How to help your children choose high school
A teenager may not have a clear idea of which one they want to attend. We all remember how difficult it was to make a decision: “It will be the right choice for me
”, “I still feel small and I don’t know what to do!”. Your advice and support will be invaluable, the important thing is not to impose your choices on your child, because it is he who will have to study for years in that environment and if it is not the right one, a good adventure can turn into a nightmare. . Tips for choosing a high school
Studying subjects that are not of interest only generates dissatisfaction. The best thing is to speak calmlywith your child, helping him to choose the right high school or technical / professional institute, trying to understand his point of view and what he might like best. Reflect together, but not urgently, on:
- What are his interests and if when he grows up he would like to make it his profession
- What are his abilities , if he is more inclined towards technical, scientific or humanistic subjects
- If his choice is guided by a real interest and not by wanting to follow his friends
- You can talk to his professors to ask for advice, they have known and followed him for three years, they will be able to tell you a lot about his inclinations.
- You can visit the schools he would like to attend together, the staff will know how to inform you and, moreover, you will get an idea of the environment.
- There are also online psycho-aptitude tests that can guide children to make a choice.
Types of High Schools
Today, compared to a few years ago, there is much more choice and making a decision can be complicated. High schools in Italy are divided into: high schools, technical and professional institutes. The high school lasts 5 years, two two-year periods and a fifth year. Preferred if you want to continue your studies later, attending the university:
- Artistic high school: you will learn everything about art, from drawing to history. You can continue your studies with archeology, architecture, art history, while paving the way for creative professions as a graphic designer, copywriter, set designer, designer
- Classical high school: you will study the humanities, along with physics, science and mathematics. Some institutes starting from the three years add a course in biology for those wishing to do medicine
- Scientific high school: scientific subjects are privileged, together with Latin, chemistry and biology. The traditional science is flanked by two courses, one in sports and one in applied sciences
- Linguistic high school : 3 foreign languages are taught, in addition to Italian, internships, stays and exchanges abroad are offered to help understand the cultural differences between different countries
- Music and dance high school : its objective is the study and practice of music, dance and history. To access it, you must pass an entrance test
- High school of human sciences: you will train on everything related to human and social relations, studying pedagogy, anthropology, sociology and psychology. There is also the socio-economic direction where one is trained in politics and law.
Technical institutes prepare both for university and for the world of work. Like high school, they foresee a double two-year period and a fifth year. They have two sectors, the economic one with address:
- Tourism
- Administration, marketing and finance
and the technology sector , whose addresses are:
- Transportation and Logistics
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering
- IT and Telecommunications
- Mechanics, Mechatronics and Energy
- Graphics and Communication
- Chemistry, Materials and Biotechnology
- Construction, Environment and Territory
- Fashion System
- Agriculture, Agri-Food and Agro-Industry.
Vocational institutes rely more on technical and practical teaching, to facilitate entry into the world of work. They foresee a unitary two-year period and a three-year period on specific subjects, with practical activities, workshops, work stages. There are 11 addresses:
- Agriculture and rural development
- Industry and craftsmanship for Made in Italy
- Commercial fishing and fish production
- Commercial services
- Maintenance and technical assistance
- Water management and environmental remediation
- Cultural and entertainment services
- Healthcare and social assistance services
- Food and wine and hotel hospitality
- Auxiliary arts of the health professions: dental technician
- Auxiliary arts of the health professions: optical
High Schools: The Easiest and Most Difficult
The difficulty or ease of the type of school will depend mainly on the right or wrong choice. If a student is not suited to the humanities and chooses the classical high school, or does not love mathematics and chooses a scientific field , it goes without saying that problems will arise. This is why it is important to know how to choose well. In principle, those who want to enter the world of work immediately and better orient themselves towards technical and professional institutes , those who want to go to university opt for high school.
So, don’t rush, think and think. Even if you take a road you can always change it!
