Sučany Grammar School - the best school in Slovakia.

Two years ago, when I came to this school, a lot of teachers asked us, why we had

chosen this school, and my answer was “This is the best one”. And these two years just have

strengthened my opinion even more. This essay competition gave us an opportunity to say

what we consider is good and also what is wrong about our school, additionally there is a

chance for improvement by students. In my essay I would like to write not only about

advantages of our school, because there is so many of them, but also one disadvantage, which

can be in the future taken in to account. Foremost I would like to focus on the pros which are

mainly the relationships between students and teachers and students with one another, and a

freedom of personal opinions and choice. The only drawback I see is decreasing motivation of

students and teachers at our school.

Firstly, hopefully everyone knows, we are one big family. I firmly believe, although

the name of the school has changed from GBAS to BGMH, it was and still is founded on trust

and mutual respect between students and teachers. Consequently students try to work hard

and are well motivated to achieve best results. When teachers take care of us, we tend to

prove to them that we are good investment where they give their free time and effort. Students

can more easily decide which university will be the best one, and according to their feelings

and will-power choose the right way for own future. Equally important are relationships

between classmates and of course, students from different years. As I can see at dormitory, we

all help each other with tricky subjects, as well as with English, but mainly we support each

other. Though we are “family” as I said, we are competing among each other, which can lead

to better and better results.

Secondly, I would like to mention the thing, which I admire the most, the freedom. At

other schools of Slovakia that I have visited, I have just seen an “absolute monarchy” of

teachers in class. They do not give students any chance to represent own opinions or even be

who they are. Luckily it is not our case. All around the walls we can find projects of each

student, creations of spare-time activities of groups of students. Personally I think that the

biggest deal about the life of this school make our Student’s council and Dreams&Teams,

which make time at school more pleasant and keep the school in progress and also on behalf

of students. In lessons, we are not restricted in thinking and presenting our ideas, which is

nowadays very important and can lead to full democracy. The biggest benefit is the selection

of subjects in the fourth and the fifth year. In comparison with other schools, we are better

prepared for the preliminary examination for the universities that increases the chance for

achieving more successful results. Additionally, studying all five years at bilingual grammar

school, gives us a perfect predisposition to not only understand or speak in English, but also

an opportunity to study abroad.

On the other hand, everything is not easy. One of the biggest problems, that affect

every school in Slovakia, is diminishing motivation of students to learn and of course also

diminishing motivation of teachers to teach. I am quite proud about teachers we have because

many of them realize the fact that they can influence our future and the fact we are the

selection of the best. Although our school provides a wide range of activities, some young or

new teachers still do not get that we need them. Maybe it is because of low salaries or the fact

that they work overtime. By comparing students from different years, it seems to be a decline

in the level of English. Many lessons that used to be in English are changed into Slovak ones.

Some young new teachers, who are not from abroad, speak in English only occasionally.

What a pity! As students are strictly selected, teachers should be as well. Students tend to

complain, but they should be more proactive too. There are opportunities on a “silver tray”, so

why it is hard to make a first step? All it takes is a change in thinking.

In conclusion, though I would change some things such as the approach of students or

some of teachers to education, we still have the best opportunities for studying abroad, for

expressing ideas or opinions, and what I like the most, excellent relationships between us and

teachers. As it is well-known our school is considered as rare in that it offers education

through English, even if it is sometimes harder than it seems. In my point of view, it is up to

each of us to do something to influence moreover improve our school. To sum up Sučany

Grammar school is reputed as the best one, because for most of us and especially for me it is

the second home.

Veronika Rákošová

Year 3

2010/2011