Syktyvkar State University
Department of Management
TEST
Education systems in countries around the world.
Syktyvkar 2009
Introduction
1.1 UK
1.2 Germany
2. General analysis education systems
2.1 Secondary education
2.2 Higher education
Conclusion
List of used literature
Introduction
One of the driving forces of progress in any field human activity and knowledge is the synthesis of accumulated world experience. In the context of the reform of the education system in our country, the study and analysis of trends in the development of education abroad is becoming increasingly important.
As is known, processes of democratization are currently taking place in education systems in the leading countries of the world. Its essential feature - along with accessibility, variability and differentiation, decentralization of management - is openness and continuity of all its levels.
Nowadays, the world community determines the content of new education, develops and implements Newest technologies training, constantly improving educational process. This is facilitated by many important factors: the ever-increasing amount of knowledge, skills and abilities needed by schoolchildren, the results of research into the nature of childhood, and the experience of educational institutions in different countries. In addition, global education needs to correspond to the new level of production, science, and culture. This means that updating the education system is an urgent, inevitable task.
Education is one of the decisive life values. The craving for education is due not only to the desire to acquire knowledge as a guarantor of extraction material goods, but also an awareness of the need for a broad culture. When ranking life values, the majority of the population in developed countries of the world gives preference to education.
Consequently, we can say that the analysis of various education systems and the identification of their advantages and disadvantages makes it possible to highlight the prerequisites and trends for the formation of a unified educational space.
Based on this, the purpose of this test is to study modern education systems (using the example of the USA, Great Britain, Germany).
The object of study is the educational systems of modern countries, and its subject is the analysis of various aspects of education systems in developed countries.
Research objectives:
Study pedagogical literature on the research problem;
Analyze the educational systems of modern countries (using the example of the systems of the USA, Great Britain, Germany);
Identify specific features of the development of educational systems in these countries.
The purpose and objectives of the study determined the choice of its methods:
1. Analysis of pedagogical literature and periodical publications.
2. Note-taking, summarizing sources.
The structure of this work includes: introduction, three chapters, conclusion and bibliography.
1. Characteristics of educational systems
1.1 UK
1.1.1 Primary and secondary education
In recent decades, education in the UK has become one of the highest priorities in government policy, regardless of what political forces are in power. Decision-making that determines the prospects for the development of the industry is carried out directly high level V hierarchical structure management of parliament, government. The first act of national significance is considered to be the Education Law of 1944, which, although it was mainly devoted to school education, largely streamlined the education system as a whole and determined its governing bodies. Then the adopted acts were revised and supplemented. But by the 60s there was a need to review and improve the quality of education, and it tends to exist in modern England. Thus, the UK National Education Commission published a report in 1993 with the eloquent title “Learning to Succeed. A Radical View of Education Today and a Strategy for the Future, which provides recommendations on how to achieve positive change in education.
In accordance with the administrative division and established traditions, the UK education system is divided into three subsystems: 1) England and Wales, 2) Northern Ireland and 3) Scotland. The education systems of England, Wales and Northern Ireland differ slightly in their structure; the education system of Scotland has its own traditional features. Modern system Education in the UK includes: pre-school education, primary education, general secondary education, further education and higher education.
In the UK, about 50% of three- and four-year-old children are raised in kindergartens or infant centers. At the age of 5, compulsory education begins and children enter infant school.
The compulsory education system covers children and adolescents from 5 to 16 years of age. The Education Reform Act (1988) divides compulsory education into four key stages: ages 5 to 7, ages 7 to 11, ages 11 to 14, and ages 14 to 16.
Primary education covers the first two stages (from 5 to 11 years). Children are usually grouped by age classes. All subjects are taught by one teacher. The lesson lasts from 15 to 45 minutes. After graduation, children do not take exams and do not receive certificates of completion educational institution. IN primary school the main time is devoted to the study of English (40% of class time), 15% is occupied by physical education, about 12% manual labor and art, the remaining hours are distributed between lessons in arithmetic, history, geography, natural history and religion.
In the UK secondary education system, there are two main types of schools: grammar and combined (in addition to them, there are also technical and modern secondary schools). The most widespread type of schools are integrated schools. They educate about 90% of students in England. The unified school accepts primary school graduates with varying levels of mental abilities and capabilities. Consolidated schools were organized to create equal educational opportunities. They had to provide cooperative learning for students with different abilities, interests and abilities. Grammar schools provide general secondary education and prepare students for study in higher educational institutions. After completing Year 5, approximately 60% of students who have passed the General Certificate of Education examinations at Ordinary Level leave school. The remaining 40% continue their education according to individual curricula in the two-year 6th grade, which is graduation.
The system of further education (in our understanding “secondary professional education") is a conglomerate of a large number of diverse colleges, training centers, institutes that provide training at various levels from vocational to higher education. In total, there are about 700 specialized educational institutions in the further education system, from local colleges, which provide on-the-job training for young people aged 16-18 years, to polytechnic, comprehensive educational institutions, which provide training at various levels, including and highest.
All institutions of further education are under the control of local authorities. The exception is educational institutions with royal charters. Compared to previous years, the number of full-time students in the overall student body is growing. Since the 1960s, significant changes have occurred in the further education system. Its educational institutions were given the right to award academic degrees, i.e. it became possible to obtain higher education not only at universities, but also at polytechnic educational institutions opened on the basis of the largest technical and commercial colleges. Currently, polytechnic colleges are the main institutions of further education, which focus on training specialists with higher education.
Vocational training is carried out in joint schools, technical (vocational) colleges, centers vocational training in production and employment centers. Vocational colleges are in a special place. Here there is the widest range of training - from a skilled worker to an intermediate level specialist. Colleges are closely related to industrial training. The duration of study at a vocational college ranges from one to five years.
1.1.2 Development of the higher education system
Higher education in the UK is represented by universities and polytechnic colleges. Until the 60s. it was carried out exclusively in universities. But in the 50-60s. In Great Britain, the contradictions between the capabilities of the education system at all levels and social needs of a socio-economic nature are beginning to sharply intensify. Education reforms in Great Britain began with higher education. In the early 60s, the country began to experience an acute shortage of highly qualified personnel.
The 60s were marked by rapid growth in university education. During this period, 23 universities were created in the country, or half of those currently existing.
In 1964-1977 was created new type higher education institution for the UK - the University of Technology. 10 former "colleges of advanced technology" became technological universities.
23/03/2011
The Russian secondary education system will be radically reformed in the coming years. Discussion of this reform has been the most popular topic on the Russian agenda since the end of 2010, only high-profile disasters, revolutions and military actions are more popular. Meanwhile, neither the public, nor officials, nor experts can clearly and clearly talk about what kind of school Russia needs in 10 years.
TO classical education or emphasis on high technology? Uniformity for the sake of national unity - or a kingdom of blooming complexity? Free education of a good level - or will parents have to pay for almost everything except the notorious “physical education and life safety”? There is not only no consensus, but also no clarity about all this in Russian society: even experts, when speaking “to the public,” prefer to speak in long, meaningless phrases.
It may be easier to understand the desired direction of reform if we take a brief look at the most famous school systems in the world. These are the most developed European countries, former metropolis of the great colonial empires - as well as the current world leader of the United States and representatives of two of the fastest growing educational systems in the world.
"SP" presents a brief overview of the national school traditions of France, Germany, Great Britain, the USA, South Korea and Finland.
France
The current secondary education system in France consists, like most European systems, of three levels - primary (ecole primaire, from 6 to 11 years) and senior (college, college - from 11 to 15 years, then lycee, lyceum - from 16 to 15 18). This is a fairly conservative system that has existed with minor changes for more than 100 years - since the 1890s. State-standard education is compulsory for children from 6 to 16 years of age (the lyceum, as an analogue of Russian grades 9 - 11, mainly prepares students for admission to universities). At the same time, education is free in public schools, but there are also private alternatives.
Private schools - mostly fee-paying for students, but less constrained by government restrictions - also provide their graduates with state-issued diplomas. There are two types of such schools, based on their relationship with the state: subsidized (sous contrat) and unsubsidized (hors contrat). In the first of them, the government pays salaries to teachers, and schools follow the national program and standard curriculum, in the second, there are no subsidies from the government, but there is an opportunity to educate children according to non-standard programs.
Among state-subsidized schools, there are also two categories: “contrat simple” and “contrat d’association”. Contrat simple: The school meets government requirements for curriculum and examinations while receiving subsidies for teachers' salaries. Contrat d’association: in addition to the “contrat simple”, the school is partly controlled by the state as regards pedagogical methods and selection of teachers, receiving funding for this current expenses and salaries. To receive funding under such a contract, schools must prove that they have a certain philosophy that is missing in the state system. Typically, private schools have a religious (Catholic) orientation. This system has been in effect in France since 1959 (the so-called Debray laws).
The cost of studying at private schools depends on many factors, but, in general, is not particularly prohibitive by European standards. Thus, studying at one of the oldest and most elite schools - Ecole de Roches - in 2008 cost 27,320 euros per academic year.
Let us also note that 80% of schools in France are public, and the smallest category is unsubsidized by the state institutions, there are only about 20% of them in the country (less elementary, about 9%, secondary, just over 30%). There are also more teachers in public schools than in private ones - but in terms of the number of schools, non-state institutions win.
Non-state schools in France include almost all religious (Catholic) educational institutions, as well as schools for children with disabilities, etc. In other words, those schools that educate obviously non-standard people or do it in non-standard ways are being pushed into the private sector.
Primary school in France is not much different from the advanced version of Russian school - small classes, a playful approach to subjects, no grades in most schools. But at the age of 11, having completed primary school, young Frenchmen enter college, which is considered the first stage of secondary education. In college, grades are counted in reverse order: the student enters the sixth grade and four years later finishes the third. Then comes the final - and, unlike Russia, compulsory for everyone - stage of the lyceum, which takes two years. There are two main types of lyceums - general educational (general) and technological (technologique), but within each category there are many profiles and specializations - approximately what they are now trying to teach Russian schoolchildren to do.
The second grade of the lyceum (that is, the first in chronological order) is general education, here it does not yet reach specializations. The first class already has many directions - branches of training leading to different types Bachelor's degree (this is the name of the exam for an analogue of our matriculation certificate, in fact the first specialized work or project of the student). Some lyceums even offer programs such as astronautics or aeronautics as profiles.
Among the differences between French specialization and Russian projects- the special status of the French language as a subject. Everyone without exception takes the state language test after first grade. The score for this test is taken into account when taking the bachelor's degree exam.
The bachelor's exam itself is preceded by the last, “diploma” class, also known as the “terminal”. Preparation for the final exam is extremely serious, since its results are taken into account when entering universities. In general, during the three years of lyceum, the French have time to both decide on their future specialty and demonstrate their level to others and submit a kind of application for a future career.
Germany
Based on the same Prussian education system as the Russian school, the education system in Germany these days is much more diversified and, according to some analysts, less democratic. Critics of the German school system usually point to the fact that the main choice of a child’s future is made in primary school - later, if the family’s capabilities initially did not allow them to choose a good school, it is extremely difficult, almost impossible, to break into the ranks of the elite.
So, primary school in Germany educates children from 6 to 10 years old (or up to 12 years old in Berlin and Brandenburg). In it, children learn to read, count, write, and study natural history. The differences among primary schools are mainly in the availability and quality of extracurricular activities. Then comes the turn of high school - from 10 to 19 years old. And here is the specialization and social stratification among schools becomes apparent.
The choice of the type of school, as German laws state, occurs individually for each student in accordance with the recommendation of the school, the wishes of the parents, the level of school grades, and the result of the entrance exams. Since the level of development and the availability of recommendations is related to the primary school the child attended, the choice of school often depends on the capabilities of the family.
The types of secondary schools in Germany are as follows: basic school (Hauptschule) - designed for 5-6 years of study and involves subsequent training in a vocational school; real school (Realschule) - designed for 6 years of study, and a high score obtained based on the results of studying in a real school allows you to enter the senior class of a gymnasium, and then to a university; finally, the most thorough education is provided by gymnasiums (Gymnasium) - where education lasts 8-9 years.
As a rule, a gymnasium specializes in three main areas: humanitarian (languages, literature, art), social (social sciences) and technical (natural sciences, mathematics, technology). Upon completion of training, a diploma of secondary education (Abitur) is issued. The German Abitur is the equivalent of the Russian certificate of complete secondary education and the British A-level diploma. Gymnasiums are aimed at entering the University.
In addition to these three types, there are also general schools (Gesamtschule) - they combine various features of a gymnasium and real schools, allowing you to simultaneously receive a humanitarian and technical education.
In addition to public schools, private educational institutions also issue state-issued certificates. These are, as a rule, religious, elite, closed schools. The range of educational services provided by private companies is wider than the state one - for example, only in such schools can a foreign student receive a German certificate.
Private schools in Germany (in public education expectedly free) they charge more for tuition than French ones - for example, in prestigious German schools the full cost of the academic year is about 40,000 euros.
Great Britain
The British secondary school is perhaps the most distinctive education system in Western Europe. And, at the same time, perhaps the most prestigious - regardless of tests like PISA, British schools magnetically attract students from all over the world, not excluding Russians.
“Many people teach, we educate gentlemen,” this phrase is attributed to the director of one of the most prestigious British schools. In fact, this is the essence of the carefully built brand of British secondary education.
Education in the UK is compulsory for all citizens aged 5 to 16 years. There are two sectors of education: public (free education) and private (paid educational institutions, where a year costs 40 - 50 thousand US dollars). In addition, there is a big difference between the education systems of different parts of Britain: one system has developed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the second in Scotland.
One of the most characteristic types of the United Kingdom high school is a boarding school whose tradition dates back to the early Middle Ages. Initially, these schools appeared at monasteries, in particular Benedictine ones. Although monastery boarding schools were charitable, British boarding schools have been fee-paying for half a millennium.
Now boarding schools have a reputation as “aristocratic” - the fact is that once upon a time it was schools of this type that raised several generations of British people who subjugated half the world. And now some of the boarding houses that have existed for many hundreds of years under one roof and one name can be called clubs for the descendants of the most aristocratic families of the former empire.
Apart from these schools, there are many other types of educational institutions in the kingdom. They are divided into schools based on the age of the students. full cycle(All-Through schools), this is an approximate analogue of our educational complexes “from kindergarten to graduation”; and for schools for each individual age: preparatory schools - nurseries, from 2 to 7 years, in which, in addition to regular kindergarten classes, they also teach reading and writing, junior schools - primary schools, from 7 to 13 years, ending with a special exam Common Entrance Examination, without which the path further is closed. In addition, there is an alternative system - Primary School from 4 to 11 years old, with a further transition to the Secondary School stage.
Next after Junior comes the high school, Senior School - teenagers from 13 to 18 years old study there. Here, children first undergo two years of training to pass GCSE exams, followed by another two-year program: A-Level or International Baccalaureate.
In a parallel system, this age is “closed” by Secondary school, which teaches children aged 11 years and older. An analogue of the Russian gymnasium, Grammar school is an education for children aged 11 years and older according to an in-depth program. Graduation classes for those entering universities in Britain are called Sixth Form, these are 2 senior years of study (16 - 18 years old).
In Britain, the tradition of separate education for boys and girls is still strong. This is especially noticeable in the world of traditional boarding schools, of which the majority are “separate”. However, schools of the “new formation” are mostly, on the contrary, mixed.
In terms of ownership, both private and public schools are widely represented in the UK. Free secondary education is, of course, guaranteed by the state, however (similar to Germany) for successful career you need to graduate from the “right” school. And such schools are traditionally private (this was the prevailing form of ownership until the twentieth century) and are quite expensive for parents.
Compulsory education in Britain applies to children up to 16 years of age. Then (after receiving A-Levels) the system of educational loans begins to operate. Moreover, a university graduate begins to pay them only when he gets a job with earnings of at least 21 thousand pounds a year. If there is no such work, there is no need to repay the debt.
The length and age at which children begin compulsory education in the United States varies by state. Children begin their education between the ages of 5 and 8 and finish between the ages of 14 and 18.
At the age of about 5 years, American children go to elementary school (kindergarten). This zero-grade class is optional in some states—nevertheless, almost all American children attend kindergarten. Although kindergarten literally means “kindergarten” in German, kindergartens exist separately in the United States and are literally called “preschool”.
Elementary school continues through fifth or sixth grade (depending on the school district), after which the student goes to middle school, which ends with eighth grade. High school is grades nine through twelve, so Americans, like Russians, typically complete secondary education at age 18.
Those who complete a high school education may enroll in community colleges, also called junior colleges, technical colleges, or city colleges, which award an associate's degree after two years of study. ) comparable to the average special education. Another option to continue your education is to attend colleges or universities, where you can earn a bachelor's degree, usually in four years. Those who have received a bachelor's degree can study further to obtain a master's degree (2-3 years) or PhD (analogous to the Russian candidate of sciences, 3 years or more). Separately accredited faculties and universities issue degrees of Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Law, for which special training is required at the bachelor's level.
Free public schools are governed primarily by democratically elected school boards, each of which has jurisdiction over a school district, whose boundaries often coincide with those of a county or city, and which contain one or more schools at each level. School boards set school programs, hire teachers, and determine program funding. States regulate education within their borders by setting standards and testing students. State funding for schools is often determined by how much their students' test scores have improved.
Money for schools comes primarily from local (city) property taxes, so the quality of schools depends heavily on home prices and how much taxes parents are willing to pay for good schools. This often leads to a vicious circle. In the districts where schools started working good reputation, parents come here, striving to give their children a good education. Home prices are rising, and the combination of money and motivated parents is taking schools to an even higher level. The opposite occurs at the other end of the spectrum, in poor areas of the so-called “inner cities”.
Some large school districts establish "magnet schools" for particularly talented children living in their jurisdiction. Sometimes in one district there are several such schools, divided by specialty: a technical school, a school for children who have shown talent in the arts, etc.
Approximately 85% of children are educated in public schools. Most of the rest go to fee-paying private schools, many of which are religious. The most widespread is the network of Catholic schools, which was started by Irish immigrants in the second half of the 19th century. Other private schools, often very expensive and sometimes highly competitive, exist to prepare students for admission to prestigious universities. There are even boarding schools that draw students from all over the country, such as Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. The cost of education in such schools is about 50,000 US dollars per year for parents.
Less than 5% of parents various reasons decide to educate their children at home. Some religious conservatives do not want their children to be taught ideas with which they disagree, most commonly the theory of evolution. Others believe that schools cannot meet the needs of their underperforming or, conversely, brilliant children. Still others want to protect children from drugs and crime, which are problems in some schools. In many places, parents who homeschool their children form groups in which they help each other, and sometimes even different parents teach the children different subjects. Many also supplement their lessons with distance learning programs and classes at local colleges. However, critics homeschooling claim that home education is often substandard and that children raised this way do not acquire normal social skills.
Primary schools (elementary schools, grade schools, or grammar schools) usually educate children from the age of five until they are eleven or twelve. One teacher teaches all subjects except fine arts, music and physical education, lessons of which are held once or twice a week. Academic subjects taught, as a rule, are arithmetic (occasionally elementary algebra), reading and writing, with an emphasis on spelling and improvement vocabulary. Natural and social sciences are taught little and not in variety. Often social science takes the form of local history.
Often in elementary school, learning consists of art projects, field trips, and other forms of learning through fun. This arose from the progressive education movement of the early 20th century, which taught that students should learn through work and everyday actions and the study of their consequences.
Middle schools, junior high schools, or intermediate schools typically educate children between the ages of 11 or 12 and 14—grades six or seven through eight. IN Lately sixth grade is increasingly being included in secondary school. Typically, in a secondary school, unlike in a primary school, one teacher teaches one subject. Students are required to take classes in math, English, science, social studies (often including world history), and physical education. Students choose one or two classes themselves, usually in foreign languages, arts and technology.
In high school, students also begin to be divided into ordinary and advanced streams. Students who do better than others in a given subject may be placed in an advanced ("honor") class, where they cover the material faster and are assigned more homework. Recently, such classes, especially in the humanities, have been abolished in some places: critics believe that isolating high-performing students prevents low-performing students from catching up.
High school is the last stage of secondary education in the United States, lasting from ninth to twelfth grade. IN high school students can choose their classes more freely than before and only have to meet the minimum graduation criteria set by the school board. Typical minimum requirements are:
3 years of natural sciences (a year of chemistry, a year of biology and a year of physics);
3 years of mathematics, up to second year algebra (mathematics in middle and high schools is typically divided into first year algebra, geometry, second year algebra, introduction to calculus, and calculus, and taken in that order);
4 years of literature;
2-4 years of social sciences, usually including US history and government;
1-2 years of physical education.
For admission to many universities, a more complete program is required, including 2-4 years of a foreign language.
Students must choose the remaining classes themselves. The range of such classes varies greatly in quantity and quality, depending on the financial situation of the school and the inclinations of the students. A typical set of optional classes is:
Additional sciences (statistics, computer science, environmental science);
Foreign languages (most often Spanish, French and German; less often Japanese, Chinese, Latin and Greek);
Fine arts (painting, sculpture, photography, cinema);
Performing arts (theater, orchestra, dance);
Computer technology (using a computer, computer graphics, Web design);
Publishing (journalism, yearbook editing);
Labor (woodworking, car repair).
In some cases, the student may not be enrolled in any classroom at all.
In high school, especially in the last two years, a new type of advanced class has emerged. Students can take classes that are designed to prepare them for the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams. Most universities count a good grade on these exams as entry into the relevant subject.
Grades, both at school and at universities, are issued according to the A/B/C/D/F system, where A is the best grade, F is unsatisfactory, and D can be considered satisfactory or unsatisfactory depending on the circumstances. All marks except F can be appended with “+” or “−”. In some schools, A+ and D− grades do not exist. From these marks, the average (grade point average, abbreviated GPA) is calculated, in which A is considered 4, B is considered 3, and so on. Grades for advanced classes in school are often raised by a point, meaning an A counts as a 5, and so on.
Children aged 8 to 14 years attend primary school. The list of subjects studied in primary school includes (but does not exhaust it):
Mathematics
Exact sciences
Social Sciences
art
Music
Usually all these subjects are taught by one class teacher, although some specialized disciplines may be taught by other teachers (for example, physical education or foreign languages).
Advancement through the levels of the educational system from primary to higher school is not determined by the results of passing various exams, but solely by the age of the student.
Until the late 1980s, English was usually taught in secondary school, but now it begins to be taught in the third grade of primary school. The Korean language is strikingly different from English in terms of grammar, so mastering English occurs with great difficulty, but with relatively little success, which fact is often a topic of thought for parents. Many of them end up sending their children to further education in private educational institutions called hagwons. More and more schools in the country are beginning to attract foreigners for whom English is their native language.
In addition to public primary schools, there are a number of private schools in Korea. The curriculum of such schools more or less corresponds to the state one, however, it is implemented at a higher level: more teachers are offered for fewer students, additional subjects are introduced and higher standards of education are established in general. This explains the natural desire of many parents to enroll their children in such schools, which, however, is stopped by the relatively high cost of education in them: $130 per month of classes. This cannot be compared with the prestigious countries of Europe and the USA, but relative to the income of Koreans this is quite decent money.
Elementary schools are called "chodeung hakkyo" in Korean, which means "elementary school." The South Korean government changed the name in 1996 from the former "gukmin hakkyo", which translates to "civic school". It was above all a gesture of restoring national pride.
Korean school education is divided into secondary and tertiary (secondary and high school education, respectively).
Secondary school entrance examinations were abolished in 1968. In the late 1980s, students still had to take entrance exams (but not against other candidates), and admission was determined either randomly or by location relative to the institution. Schools, whose rank was previously determined by the level of students, were equalized in receiving government support and the number of poor students distributed. However, this reform did not completely level out schools. In Seoul, students who did well on entrance exams were allowed to enroll in more prestigious schools without regard to their district, while everyone else was admitted to a school in “their” district. The reforms were applied equally to public and private schools, admission to which was strictly controlled by the Ministry of Education.
Unlike the United States, where the class number usually increases incrementally from 1 to 12, in South Korea the class number starts from one each time you enter elementary, middle, and high school. To differentiate between them, the class number is usually indicated along with the educational level. For example, the first year of high school will be called "First Year of High School", "chunghakkyo il haknyeon".
In Korean, high school is called "chunhakyo", which literally means "middle school".
There are 3 classes in a Korean high school. Most students enter at the age of 12 and graduate by age 15 (by Western standards). These three years correspond approximately to Years 7-9 in the North American and Forms 2 and 4 in the British educational systems.
Compared to elementary school, South Korean high school places much higher demands on its students. Dress and hairstyles are almost always strictly regulated, as are many other aspects of a student's life. As in elementary school, students spend most of the day in the same classroom with their classmates; however, each subject is taught by a different teacher. Teachers move from class to class and only some of them, excluding those who teach “special” subjects, have their own classroom, where the students go themselves. Class teachers play a very important role in the lives of students and have significantly more authority than their American colleagues.
Students in high school have six periods a day, usually preceded by a special block of time in the early morning, and a seventh period specific to each major.
Unlike the university, syllabus does not vary much from one high school to another. The core of the curriculum is formed:
Mathematics
Korean and English
Also close to the exact sciences.
"Additional" items include:
Various arts
History
Hancha (Chinese characters)
Managing a Home Economy
Computer literacy lessons.
Which subjects and in what quantities are studied by students varies from year to year.
Duration training sessions equals 45 minutes. Immediately before the start of the first lesson, students have about 30 minutes at their disposal, which can be used at will for self-study, watching programs broadcast by a special educational channel (Educational Broadcast System, EBS) or for conducting personal or class affairs. In 2008, students attended classes full day from Monday to Friday, as well as half a day every first, third and fifth Saturday of the month. On Saturday students study additional activities in any circles.
In the late 1960s, the government ended the practice of high school entrance examinations, replacing them with a system in which students from the same area were admitted to high school on a random basis. This was done to average out the standard of pupils across all schools, but to some extent differences between rich and poor areas remained. Until recently, most schools were open to one sex only, but recently new secondary schools are accepting children of both sexes and older schools are also becoming mixed.
As in primary school, students move from class to class regardless of their performance, as a result of which the same subject in the same class can be studied by students with completely different levels of preparation. Grades begin to play a very important role in the last year of high school, since they influence the student's chances of entering a particular university, for those who primarily want to pursue a scientific rather than a professional technical career. In other cases, grades are needed simply to please parents or teachers (or to avoid their righteous anger). There are several standard examination forms for certain subjects, and teachers of "scientific" subjects are required to follow the recommended textbooks However, usually secondary school teachers have more authority regarding the course program and teaching method than teachers in universities.
Many high school students also take after-school classes ("hagwon") or are taught by private tutors. Particular emphasis is placed on English and mathematics. Some hagwons specialize in only one subject, while others specialize in all key subjects, which can turn into a second round of school classes with often an even greater load on the student immediately after the end of the first (official) one. And, in addition, especially persistent ones also attend martial arts clubs or music schools.
They usually return home late in the evening.
Korean schools have a special attitude towards technical support. By 2011, according to the declarations of the Korean government, the country's schools completely switched from paper textbooks to electronic ones.
Finland
In Finland, every child has the right to pre-primary education, which generally begins one year before the start of compulsory education, that is, in the year in which the child has his sixth birthday. Pre-primary education may be obtained at school or kindergarten, family kindergarten or other suitable place. This is decided by the municipality.
A child begins compulsory education the year he turns seven and continues until he is 16 or 17 years old. The state guarantees free basic education. This includes tuition, textbooks, notebooks, basic stationery, and school meals are also free.
In the 3rd grade, the study of English begins; in the 4th grade, the child chooses an optional foreign language (French, German or Russian). Compulsory Swedish begins in 7th grade.
Second stage
After receiving basic education, students are faced with a choice:
Receive vocational education, after which start working in your specialty. Training takes place in vocational schools (Finnish: ammatillinen oppilaitos): in particular vocational school(Finnish ammattiopisto), you can also choose on-the-job training under a contract (Finnish oppisopimuskoulutus).
Continue your studies at the lyceum, where serious preparation for entering higher school is underway. Students who go to the lyceum must show enough high degree preparedness (the average score of grades received in basic school will be this definition). In Finland, lyceum graduates are applicants - they apply to higher school while still lyceum students.
It is interesting that, like in Russia, “hidden fees” for some types of secondary education are practiced in Finland. So, if in a general school textbooks are provided free of charge, then in a gymnasium you need to buy them - this is about 500 euros per year, and you need to pay the entire amount at once. As for private schools, you will have to spend 30-40 thousand euros per year on training there.
Which system is more suitable than others as a guide for Russian secondary education? Irina Abankina, director of the Institute for Educational Development at the Higher School of Economics (HSE), briefly spoke about this for SP:
This is a very difficult question. In short, perhaps no system suits us completely. On the one side, historical roots our education system goes to Germany, this is common knowledge. At the same time, in Germany itself there is now an active reform of secondary schools. In the UK, their traditional model is now also being changed - Michael Barber is doing this. Despite the fact that these are magnificent and prestigious systems, there are still many questions there.
On the other hand, according to the results of international tests - the same PISA - ahead of last years countries broke out South-East Asia. Shanghai, the vanguard of Chinese education, showed miracles and impressed Taiwan; Previously, South Korea and Japan rushed forward no less actively.
This means that the Eastern model of education is also worth taking an interest in. And this model, frankly speaking, is not as pleasant for the observer as the European or American one. These are full classes - up to 40 people! This is strict discipline, reminiscent of the golden years of the Soviet school. But this is also a factor that was missing in our old school - universal tutoring, that is, tutoring. Without individual - paid - lessons, it is very difficult to prepare a student there well. According to Professor Mark Breir, who works at Shahnai University, the size of the tutoring market in Shanghai reaches 2.5% of GDP. In the budgets of most families, expenses for additional educational services are a significant item.
As for Russia, I repeat, none of the existing systems in the world are suitable for us without adaptation. Building new school for the country, it will be necessary to combine solutions from all over the world .
The public education system in Great Britain began to take shape in 1870, and in 1944 a system of free compulsory primary and secondary education was established. Public schools in England are publicly funded and locally run educational organizations. Private schools in England are also called "independent" and "public". They exist solely on the money that parents pay for their children's education.
The national program is developed by the state and is mandatory for all schools. Most private schools follow the national curriculum, but have the right to vary the teaching of subjects. The national program includes the following subjects: · English · Technology and design · Geography · Mathematics · Computer science · Music · Natural science · Foreign languages · Art · Phys. Preparation · History
School education in England includes two modules: Primary - for children aged 4 to 11 years (up to 7 years old - in an infant school, and from 7 to 11 years old - in a junior school) Secondary - for children from 11 to 16 years. There are three main types of junior high schools: "grammatical" schools "modern" schools "Integrated" schools
The academic year is from September 1 to August 31. Typically, the academic year is divided into semesters: autumn (until Christmas), spring (until Easter) and summer (until the end of June). Schools are usually open from 9.00 to 16.00, the school week is usually 5 days. There are no parent meetings. The parents of each child are given 5–10 minutes for individual communication with the teacher. Mandatory school uniform Much attention is paid to charity in educational institutions. From an early age, children are taught to help those who need it. Students in many British schools are required to study social work, for example, at gas stations or in nursing homes.
There is no unified state education system in the United States; each state has the right to determine its structure independently. School boards set school programs, hire teachers, and determine program funding. States regulate education within their borders by setting standards and testing students.
Preschools, where children aged 3-5 years are raised; primary school (grades 1-8), which educates children aged 6-13 years, secondary school (grades 9-12), with the task of educating boys and girls aged 6-13 years; educational institutions of the last level of education that are part of the higher education system.
An elementary school is an independently existing educational institution where one teacher conducts all classes with the class, but often there is also an assistant teacher. A characteristic feature of an elementary school is that classes are assigned according to the abilities of the students. After determining the “IQ”, groups A, B and C appear - “gifted”, “normal” and “incapable” and training is differentiated.
High school in the USA is usually divided into two levels - junior and senior, each lasting three years. There is also a four-year secondary school, based on the eight-year elementary school. In the 8th grade, a system of choosing subjects appears. There are different types of secondary schools: “academic”, “vocational” and “multidisciplinary”.
A – 15% of students – constantly high level of readiness, deep knowledge and originality (excellent). B - 25% of students - a level that is frankly higher than average (good). C – 35% of students – average level completing tasks (average). D – 15% of students – minimum level of knowledge (below average). F – 10% of students – unsatisfactory results or complete ignorance of the educational material.
The school year continues in American school days; children study 5 days a week. The duration of training sessions per day is 5-6 hours (from 8.30 to 15.30). The composition of the class changes every year to make them approximately equal in both gender and racial composition, as well as in the level of preparation, knowledge, skills and behavior of the students. Teachers are highly specialized: a 1st grade teacher spends his entire professional life teaching only 1st grade children, a 5th grade teacher only teaches 5th grade children, etc.
Graduates must have completed credit in 16 academic courses during their final four years of study. Each such course consists of one lesson daily for 18 or 36 weeks. For the last four years, compulsory study of modern achievements in five “basic disciplines” is recommended: English (4 years), mathematics (3 years), natural sciences (3 years), social sciences (3 years), computer literacy (0.5 years) In addition, students wishing to continue their studies at a higher education institution must complete a 2-year foreign language course.
In these countries, the state guarantees free secondary education. All school education systems are divided into several levels: primary school, basic and high school. However, the distribution of teaching time is different. Russia has a state standard of education, the UK has a national program, and the USA does not have a unified state program. However, in all countries there is a mandatory list of subjects to study. In all countries, school education ends with written exams. Along with public schools, there are private ones, where education is provided on a fee basis.
There are no two identical educational systems in the world. In each country, the age at which education begins and its duration, the range of subjects and exams, and other characteristics may vary. It is better to start choosing a specific educational institution for your child, first of all, with the existing features of education in the country. This will help you make a balanced and thoughtful choice.
UK educational system
Starting age: 5 years
Training stages: Preparatory School (4-11 years old), Secondary School (11-14 years old), GCSE (14-16 years old), A-Levels (16-18 years old)
Higher education: fully paidThe UK educational system is a tradition that has developed over centuries and a quality standard that is recognized throughout the world. British children spend 12 years in school. This is associated with difficulties for Russian graduates in entering a university - they need an additional year of study - Foundation.
At the age of 15-16, schoolchildren take GCSE (General Course of Secondary Education) exams. This completes their mandatory training. Those preparing to enter college study an additional two years of A-Levels. They choose 3-4 subjects to study, to which they devote all their time. Such in-depth training actually corresponds to the level of training in the first years of college.
There are especially many private schools in the UK. Usually these are institutions with a name and history, as well as very high tuition costs. Foreigners are welcomed into British schools with pleasure - a truly international educational environment is created here.
Almost a hundred British universities are included in world rankings - and not only are they included, but they confidently occupy positions within the first two hundred. The most prestigious universities in the country are united in the Russel Group. Higher education in the UK is paid and this pleasure is not cheap. However, the investment quickly pays off, since diplomas are recognized throughout the world.
US educational system
Starting age: 5 years in 3 states, 6 years in 18 states, 7 years in 29 states
Training stages: Junior School (6-11 years old), Middle School (11-15 years old), High School (15-17 years old)
Higher education: paid
There is no unity in the US states on education issues, because each of them has its own educational standard. Thus, studying at school, for example, in California and North Carolina can be completely different. Not only the age at which studies begin differs, but even the dates of semesters and the range of subjects differ.
In the United States, there is no general schedule for schoolchildren. In order to receive a diploma, you need to obtain a certain number of credits (points) in each area. The student chooses the courses for which he will receive these credits. There are also no classes in the usual sense for us - each student has his own set of disciplines. There are many private stakes in the United States, and it is believed that they offer better education compared to public ones. There are many schools that provide only full-time education - in this case, foreign students live with a host family.
The association of prestigious universities in this country is called the Ivy League. The country's educational institutions occupy the top lines of many international educational rankings. For example, most of the best business schools in the world are located in this country, and an MBA program was invented here, which today does not require special presentation in any country in the world.
Universities also operate a credit system, that is, a student’s independent choice of disciplines to study in addition to the mandatory ones. Foreigners, including Russians, can enter educational institutions immediately after graduating from school. For those who need to improve their level of English, as well as certain specialized subjects, there are preparatory programs.
Educational system of France
Starting age: 6 years
Training stages: Primary school: 6-11 years old, College (11-15 years old), Lyceum (16-18 years old)
Higher education: free at public universities
Young French people begin their education at the age of 6, and most of them go to study in public schools - the share of private educational institutions does not exceed 17%. At the age of 15 they take the exam to obtain the National du Brevet diploma. Only students who successfully pass it proceed to the lyceum, while the rest receive a certificate of completion of secondary school and can get a job.
Education at universities in France is free, with the exception of registration fees. They are paid equally by both local and foreign students, but the amounts usually do not exceed several hundred euros. Students from other countries also receive equal social benefits to local students, for example. Compensation for transportation costs and rental housing.
In addition to universities in France, there is also a system of Higher Schools, which often provide even more prestigious education. It is not difficult for a foreigner to enter a university in France, but the procedure for entering a higher school will be much more difficult.
Private universities in France offer many programs taught in English, but education in them will be completely paid, and therefore much more expensive than in a state university in French.
Educational system in Germany
Starting age: 6 years
Training stages: Grundschule (from 6 to 10-12 years old), Secondary school (11-18 years old)
Higher education: depends on the region
In Germany, education is controlled by the state, but most states bring their own characteristics to this process. Secondary schools in Germany are divided into 4 types: Gymnasium - the most prestigious, Realschule - average education in every sense, slightly above the required standard, Hauptschule - a base necessary for those who do not plan to continue their studies. Depending on the choice of school, the duration of study can range from 9 to 13 years. There is also a Gesamtschule, where you can study in any of the three above programs.
Education at German universities is no longer universally free for foreigners. Now each region is pursuing a separate policy in this area, but the total number free programs is constantly decreasing. The most prestigious specialties to study in Germany are technical specialties - German universities in this field are included in the top hundred of many international rankings.
Educational system of Canada
Starting age: 6-7 years
Training stages: Primary school (6-11 years old), Secondary school (11-15 years old), High school (15-17 years old)
Higher education: paid
The Canadian education system generally follows the structure of this process in the United States. A child can go to school at 6 or 7 years old, and the duration of education is 12 years. To evaluate the results of students in Canadian schools, they use percentages rather than scores. The figure of 50% in all subjects is prerequisite transition to next year.
The official language of instruction in Canada can be English or French. Each province determines not only the language, but also the main content of the learning process.
How is the education system organized in various countries peaceI'm terribly interested...
The Russian secondary education system will be radically reformed in the coming years. Discussion of this reform has been the most popular topic on the Russian agenda since the end of 2010, only high-profile disasters, revolutions and military actions are more popular. Meanwhile, neither the public, nor officials, nor experts can clearly and clearly talk about what kind of school Russia needs in 10 years.
Classical education or emphasis on high technology? Uniformity for the sake of national unity - or a kingdom of blossoming complexity? Free education of a good level - or will parents have to pay for almost everything except the notorious “physical education and life safety”? There is not only no consensus, but also no clarity about all this in Russian society: even experts, when speaking “to the public,” prefer to speak in long, meaningless phrases.
It may be easier to understand the desired direction of reform if we take a brief look at the most famous school systems in the world. These are the most developed European countries, former metropolises of the great colonial empires - as well as the current world leader of the United States and representatives of the two fastest growing educational systems in the world. ""
In a series of two publications, SP presents a brief overview of the national school traditions of France, Germany, Great Britain, the USA, South Korea and Finland.
The current secondary education system in France consists, like most European systems, of three levels - primary (ecole primaire, from 6 to 11 years) and senior (college, college - from 11 to 15 years, then lycee, lyceum - from 16 to 15 18). This is a fairly conservative system that has existed with minor changes for more than 100 years - since the 1890s. State-standard education is compulsory for children from 6 to 16 years of age (the lyceum, as an analogue of Russian grades 9–11, mainly prepares students for admission to universities). At the same time, education is free in public schools, but there are also private alternatives.
Private schools - mostly tuition fees for students, but less constrained by government restrictions - also provide their graduates with state-issued diplomas. There are two types of such schools, based on their relationship with the state: subsidized (sous contrat) and unsubsidized (hors contrat). In the first of them, the government pays salaries to teachers, and schools follow the national program and standard curriculum, in the second, there are no subsidies from the government, but there is an opportunity to educate children according to non-standard programs.
Among state-subsidized schools, there are also two categories: “contrat simple” and “contrat d’association”. Contrat simple: The school meets government requirements for curriculum and examinations while receiving subsidies for teachers' salaries. Contrat d'association: In addition to the contrat simple, the school is partly controlled by the state in terms of pedagogical methods and the selection of teachers, receiving funding for operating expenses and salaries. To receive funding under such a contract, schools must prove that they have a certain philosophy that is missing in the state system. Typically, private schools have a religious (Catholic) orientation. This system has been in effect in France since 1959 (the so-called Debray laws).
The cost of studying at private schools depends on many factors, but, in general, is not particularly prohibitive by European standards. Thus, education in one of the oldest and elite schools - Ecole de Roches - in 2008 cost 27,320 euros per academic year.
Let us also note that 80% of schools in France are public, and the smallest category is non-state-subsidized institutions; there are only about 20% of them in the country (less elementary, about 9%, secondary, just over 30%). There are also more teachers in public schools than in private ones - but in terms of the number of schools, non-state institutions win.
Non-state schools in France include almost all religious (Catholic) educational institutions, as well as schools for children with disabilities, etc. In other words, those schools that educate obviously non-standard people or do it in non-standard ways are being pushed into the private sector.
Primary school in France is not much different from the advanced version of Russian school - small classes, a playful approach to subjects, no grades in most schools. But at the age of 11, having completed primary school, young Frenchmen enter college, which is considered the first stage of secondary education. In college, grades are counted in reverse order: the student enters the sixth grade and four years later finishes the third. Then comes the final – and, unlike Russia, compulsory for everyone – stage of the lyceum, which takes two years. There are two main types of lyceums - general educational (general) and technological (technologique), but within each category there are many profiles and specializations - approximately what they are now trying to teach Russian schoolchildren to do.
The second grade of the lyceum (that is, the first in chronological order) is general education, here it does not yet reach specializations. The first grade already has many directions - branches of study leading to different types of bachelor's degrees (this is the name of the exam for an analogue of our matriculation certificate, in fact the first specialized work or project of the student). Some lyceums even offer programs such as astronautics or aeronautics as profiles.
Among the differences between French specialization and Russian projects is the special status of the French language as a subject. Everyone without exception takes the state language test after first grade. The score for this test is taken into account when taking the bachelor's degree exam.
The bachelor's exam itself is preceded by the last, “diploma” class, also known as the “terminal”. Preparation for the final exam is extremely serious, since its results are taken into account when entering universities. In general, during the three years of lyceum, the French have time to both decide on their future specialty and demonstrate their level to others and submit a kind of application for a future career.
Germany
Based on the same Prussian education system as the Russian school, the education system in Germany these days is much more diversified and, according to some analysts, less democratic. Critics of the German school system usually point to the fact that the main choice of a child’s future is made in elementary school - later, if the family’s capabilities initially did not allow them to choose a good school, it is extremely difficult, almost impossible, to break into the ranks of the elite.
So, primary school in Germany educates children from 6 to 10 years old (or up to 12 years old in Berlin and Brandenburg). In it, children learn to read, count, write, and study natural history. The differences among primary schools are mainly in the availability and quality of extracurricular activities. Then comes the turn of high school - from 10 to 19 years old. And here specialization and social stratification among schools becomes apparent.
The choice of the type of school, as German laws state, occurs individually for each student in accordance with the recommendation of the school, the wishes of the parents, the level of school grades, and the result of the entrance exams. Since the level of development and the availability of recommendations is related to the primary school the child attended, the choice of school often depends on the capabilities of the family.
The types of secondary schools in Germany are as follows: basic school (Hauptschule) - designed for 5-6 years of study and involves subsequent training in a vocational school; real school (Realschule) - designed for 6 years of study, and a high score obtained based on the results of studying in a real school allows you to enter the senior class of a gymnasium, and then to a university; finally, the most thorough education is provided by gymnasiums (Gymnasium) - where education lasts 8-9 years.
As a rule, a gymnasium specializes in three main areas: humanitarian (languages, literature, art), social (social sciences) and technical (natural sciences, mathematics, technology). Upon completion of training, a diploma of secondary education (Abitur) is issued. The German Abitur is the equivalent of the Russian certificate of complete secondary education and the British A-level diploma. Gymnasiums are aimed at entering the University.
In addition to these three types, there are also general schools (Gesamtschule) - they combine various features of a gymnasium and real schools, allowing you to receive both a humanitarian and technical education at the same time.
In addition to public schools, private educational institutions also issue state-issued certificates. These are, as a rule, religious, elite, closed schools. The range of educational services provided by private companies is wider than the state one - for example, only in such schools can a foreign student receive a German certificate.
Private schools in Germany (public education is expected to be free) charge more for tuition than French schools - for example, in prestigious German schools the full cost of the academic year is about 40,000 euros.
Great Britain
The British secondary school is perhaps the most distinctive education system in Western Europe. And, at the same time, perhaps the most prestigious - regardless of tests like PISA, British schools magnetically attract students from all over the world, not excluding Russians.
“Many people teach, we educate gentlemen,” this phrase is attributed to the director of one of the most prestigious British schools. In fact, this is the essence of the carefully built brand of British secondary education.
Education in the UK is compulsory for all citizens aged 5 to 16 years. There are two sectors of education: public (free education) and private (paid educational institutions, where a year costs 40 - 50 thousand US dollars). In addition, there is a big difference between the education systems of different parts of Britain: one system has developed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the second in Scotland.
One of the most characteristic types of secondary school in the United Kingdom is the Boarding School, the tradition of which dates back to the early Middle Ages. Initially, these schools appeared at monasteries, in particular Benedictine ones. Although monastery boarding schools were charitable, British boarding schools have been fee-paying for half a millennium.
Now boarding schools have a reputation as “aristocratic” - the fact is that once upon a time it was schools of this type that raised several generations of British people who subjugated half the world. And now some of the boarding houses that have existed for many hundreds of years under one roof and one name can be called clubs for the descendants of the most aristocratic families of the former empire.
Apart from these schools, there are many other types of educational institutions in the kingdom. According to the age of the students, they are divided into full-cycle schools (All-Through schools), this is an approximate analogue of our educational complexes “from kindergarten to graduation”; and for schools for each individual age: preparatory schools - nurseries, from 2 to 7 years, in which, in addition to regular kindergarten classes, they also teach reading and writing, junior schools - primary schools, from 7 to 13 years, ending with a special exam Common Entrance Examination, without which the path further is closed. In addition, there is an alternative system - Primary School from 4 to 11 years old, with a further transition to the Secondary School stage.
Next after Junior comes the high school, Senior School - teenagers from 13 to 18 years old study there. Here, children first undergo two years of training to pass GCSE exams, followed by another two-year program: A-Level or International Baccalaureate.
In a parallel system, this age is “closed” by Secondary school, which teaches children aged 11 years and older. An analogue of the Russian gymnasium, Grammar school is an education for children aged 11 years and older according to an in-depth program. Graduation classes for those entering universities in Britain are called Sixth Form, these are 2 senior years of study (16 - 18 years old).
In Britain, the tradition of separate education for boys and girls is still strong. This is especially noticeable in the world of traditional boarding schools, of which the majority are “separate”. However, schools of the “new formation” are mostly, on the contrary, mixed.
In terms of ownership, both private and public schools are widely represented in the UK. Free secondary education is, of course, guaranteed by the state, however (similar to Germany) for a successful career you need to graduate from the “right” school. And such schools are traditionally private (this was the prevailing form of ownership until the twentieth century) and are quite expensive for parents.
Compulsory education in Britain applies to children up to 16 years of age. Then (after receiving A-Levels) the system of educational loans begins to operate. Moreover, a university graduate begins to pay them only when he gets a job with earnings of at least 21 thousand pounds a year. If there is no such work, there is no need to repay the debt. USA
The length and age at which children begin compulsory education in the United States varies by state. Children begin their education between the ages of 5 and 8 and finish between the ages of 14 and 18.
At the age of about 5 years, American children go to elementary school (kindergarten). This zero-grade class is optional in some states—nevertheless, almost all American children attend kindergarten. Although kindergarten literally means “kindergarten” in German, kindergartens exist separately in the United States and are literally called “preschool”.
Elementary school continues through fifth or sixth grade (depending on the school district), after which the student goes to middle school, which ends with eighth grade. High school is grades nine through twelve, so Americans, like Russians, typically finish secondary education at age 18.
Those who complete a high school education may enroll in community colleges, also called junior colleges, technical colleges, or city colleges, which award an associate's degree after two years of study. ) comparable to secondary specialized education. Another option to continue your education is to attend colleges or universities, where you can earn a bachelor's degree, usually in four years. Those who have received a bachelor's degree can study further to obtain a master's degree (2-3 years) or PhD (analogous to the Russian candidate of sciences, 3 years or more). Separately accredited faculties and universities issue degrees of Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Law, for which special training is required at the bachelor's level.
Free public schools are governed primarily by democratically elected school boards, each of which has jurisdiction over a school district, whose boundaries often coincide with those of a county or city, and which contain one or more schools at each level. School boards set school programs, hire teachers, and determine program funding. States regulate education within their borders by setting standards and testing students. State funding for schools is often determined by how much their students' test scores have improved.
Money for schools comes primarily from local (city) property taxes, so the quality of schools depends heavily on home prices and how much in taxes parents are willing to pay for good schools. This often leads to a vicious circle. Parents flock to counties where schools have earned a good reputation, eager to provide their children with a good education. Home prices are rising, and the combination of money and motivated parents is taking schools to an even higher level. The opposite occurs at the other end of the spectrum, in poor areas of the so-called “inner cities”.
Some large school districts establish "magnet schools" for particularly talented children living in their jurisdiction. Sometimes in one district there are several such schools, divided by specialty: a technical school, a school for children who have shown talent in the arts, etc.
Approximately 85% of children are educated in public schools. Most of the rest go to fee-paying private schools, many of which are religious. The most widespread is the network of Catholic schools, which was started by Irish immigrants in the second half of the 19th century. Other private schools, often very expensive and sometimes highly competitive, exist to prepare students for admission to prestigious universities. There are even boarding schools that draw students from all over the country, such as Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. The cost of education in such schools is about 50,000 US dollars per year for parents.
Less than 5% of parents decide to homeschool their children for various reasons. Some religious conservatives do not want their children to be taught ideas with which they disagree, most commonly the theory of evolution. Others believe that schools cannot meet the needs of their underperforming or, conversely, brilliant children. Still others want to protect children from drugs and crime, which are problems in some schools. In many places, parents who homeschool their children form groups in which they help each other, and sometimes even different parents teach the children different subjects. Many also supplement their lessons with distance learning programs and classes at local colleges. However, critics of homeschooling argue that homeschooling is often substandard and that children raised this way do not acquire normal social skills.
Primary schools (elementary schools, grade schools, or grammar schools) usually educate children from the age of five until they are eleven or twelve. One teacher teaches all subjects except fine arts, music and physical education, which are taught once or twice a week. Academic subjects taught are usually arithmetic (occasionally elementary algebra), reading and writing, with an emphasis on spelling and vocabulary development. Natural and social sciences are taught little and not in variety. Often social science takes the form of local history.
Often in elementary school, learning consists of art projects, field trips, and other forms of learning through fun. This arose from the progressive education movement of the early 20th century, which taught that students should learn through work and everyday actions and the study of their consequences.
Secondary schools (middle schools, junior high schools, or intermediate schools) typically educate children between the ages of 11 or 12 and 14 years old—grades six or seven through eight. Recently, sixth grade has increasingly been included in secondary school. Typically, in a secondary school, unlike in a primary school, one teacher teaches one subject. Students are required to take classes in math, English, science, social studies (often including world history), and physical education. Students choose one or two classes themselves, usually in foreign languages, arts and technology.
In high school, students also begin to be divided into ordinary and advanced streams. Students who do better than others in a given subject may be placed in an advanced ("honor") class, where they cover the material faster and are assigned more homework. Recently, such classes, especially in the humanities, have been abolished in some places: critics believe that isolating high-performing students prevents low-performing students from catching up.
High school is the last stage of secondary education in the United States, lasting from ninth to twelfth grade. In high school, students can choose their classes more freely than before and only have to meet the minimum graduation criteria set by the school board. Typical minimum requirements are:
3 years of natural sciences (a year of chemistry, a year of biology and a year of physics);
3 years of mathematics, up to second year algebra (mathematics in middle and high schools is typically divided into first year algebra, geometry, second year algebra, introduction to calculus, and calculus, and taken in that order);
4 years of literature;
2-4 years of social sciences, usually including US history and government;
1-2 years of physical education.
For admission to many universities, a more complete program is required, including 2-4 years of a foreign language.
Students must choose the remaining classes themselves. The range of such classes varies greatly in quantity and quality, depending on the financial situation of the school and the inclinations of the students. A typical set of optional classes is:
Additional sciences (statistics, computer science, environmental science);
Foreign languages (most often Spanish, French and German; less often Japanese, Chinese, Latin and Greek);
Fine arts (painting, sculpture, photography, cinema);
Performing arts (theater, orchestra, dance);
Computer technology (computer use, computer graphics, web design);
Publishing (journalism, yearbook editing);
Labor (woodworking, car repair).
In some cases, the student may not be enrolled in any classroom at all.
In high school, especially in the last two years, a new type of advanced class has emerged. Students can take classes that are designed to prepare them for the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams. Most universities count a good grade on these exams as entry into the relevant subject.
Grades, both at school and at universities, are issued according to the A/B/C/D/F system, where A is the best grade, F is unsatisfactory, and D can be considered satisfactory or unsatisfactory depending on the circumstances. All marks except F can be appended with “+” or “−”. In some schools, A+ and D− grades do not exist. From these marks, the average (grade point average, abbreviated GPA) is calculated, in which A is considered 4, B is considered 3, and so on. Grades for advanced classes in school are often raised by a point, meaning an A counts as a 5, and so on.
South Korea
Children aged 8 to 14 years attend primary school. The list of subjects studied in primary school includes (but does not exhaust it):
Korean
Mathematics
Exact sciences
Social Sciences
art
Usually all these subjects are taught by one class teacher, although some specialized disciplines may be taught by other teachers (for example, physical education or foreign languages).
Advancement through the levels of the educational system from primary to higher school is not determined by the results of passing various exams, but solely by the age of the student.
Until the late 1980s, English was usually taught in secondary school, but now it begins to be taught in the third grade of primary school. The Korean language is strikingly different from English in terms of grammar, so mastering English occurs with great difficulty, but with relatively little success, which fact is often a topic of thought for parents. Many of them end up sending their children to further education in private educational institutions called hagwons. More and more schools in the country are beginning to attract foreigners for whom English is their native language.
In addition to public primary schools, there are a number of private schools in Korea. The curriculum of such schools more or less corresponds to the state one, however, it is implemented at a higher level: more teachers are offered for fewer students, additional subjects are introduced and higher standards of education are established in general. This explains the natural desire of many parents to enroll their children in such schools, which, however, is stopped by the relatively high cost of education in them: $130 per month of classes. This cannot be compared with the prestigious countries of Europe and the USA, but relative to the income of Koreans this is quite decent money.
Elementary schools are called "chodeung hakkyo" in Korean, which means "elementary school." The South Korean government changed the name in 1996 from the former "gukmin hakkyo", which translates to "civic school". It was above all a gesture of restoring national pride.
Korean school education is divided into secondary and tertiary (secondary and high school education, respectively).
Secondary school entrance examinations were abolished in 1968. In the late 1980s, students still had to take entrance exams (but not against other candidates), and admission was determined either randomly or by location relative to the institution. Schools, whose rank was previously determined by the level of students, were equalized in receiving government support and the number of poor students distributed. However, this reform did not completely level out schools. In Seoul, students who did well on entrance exams were allowed to enroll in more prestigious schools without regard to their district, while everyone else was admitted to a school in “their” district. The reforms were applied equally to public and private schools, admission to which was strictly controlled by the Ministry of Education.
Unlike the United States, where the class number usually increases incrementally from 1 to 12, in South Korea the class number starts from one each time you enter elementary, middle, and high school. To differentiate between them, the class number is usually indicated along with the educational level. For example, the first year of high school will be called "First Year of High School", "chunghakkyo il haknyeon".
high school
In Korean, high school is called "chunhakyo", which literally means "middle school".
There are 3 classes in a Korean high school. Most students enter at the age of 12 and graduate by age 15 (by Western standards). These three years correspond approximately to Years 7-9 in the North American and Forms 2 and 4 in the British educational systems.
Compared to elementary school, South Korean high school places much higher demands on its students. Dress and hairstyles are almost always strictly regulated, as are many other aspects of a student's life. As in elementary school, students spend most of the day in the same classroom with their classmates; however, each subject is taught by a different teacher. Teachers move from class to class and only some of them, excluding those who teach “special” subjects, have their own classroom, where the students go themselves. Class teachers play a very important role in the lives of students and have significantly more authority than their American colleagues.
Students in high school have six periods a day, usually preceded by a special block of time in the early morning, and a seventh period specific to each major.
Unlike a university, the curriculum does not vary much from one high school to another. The core of the curriculum is formed:
Mathematics
Korean and English
Also close to the exact sciences.
"Additional" items include:
Various arts
Physical Culture
History
Hancha (Chinese characters)
Managing a Home Economy
Computer literacy lessons.
Which subjects and in what quantities are studied by students varies from year to year.
The duration of training sessions is 45 minutes. Immediately before the start of the first lesson, students have about 30 minutes at their disposal, which can be used at will for self-study, watching programs broadcast by a special educational channel (Educational Broadcast System, EBS) or for conducting personal or class affairs. In 2008, students attended classes full day from Monday to Friday, as well as half a day every first, third and fifth Saturday of the month. On Saturday, students engage in additional activities in some clubs.
In the late 1960s, the government ended the practice of high school entrance examinations, replacing them with a system in which students from the same area were admitted to high school on a random basis. This was done to average out the standard of pupils across all schools, but to some extent differences between rich and poor areas remained. Until recently, most schools were open to one sex only, but recently new secondary schools are accepting children of both sexes and older schools are also becoming mixed.
As in primary school, students move from class to class regardless of their performance, as a result of which the same subject in the same class can be studied by students with completely different levels of preparation. Grades begin to play a very important role in the last year of high school, since they influence the student's chances of entering a particular university, for those who primarily want to pursue a scientific rather than a professional technical career. In other cases, grades are needed simply to please parents or teachers (or to avoid their righteous anger). There are several standard examination forms for certain subjects, and teachers of "science" subjects are required to follow the recommended teaching aids, however, usually secondary school teachers have more authority over the course program and teaching method than teachers in universities.
Many high school students also take additional classes ("hagwon") after school or are tutored by private tutors. Particular emphasis is placed on English and mathematics. Some hagwons specialize in only one subject, while others specialize in all key subjects, which can turn into a second round of school classes with often an even greater load on the student immediately after the end of the first (official) one. And, in addition, especially persistent ones also attend martial arts clubs or music schools.
They usually return home late in the evening.
Korean schools pay special attention to technical support. By 2011, according to the declarations of the Korean government, the country's schools completely switched from paper textbooks to electronic ones.
Finland
In Finland, every child has the right to pre-primary education, which generally begins one year before the start of compulsory education, that is, in the year in which the child has his sixth birthday. Pre-primary education may be received at a school or kindergarten, family kindergarten or other suitable location. This is decided by the municipality.
A child begins compulsory education the year he turns seven and continues until he is 16 or 17 years old. The state guarantees free basic education. This includes tuition, textbooks, notebooks, basic stationery, and school meals are also free.
In the 3rd grade, the study of English begins; in the 4th grade, the child chooses an optional foreign language (French, German or Russian). Compulsory Swedish begins in 7th grade.
Second stage
Oulun Suomalaisen Yhteiskoulun lukio
After receiving basic education, students are faced with a choice:
Receive vocational education, after which start working in your specialty. Training takes place in vocational schools (Finnish: ammatillinen oppilaitos): in particular, a vocational school (Finnish: ammattiopisto), or you can also opt for on-the-job training under a contract (Finnish: oppisopimuskoulutus).
Continue your studies at the lyceum, where serious preparation for entering higher school is underway. Students who go to the lyceum must show a fairly high degree of preparedness (the average score of grades received in basic school will be this definition). In Finland, lyceum graduates are applicants - they apply to higher school while still lyceum students.
It is interesting that, like in Russia, “hidden fees” for some types of secondary education are practiced in Finland. So, if in a general school textbooks are provided free of charge, then in a gymnasium you need to buy them - this is about 500 euros per year, and you need to pay the entire amount at once. As for private schools, you will have to spend 30 - 40 thousand euros per year on training there.
Which system is more suitable than others as a guide for Russian secondary education? Irina Abankina, director of the Institute for Educational Development at the Higher School of Economics (HSE), briefly spoke about this for SP:
This is a very difficult question. In short, perhaps no system suits us completely. On the one hand, the historical roots of our education system go to Germany, this is well known. At the same time, in Germany itself there is now an active reform of secondary schools. In the UK, their traditional model is now also being changed - Michael Barber is doing this. Despite the fact that these are magnificent and prestigious systems, there are still many questions there.
On the other hand, according to the results of international tests - the same PISA - the countries of Southeast Asia have taken the lead in recent years. Shanghai, the vanguard of Chinese education, showed miracles and impressed Taiwan; Previously, South Korea and Japan rushed forward no less actively.
This means that the Eastern model of education is also worth taking an interest in. And this eastern model, frankly speaking, is not as pleasant for the observer as the European or American one. These are full classes - up to 40 people! This is strict discipline, reminiscent of the golden years of the Soviet school. But this is also a factor that was missing in our old school - universal tutoring, that is, tutoring. Without individual - paid - lessons, it is very difficult to prepare a student there well. According to Professor Mark Breir, who works at Shahnai University, the size of the tutoring market in Shanghai reaches 2.5% of GDP. In the budgets of most families, expenses for additional educational services are a significant item.
As for Russia, I repeat, none of the existing systems in the world are suitable for us without adaptation. When building a new school for the country, it will be necessary to combine solutions from all over the world. ""
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