutoring out of your own pocket to teach your child Italian. There is no help for foreign students here it just goes to show how much they want foreigners here.

Please do not make generalizations. This may be true where you are but it is not true throughout Italy as I know this for a fact.

I don't usually reply to negative comments on Italy, but this time I feel I have to. My children spent their first two years of elementary school in an American public school. We moved to Italy when they were seven (they're twins).
They did all their schooling here other than those first twwo years. And other than a couple of rotten apple teachers, and that can happen anywhere, they got an excellent education.
My son stopped studying when he finished high school. He landed a pretty good job shortly after, yes, not with a great salary but with good potential. He has now lined up another job with a better salary and has been asked to consider other positions, both here and abroad.
My daughter went to the U. of Pisa on a full scholarship due to my (lack of) income and her grades. She needed practically no financial help from me. She was able to rent an apartment, and all her meals at the mensa were free. My income situtation improved in her last two years and I had to pay the university taxes (tuition) which amounted to around 500 euro a year as I recall and her mensa meals were no longer free. She also took part in the Erasmus program, again at basically no expense to me with the exception of some spending money. She graduated with 110 cum laude in math and found a job as a mathematician in the logistics field within one week of graduating with starting pay of 1,300 euro, and in one year has had two raises plus various bonuses.
There is no way that her education would have been that cheap in the United States, mine wasn't 30 years ago.
I know many people whose children study who are not even close to being rich.
I understand you are unhappy here and I am sorry you feel that way, but please try not to post misleading information.
Good luck!
Vicky

What is ESL? And why would you pay for your child to be taught Italian when you can send them to an Italian school where they will learn through immersion?

Also every country in Europe has graduates making Pizza and working the bins, docks etc. not just Italy.

quote:

Originally posted by alyson:
Also every country in Europe has graduates making Pizza and working the bins, docks etc. not just Italy.

So does the United States. Plus, there are many who have to drop out before they get their degree because they can't afford it and they can't get financing.

quote:

Originally posted by LadyAnabella:
There are no ESL classes here for children. If you bring a small child here you will have to pay for tutoring out of your own pocket to teach your child Italian. There is no help for foreign students here it just goes to show how much they want foreigners here.

ESL is English as a Second Language.

And no, you don't have to pay out of pocket for your child to learn Italian in an Italian school! And guess what?!...an Italian child going to school in the U.S. will learn English in school...and will not be offered Italian classes.

I think the OP is a troll.

That said - Barb and Art - I think what she was talking about are English as a Second Language classes, which are routinely offered at public schools in the US and other English speaking countries such as Australia to recently arrived foreign children not teaching Italian to Italian kids in the US (what would be the point of that anyway?) It is true that here there are very few Italian as a Second Language classes offered to children who have recent immigrated compared to what's on offer in the US - and several people on this board have had to resort to hiring Italian tutors privately for their kids so that they could get up to speed. I imagine the lack of Italian as a second language instruction at Italian schools would be especially difficult for children with learning disabilities. Hopefully this situation will change as Italy becomes more of an immigrant society.

I have two aunts in Australia who have been ESL teachers at public schools for 30+ years each - so this is not a new concept in the English speaking world. And I have a friend who teaches in the Texas public school system where there are very strong ESL programs.

While I have my shares of criticism for the Italian university system, one of them is definitely not cost. I think the Italian university is one of the cheapest in the world. I tell you, unless you go to a private school or a MBA program (which you'll make more than enough to pay the tuition afterward anyway), the tuition is low. Even compared to the cost attending university in China, Italian is comparable.

When I was in the US at a top private college known for its strong engineering program, one 4-credit course cost $1600. Now, that's about what people here pay for one SEMESTER of medical school here in Italy.

Many Italian students take their time to finish school, and they can afford to do so because of the low cost. It is not restricted to the rich class, I think just about everyone who has an incentive and ability can go.

Also, unlike US universities, Italian school don't charge a different tuition for foreigners.

True it is harder to find a job for Italian graduates, that's a real concern. I know graduates who found good work and those who couldn't.

English is important to learn. However, that's another topic.

To LadyAnnabella: when is your flight leaving? E vvvvaaaaiiiiiii!!!!!!! No need to criticize a place because you don't like it, there is millions of people, including many of your fellow citizens that do love it. "Chi non mi ama non mi merita" si dice, probably you don't deserve it. Buon viaggio!

YOU ARE MISTAKEN MY DEAR...My son went to Anita Pittoni elementary school in Trieste (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) and he had Italian as a Second Language provided by the schooL 2 days per week, and about 3 or 4 students had this teacher all to themselves. I posted the name of the school in case you want to verify this fact. I was quite impressed that the school provided this, at their own initiative and at their own expense.

quote:

not be offered Italian classes.

Depends on the school district.

Hi,

just to point out

My mother provided Italian as SL lessons for the school in Bazzano, where she'd been working as a teacher for 30 years, since 1996, for the extracomunitari children (and completely free of charge).
Chia

You know, assuming Ramona and Annika are right and this is a troll - what shallow lives people like this must lead! I feel sorry for them whatever the motivation. Sad! Get help now!

quote:

Originally posted by nostalgia:
No need to criticize a place because you don't like it, there is millions of people, including many of your fellow citizens that do love it.

I'd like to point out how wrong this message is. There's nothing wrong with criticizing something that you think is not right. Everyone has a right to speak up - it's their opinion. It doesn't matter if another thinks it is just great.

It is however quite obvious from the hit and run posts that LadyAnabella wishes to do nothing but incite people's ire. She does not wish to discuss anything and is running on broad negative statements. That is the hallmark of a troll.

STOP FEEDING THE TROLL.