TO LEARN THROUGH SMILES AND LAUGHS
Colegio Nuestra Senora del Huerto was founded in 1863, but the convent has opened its doors to boys as well throughout the years.
Although the Huerto institute is better known in Argentina for its austerity, Valentina Gorian has benefited a lot from her school's extra-curricular readings and activities.
The Harry Potter series have even become textbook readings during class, and Valentina is often taught geography where it is most vivid -- the outdoors.
The school always leaves its students enough time to seek answers to in-class questions.
"I almost always find my answers on the Internet," Valentina said. "And I can multiply my answers by using reasoning."
When asked about the charm of her school, Valentina immediately pointed out the fact that she and her schoolmates can learn a lot, and learn it through smiles and laughs.
¡¡TO ACHIEVE ONE-UPMANSHIP
The Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) is one of the few elite schools in the Philippines.
Hilaya Navarro competed with 1,800 teens to become one of the 32 finally admitted at the special high school this summer. There, she is one of the four majoring in ballet.
Hilaya and the other 131 students of the school have to pull themselves together so as to survive four years of austere tutoring and hard practice to follow in the footsteps of PHSA graduates. Previous PHSA graduates have become national celebrities such as concert pianist Rowena Arrieta, sculptor Gerry Leonardo, independent filmmaker Raymond Red and ballet master Nonoy Froilan.
"I am pleased that I got enrolled," Hilaya said. "But I am also clear that I have to pull through four years of compressed courses and intensive practices."
The solitude of being away from home and isolated from shoppingmalls, television and the Internet will provide the students with concentration to study. It is also a source of inspiration.
TO PURSUE MULTIPLE VALUES
Chanvers is just one of the public schools in Paris.
While other parents squeeze available money and push their kids through exacting entrance exams for enrollment in elite schools, Celine's parents just take things for granted.
They applied to their local education management for their school-aged daughter.
Chanvers is close to where Celine lives, and most schoolmates are Celine's friends from kindergarten and the neighborhood.
"So long as the girl feels comfortable and happy, it doesn't matter where she goes to school to study," said the mother, who agrees with quite a few like-minded moms in Paris.
Thanks to the fact that Paris is a municipality where multiple values are abundant, there are parents who prefer happiness and less pressure to seeking a competitive edge from exerting elite schooling.
Celines' mom attributes the French happiness to their pursuit of living in a more carefree society, where kids can naturally develop their character through voluntary play instead of through coerced studies.
