Academics

In my grade, we really aren't given much homework at all.  Instead, we must study.  And study.  One thing that is very popular among the teachers here (which I think is a very effective teaching technique) is the "interrogazione".  I'm using the Italian word, because I really can't think of one in English-- let me know if you do!  "Interrogation" seems too harsh-- it brings to my mind a blindfolded prisoner with guns aimed at him, and although the students may feel this way, I don't think it's quite the right word.  On the other hand "oral quiz" seems too light.  Let me explain.  When you hear the teacher say "giochiamo?"  ("Shall we play?") it's not a question.  She chooses at random two to four students, who must then explain all that we have studied thus far (in a manner that is essentially reciting the textbook/notes-- don't take a breath!), answer questions for comprehension, and cross-examine the other chosen ones.  At the end of it, depending on the teacher, they must either submit their bid for the grade or simply receive what the teacher thinks they're worth.  And the teachers grade hard.  It's very, very rare to get a 10 (the top score).  Usually we hear 5-8.  The subjects in which we are __________ (word, please?) vary from math to physics to philosophy to history (also in English) to science to Latin to literature.  Before you ask, my name has not yet come up, but it's only a matter of time... wish me luck!
To keep up with those of us who don't have names that like to be chosen, we also have a good number of written tests-- art history and physics last week, Latin and Italian literature this week, and science, English reading, and math next week.  Since I still don't speak Italian fluently (although I've improved a TON since the start of school), some of the teachers elect to give me simpler tests.  For example, since I'm not quite up to translating the works of Julius Caesar from Latin to Italian, I worked on verb conjugations.  However, I have had a couple that are the same-- namely the first, art history.
We've studied a variety of works in this class so far, including Brunelleschi's Dome, the formelle for the doors of the baptistry in Florence, the Spedale degli Innocenti, the Banquet of Herod by Donatello, as well as his David, St. George, and Magdalene.  (Sorry, I may not have the names 100%-- not sure exactly what they're called in English).  For the test, we were each given three of these to explain.  I had to compare the formelle of Brunelleschi and Ghiberti, describe the Spedale, and explain the atmosphere during the Italian Renaissance.  At first I looked at the empty page with dread.  I sighed and started writing... and found that I actually had a good bit to say.
Italians are not shy about sharing their grades-- it's impossible because they're all public knowledge.  The teacher reads out the list of students, telling each what they got, and there are published sheets with all of the students and their grades on them.  So I got to go through the torture of hearing the grades of the fifteen students whose last names start with A through G before hearing mine.  Drumroll.... 8!!!  I won't say I fell out of my chair, but I did have to fight the urge to jump onto the desk.  Like I said, they grade much harder here-- many of my classmates received lower grades than I did.  Up until this point I had been too busy trying to stop guessing what I would get that I wasn't able to pay that much attention to the scores being announced; however I believe that two people got 9, maybe five to seven of us got 8.  Yes, I ran out of school to tell my friend and my family!
...And now I am going to study.  Have to keep up that GPA! ;)