The word student is etymologically derived through Middle English from the Latin second-type conjugation verb "stŭdērĕ", meaning "to direct one's zeal at"; hence a student is one who directs zeal at a subject. A student is also known as a disciple in the sense of a religious area of study or in the sense of a "discipline" of learning. In its widest use, student is used for any school or class attendee. In many countries, the word student is reserved for higher education or university students; persons attending classes in primary or secondary schools are typically called pupils.

Currently, many children and teenagers are subject to compulsory education: by law they are required to attend some form of school. Laws vary from country to country, but most students are allowed to abandon their education when they reach the age specified in their jurisdiction.

Researchers, educators, and education administrators around the world are increasingly heeding student voice, a common reference to the experiences, opinions, ideas, and actions of children and youth in schools. This practice provides authenticity and efficacy for school improvement efforts.

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NPR Topics: Politics & Society

Alaska Gov. Palin To Resign
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:44:00 -0400
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who was Republican Sen. John McCain's running mate in the 2008 presidential campaign, says she will resign from office July 26.
Gov. Ted Strickland On Ohio's Budget Impasse
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:45:00 -0400
Ohio is facing a $3.2 billion shortfall in its finances. Gov. Ted Strickland has proposed slots at racetracks and spending cuts, but has not been able to reach a deal with the Legislature. The state is operating on a temporary budget for the next few days.
Rare Copy Of Declaration Found In England
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:00:00 -0400
An original copy of the Declaration of Independence was recently discovered in the British National Archives. Edward Hampshire, the diplomatic and colonial specialist at the archives, talks with Melissa Block about the discovery of the 26th copy of the document.

The Talk of the Town

Lauren Collins: Track School
Lauren Collins Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:00 -0000
June marks the onset of what one Village resident refers to as “devil-baby season”--the time of the year when the temperature climbs and New Yorkers start doing crazy stuff. This year, the weather stayed cold, and damp. Things still got weird. On Long Island, a newborn was found . . .
James Surowiecki: Caveat Mortgagor
James Surowiecki Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:00 -0000
In 1937, the Massengill Company began selling a health product called Elixir Sulfanilamide, which contained one of the antibiotic sulfa drugs. Unfortunately, it also contained diethylene glycol, a solvent that happens to be deadly to humans. In a matter of months, the elixir killed more than a hundred consumers. The . . .
Hendrik Hertzberg: Stonewall Plus Forty
Hendrik Hertzberg Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:00 -0000
The most improbable of America’s mass movements for civil rights--improbable at the time, inevitable in retrospect--got its start at a most improbable hour in a most improbable place. The hour: two in the morning, forty years ago. The place: the sidewalk in front of the Stonewall Inn, a . . .

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