Absolutely all American youth films show us the heavenly conditions of learning in their schools. As if the lessons there are more like entertainment, the interiors of the classrooms in schools resemble a home environment, and the student has the right to have a bite of a hamburger right in the classroom. But is it really so?

September 1 - the student himself chooses the subjects that he wants to study

Before the new academic year begins in American schools, students are encouraged to choose the subjects they want to study for the first semester. Approval is given by the principal of the school on the basis of how many children have already accumulated in a particular class. As a rule, American schools involve the study of four compulsory subjects: mathematics, English, history and science (chemistry, physics, zoology, biology, etc.). Next, the student is given a list of 50 subjects, three of which must be selected in addition to the required ones.

There is no such expanse in Russian schools - children study the disciplines that the Ministry of Education has developed for them. Thus, American children have a clear advantage over their Russian peers - they are unlikely to get bored with the subjects that they themselves have chosen to study. While Russian schoolchildren in the truest sense of the word sleep in their unloved lessons.

Levels of difficulty of subjects in American schools

All American high school students must pass 4 levels of difficulty in compulsory subjects. For example, in the 9th grade they can study English at the first level, in the 10th - the second level, in the 11th - the third level, and in the 12th grade they can finish the study of the subject.


In Russia, everything is different - the complexity of the subject increases gradually, throughout all 11 years of study.

Uniforms in American schools

American children are completely exempt from the obligation to go to school exclusively in uniform. "The main thing is that the students should be comfortable," the teachers say. There are, of course, exceptions in some states. But in general, school uniforms are optional.

In our schools, the opposite is true. The Ministry of Education fondly recalls the USSR, when a student stood out in the crowd, and the financial situation of each student was not visible in the classrooms. That is why the form returned to Russian schools. Seeing a student in a free form of clothing in a Russian school, the minimum that threatens him is an entry in his diary. Basically, already on the threshold of an educational institution, children are sent to change clothes and bring themselves into a school look.

Student and school administration

In American schools, the relationship between teacher and student is strikingly different. Unlike Russian schools, in America a student can easily talk with a director or teacher about show business, discuss politics or talk about personal topics. The headmaster's door is always open to any student. Americans are sure that the smaller the line between the student and the teacher, the better the mutual understanding.

In Russia, however, such a concept as subordination is taken too seriously and one should not even count on friendship with a teacher.

And when home?

Unlike Russian schoolchildren who count the minutes until the bell rings, American children are in no hurry to go home. What for? At school, all the conditions have been created for them that allow them to communicate with their friends, develop as a person, and engage in hobbies.

All American schools have their own small theaters, sports and music clubs, well-kept school grounds with lawns and everything you need for picnics. All this is aimed at ensuring that the school becomes a favorite place for children, and the lessons do not turn into torture.

In Russia, in this regard, everything is not so cloudless, and it is not at all the absence of theaters and sections. By the way, they are in all schools. The point, most likely, is the mentality of Russian children. It's so usual - after school, immediately go home, in order to have time to do numerous lessons and collect a heavy backpack for tomorrow.

Bottom line: in America, a schoolchild has more freedom, which Russian children can only dream of.

Most of the inhabitants of our country know about the education system in America only from films and books. It is no secret to anyone now that many of the innovations in our educational system are being borrowed from the United States. In our article, we will try to figure out what a school is in America, what are its features and differences from our educational institutions.

Differences between American education and Russian

More recently, under Soviet rule, education in the Soviet Union was considered one of the best. Now more and more people compare our education system and the American one. There is a significant difference between them, it is impossible to say which one is better and which is worse. Each has its pros and cons.

The American education system is more democratic. If almost all schools in our country follow the same curriculum, then in the United States there is no single plan. Pupils attend only a few compulsory disciplines, and everyone chooses the rest of the subjects at their own discretion, taking into account personal preferences and the choice of a future profession. It can be said that the school in America adheres to much more than the Russian one.

Another difference in American educational institutions is that in them such concepts as "class" or "classmates" have a completely different meaning. Because all the children studying in the same class can hardly be called a team. The American school still involves the creation of teams, but most often this happens in special classes, which, moreover, are chosen by the children themselves.

Compared to our schools, sports are the most popular in US institutions, there is practically no institution for children that does not have a well-equipped gym, swimming pool and stadium.

A school in America is not a single building, as in our country. More like a student campus with several buildings. On its territory it is obligatory to additionally equip:

  • Assembly halls for various events.
  • Gym.
  • A big library.
  • Dining room.
  • Park area.
  • Residences.

It has already been mentioned a little that each state in America can approve its own educational programs. But compulsory secondary education remains the same for all. True, it can begin either from 6 years old, or from seven. The start time of classes may also vary: in some schools, they may begin at 7:30, while others prefer to put children at their desks at 8:00.

The academic year, unlike ours, is divided into only two semesters, not quarters. Evaluation does not provide for a five-point system, but often a 100-point criterion is used.

The education system in American schools

American education is quite diverse, so everyone can choose for themselves an individual path in mastering knowledge. Every country and every nation has its own value systems, traditions that are passed down from generation to generation. There are also installations that are laid in children's heads from childhood. For example, from birth, a Jewish baby is told by his parents that he is the smartest and he can do anything. Maybe that's why there are so many outstanding scientists and the latest discoveries in this country.

In American families, a child learns one truth from childhood: in life there is always room for choices that he can make. Not everyone can become famous physicists or chemists, but you can always find many other exciting activities for yourself. In the United States, a place in society and well-being do not depend on the type of activity or your profession, but on success in this area. Being a simple car mechanic is not at all shameful if you do your job at the highest level and a line of customers line up for you.

The American education system is also set up for this. Already within the walls of the school, the child can choose for himself those classes that he likes best. The only thing that remains is the requirement to consistently graduate from several types of schools, which will be discussed below.

There are no rigid groups or classes in schools, students are called students and have the right to choose courses that correspond to their inclinations and the aspirations in life that they have. If our schools draw up a common timetable for each class, then there each student can have his own timetable.

Each course is assessed by a certain number of points, which is called a credit there. There is even a minimum loan that you need to collect in order to move to the next school or enter another educational institution. There are special classes for college preparation, but you must have "personal credit" to be eligible to attend them. Most children consciously choose for themselves the classes they attend, and therefore their path to the future.

A school in America practices scholarships for children, which depend on the size of the "personal loan". It also happens when a student has such a high credit that it is enough to get two higher educations for free.

We can say that students have two options: to achieve everything with their work and abilities, or to use their parents' money for further education.

Another interesting feature is the American school - the child is still studying within the walls of the school, and information about his achievements is transmitted to all higher educational institutions. There are no entrance exams to institutes and universities, each student writes test papers in subjects during the year, and the results at the end of the year are sent not only to the educational part of the school, but also to colleges and universities. After graduation, each student can only consider invitations from various educational institutions to study or send requests to them himself, waiting for a response. So it turns out that you can achieve high results and enter a prestigious university not only for money, but also by putting the maximum of your work.

It doesn't matter how many schools there are in America, but in each of them the only decisive factor for entering a prestigious university is their own great desire and aspiration. Of course, not everyone is given good mental abilities, but if you want to study at a university, the state with a great desire can give a student loan, which is paid after graduation.

Varieties of schools in America

There are many educational institutions in the USA, but all of them can be divided into the following types:

  1. Public Schools.
  2. Boarding school.
  3. Private educational institutions.
  4. home schools.

Public schools are divided by age criterion: there is an elementary school, a middle school and a senior school. It is necessary to clarify how children in America study in such schools. First of all, a distinctive feature is their strict differentiation into separate institutions. They are not only located in separate buildings, but can also be geographically located far from each other.

Boarding schools are located in large fenced areas with well-equipped buildings for classes, residences, gyms and everything you need to get a quality education. Such schools are often called "schools of life" and quite rightly so.

Secondary education in the USA

To obtain a certificate of education, you must complete three levels of school:

  • Primary school.
  • Average.
  • Senior.

All of them have their own requirements and features. Programs and the list of subjects can also vary greatly.

Elementary education

Getting an education in America begins with elementary school. It should be clarified that in order to get to school, there are no problems. Some students are brought by their parents, those who are already 16 can come by car themselves, and the rest are taken by school buses. If the child is in poor health or is disabled, the bus can drive directly to his house. They also take the kids home after class. All school buses are yellow, so it is simply impossible to confuse them with other public transport.

Most often, the elementary school building is located in parks and squares, it has one floor and is quite cozy inside. One teacher deals with the class and conducts all subjects for kids, as a rule, traditional classes: reading, writing, native language and literature, fine arts, music, mathematics, geography, natural science, hygiene, labor and necessarily physical education.

Classes for classes are completed taking into account the abilities of children. Before that, the kids are tested. But all tests are more aimed not at identifying the level of readiness for school, but at revealing the natural inclinations of the child and his IQ.

After testing, students are divided into three classes: "A" - gifted children, "B" - normal, "C" - incompetent. With gifted children from elementary school, they work more intensively and orient them towards further higher education. The whole process takes five years.

high school in america

After graduating from elementary school, a child with a certain “personal credit” moves on to secondary education. The question arises, how many classes does a high school in America have? As it turned out, the training takes three years, respectively, the students go to the 6th, 7th and 8th grades.

The middle school, like the elementary school, may have its own curriculum in each district. The school week lasts 5 days, and the holidays are twice a year - winter and summer.

The secondary school is usually located in a larger building, as it has many more students. Education also goes on a system of credits. In addition to the compulsory subjects, which include mathematics, English, literature, each child can choose, depending on their preferences, additional lessons. At the end of the year, exams are sure to follow, in order to move to the next class, you need to score a certain number of credits. In secondary school, career guidance is mandatory, which helps children make their choice in life.

High school

We have analyzed what types of schools exist in America, it remains to find out what a high school is. It includes 4 years of study, from 9th to 12th grade. As a rule, such schools have their own specialization, therefore, from the 9th grade, thorough preparation for entering higher educational institutions begins. This type of school is quite important, because during the training you can not only accumulate enough knowledge for admission, but also earn loans that will significantly save on your studies.

In high school, the program requires the study of English, mathematics, subjects of the social sphere and natural disciplines. Given that the high school must adhere to specialized education, there may be different directions in different institutions.

There are the following directions in schools:


For example, if a student studied in an academic profile, then he has the right to enter a higher educational institution. But this applies only to well-performing guys. If the results are not very good, then the student chooses a suitable practical course for himself.

Any professional profile gives students practical skills. Depending on the chosen direction, a schedule of classes is drawn up.

Rules in American schools

School rules exist in any school, of course, in American they differ significantly from ours. Here are some of them:

  1. It is forbidden to walk along the corridors during the lessons.
  2. When going to the toilet, the student is given a pass card, which is noted by the teacher on duty in the toilet.
  3. If a child misses school, then on the same day the secretary calls and finds out the reason for the absence.
  4. You can skip only 18 lessons if the subject is taught all year, if the course takes half a year, then only 9 omissions are allowed.
  5. You can't leave the school until all the lessons are over, there are video cameras everywhere.
  6. The order at the school is monitored by security guards, they walk in civilian uniforms, but have weapons.
  7. In American schools, it is forbidden to eat in the corridors and classrooms; this can only be done in the canteen or cafe.
  8. You cannot bring drinks and food with you.
  9. Drugs and alcohol are prohibited, as well as the carrying of weapons, although such a warning for our schools looks completely ridiculous. In our country, this is a matter of course.
  10. The manifestation of sexual inequality in any form is unacceptable. Even a hand on a friend's shoulder can be considered sexual harassment.
  11. It is forbidden to play cards in class.
  12. School rules even contain such a clause as a ban on cheating.
  13. Damage to school property is not allowed.

Some rules relate to school uniforms, for us some of them seem completely absurd:


You can buy a school uniform in a specialized store, where a card is issued for each student and a discount on the purchase is provided for it.

The American teacher also adheres to a strict style of dress, of course, it is not necessary to go in suits, but men do not wear jeans to classes, and female teachers often wear skirts than trousers.

All rules for students are printed out and pasted into school diaries at the beginning of the school year.

Private schools in America

All private schools in the US are paid. Not all families can afford to educate their children in such an institution, because the cost of a private school for all the years of education will cost, on average, if translated into Russian money, from 1.5 to 2 million rubles. But it must be clarified that this amount includes not only tuition, but also accommodation in a boarding house on a full basis.

Many private schools are ready to provide financial assistance to their students, this applies to both well-performing children and

Since promiscuity often walks in public schools, cases of rape, pregnancies of underage girls are not uncommon, for the safety of their children, parents prefer to pay in order to be calm for the health and life of their children.

Private schools have some advantages over public schools:

  • About 15 people study in the classes, which makes it possible for each student to give maximum attention.
  • Living in a hostel provides constant communication with their peers not only in the classroom, but also at home.
  • In private schools, education has a longer period, so the chances of entering a university increase.

Private schools, for a number of reasons, are more prestigious, but among public schools you can also find those where you can get a good education.

Homeschooling in America

Lately in America, home schools are coming into vogue. Once upon a time, such learning appeared naturally in families in which parents had a good education to teach their children at home, as well as a decent income to purchase all the necessary textbooks and manuals.

Now in many cities of America there are educational centers for children from home schools. Teachers in various subjects are attached to each center. They conduct lessons for both children and their parents. Usually these are orientation sessions where children receive a training program and some necessary materials.

After that, an individual schedule is drawn up for visiting teachers, in the classroom the student writes tests and receives a new task. Practice webinars and online lessons.

Children who study at home schools also have their own holidays and sports competitions, where they meet with others like them. That is, there is a team, only its members meet each other much less frequently.

It is believed that home schooling requires much less energy, so children get tired less and are not so susceptible to the bad influence of their peers. Children from such schools are usually friendly, affable, have good manners.

Schools for Russians in America

A school in America for Russians also exists. As a rule, it is chosen by those parents who do not want their children to forget their native language. In such institutions, teaching is conducted in English, but there are subjects such as the Russian language and literature.

Most often, Russian schools are opened at Orthodox parishes, then it turns out that they are not everyday, but Sunday. But in some American schools there are places where children are taught Russian. It is also a good opportunity not to forget your native language.

In various centers, circles and sections are opened, which are conducted by Russian teachers and in Russian. For example, figure skating, dancing and drawing, gymnastics and others.

For the very young, there are kindergartens, only private ones, where they communicate with the kids in Russian. There can only be 8 people in a group, because a teacher who has received a license for such an activity can simultaneously educate so many children. Children are accepted from the age of two.

Thus, while living in America, you can not forget the Russian language and at the same time communicate freely in English.

Summing up all that has been said, we can conclude: no matter what schools exist in America, you can choose at your own discretion. Most often, this issue is decided by parents if the child is still small, and at an older age, the choice of an educational institution is already made together with the children. You can also get a prestigious education for free if you have a great desire and make every effort.

Publications about the problems of education in our country evoked a lively response from readers. Along with comments and questions, the editors received requests to tell in detail about how the Western school works, from which, it seems, our officials are copying a plan to remake Russian education. It would be nice - about the American school. American films taught us the idea that American schooling is terrible. However, everywhere and always there is good and bad. And if we talk about a positive experience. Valerian Matveyevich Khutoretsky, a longtime contributor to our journal, who has been living in America for many years, prepared a detailed article for Chemistry and Life on how a good public school in the United States is organized and works. This year, the twin granddaughters of Valerian Matveyevich graduated from it, so the information, as they say, is first-hand. We hope that the article will be interesting and useful not only for teachers, but also for those who care about the fate of school education, that is, for all our readers.

There is no need for illusions - in America there are a lot of schools where the class is re-learned to read and calculate fractions, and girls get pregnant already in high school. But this applies mainly to schools in large cities. Many of those who work in big cities (city) try to live in neighboring small towns (town), where the quality of life is higher. We are not talking about an American school in general, but only about a good public school in a good suburban area. Here lives the middle class, which includes licensed repairmen, small business owners, managers of various ranks, realtors, etc., and not just, as is commonly believed in Russia, doctors, lawyers and "programmers" of all kinds. Real estate (house and land) in places with good schools can be twice as expensive as the same in other parameters of housing, which serves as an obstacle to the appearance of unwanted neighbors. Personally, I have not been able to understand what comes first - the increased price of real estate or the high level of the school, but they are undoubtedly connected. Note that good schools also happen in poor places, and bad schools in rich ones. When choosing a place to live, reasonable people who have or are going to have children look at the rating of the local school. And there are ratings for everything in the world.

What are the schools here

Schools in America are private (private; if a boarding school, then boarding) and state or public (public). In the 2009-2010 school year, 10% of the total number of US schoolchildren and preschoolers, or 5.5 million people, attended private schools and kindergartens. Some children for some reason do not attend school at all (home schooling), for example, for religious reasons or to finish school faster. Private schools provide a good education, but the cost of education in them starts at 10 thousand dollars a year. The upper limit of payment is unknown, but 35 thousand is a real figure. Public - free.

Education at school is divided into three levels: primary (from first to fifth grades, with it there is also a mandatory zero grade, kindergarten), middle (grades 6-8) and higher, and higher school in America (grades 9-12) is not should be confused with higher education in Russia, where universities are called that. If translated accurately, then high or secondary school is a “high” school, and higher, tertiary or post-secondary (college) is “higher”, and none of them is higher (highest). Let's call her the eldest, shall we? Each of the schools at all three levels is a completely independent institution, usually in a separate building and with its own teaching staff. If in the town there is, in addition to one or two secondary and several elementary ones, also a high school, then it also has a Board of Education, which determines what, how and what textbooks to teach in this district. In another town, the program will be somewhat different.

A really good school has dozens of different courses, and many of them are taught at the university level. The choice of foreign languages ​​is something like this: Spanish, French, Latin, Chinese, German, Italian. The dropout rate in a good school is essentially zero, while in New York public high school only 76% of whites and 56% of black students graduate. The state of New Jersey has an average public school dropout rate of 1.7%.

There are also special schools for children with disabilities - in both directions. They are attended by either especially gifted (reception by competition!), Or children requiring special attention - blind, deaf, severely lagging behind in development. Disabled children and children with mild behavioral and developmental disabilities attend normal schools; twins are bred into different classes. There are specialized schools, for example, the Stuyvesant physics and mathematics school, which is abbreviated as Sty, in Manhattan (an analogue of Moscow schools No. 2, 57, 179).

The most expensive purchase for school is a computer that lasts at least four to six years and costs about $800. For a year, stationery is spent on the strength of 100 dollars. Lunch costs 2-4 dollars, but you can bring food from home. To receive a free lunch, it is enough to submit a corresponding application. Since "a good school in a good neighborhood" is a vague concept, let's put it this way: The US Department of Education awarded 74 of the 490 high schools in the state of New Jersey with the Blue Ribbon Award. Thus, we can assume that the share of "good" schools is about 15%.

Teachers and budgets

Teachers are members of the trade union, their salary increases with experience and does not depend on personal achievements. To work as a teacher, you need a certificate from the state; without this, you can actually conduct a lesson only in the presence of a “real” teacher. Most states recognize a certificate issued by another state. According to a survey by the National Association of Science Teachers, in 2007, about half of high schools and one-third of high schools had a shortage of science teachers (here these subjects are called "Science"). In difficult situations, they take a subject specialist (chemist, physicist, etc.), and he goes to certification courses in the evenings for a year, while teaching at school. When studying at a four-year college, you can take the appropriate set of disciplines and get a diploma and a teacher's certificate. About a third of the courses should be related to school work, the rest - general education and scientific specialization (mathematics, chemistry, etc.).

There are also special pedagogical colleges where teachers are trained, more often for elementary and secondary schools. With them, not everything and not always smoothly, many of them are not accredited by anyone. How graduates from non-accredited colleges find work, I don't know. Maybe it is from them that teachers for the “bad” schools in large cities and remote villages come out? All school teachers once a year go to a two-day professional development conference, classes are closed for this time. Somewhere else a day a year, the teacher undergoes additional retraining, but then someone replaces him in the classroom. In a good school, ten percent of teachers have a doctoral degree (candidates of science), 73% have a master's degree. The teacher's workload is five lessons a day, 25 lessons a week.

The idea is that schools should be supported by municipalities, and in a good place, 87% of the funds actually come from the local budget, and only 11% from the state budget and 2% from the federal budget. In a bad school (usually in a poor area), the picture is different: only 13% comes from the local budget, 74% from the state budget, and 12% from the federal budget. The average salary of a teacher (half earning more, the other half earning less) in a good school is $81,000 a year, in a poor neighborhood, $59.

When the New Jersey government cut subsidies to good schools because of the crisis, residents of some districts with such schools voted for a voluntary increase in taxes to maintain a high level of teaching. It should be noted that not all of these residents have children, but a good school increases the price of real estate in its district. My point is that they are not necessarily altruists, they also vote to preserve the value of the property they own, even if it comes at the cost of a slightly higher tax. Both state and national governments are much more interested in preventing bad schools from becoming terrible than they are in maintaining the quality of good schools.

Textbooks, timetable and electives

The American elementary school differs from the Russian one not only in the presence of air conditioners, which are in almost all US institutions, and in the shuffling of classes every year. There is no strict discipline in elementary school: children are not prevented from walking around the classroom, they can learn by sitting in a circle on the floor, someone can read on their own. They are taken to a clearing near the school, and then they are offered to write something about what they saw: about a piece of bark in the grass, a worm or a beetle, etc. However, by the fifth grade, everyone is already sitting at single desks and the lessons look almost familiar to us. .

In secondary school, there are no classes at all as permanent teams: schoolchildren move to different teams for different subjects, some of which they already choose themselves. Basic subjects, including those included in the "Science" - biology, chemistry, physics and earth sciences (geology, rocks and minerals, the earth's crust, etc.) - remain mandatory. In order to be eligible to choose a more difficult program in a subject, you need to get an excellent mark in it in the previous year. From the 7th grade, you can take an increased level of complexity of mathematics and English. In the 8th grade, the choice of subjects of an increased level of complexity is expanded and the freedom to choose some optional subjects is given: for example, there are a lot of people who want to cook, including boys.

In high school, in four years it is necessary to pass three courses of a more complex and diverse (to choose from) "Science" and three - mathematics. In the 9th grade, science is "Fundamentals of Chemistry and Physics", in the 10th grade - biology. At least one of the scientific courses should be with laboratory work, in a good school - everything. The choice is that you can either take courses of varying complexity (see below), or choose narrower subjects, that is, it can be ecology, not biology, astrophysics, not physics, etc. Mandatory in high school are four annual courses in English language and literature, physical education, social and historical sciences, and at least one art course. In what order what to pass is a matter of taste, therefore it is normal when tenth graders and students of the 12th grade are sitting in the same class. Each credited course, which lasted the whole year, gives five credits. Some subjects are taken in one semester (2.5 credits). Another 15 credits (three annual courses) need to be collected from a variety of additional courses, but you can simply take another one at a rate per year from the required ones. The amount by the end of the school must be at least 120 credits. University education is structured similarly: the total amount of credits and the list of compulsory disciplines, the rest is optional.

All students are called students - why not? But when you hear about kindergarten students for the first time, you have fun, of course. Each year of both high school and college has its own ordinal name: freshman - the first year, sophomore - the second, junior - the third, senior - the fourth.

School textbooks are printed on thick paper, richly and usefully illustrated, however, because of this they are very heavy. They are handed out at the end of the school year, because they are also expensive (more than $ 100 if you want your own copy), then they pass to another student. To solve the problem of heavy backpacks, many states have already introduced laptops that combine all textbooks, a diary and homework. Each student has a locker in the corridor, which is vacated at the end of the year.

School starts after the first Tuesday in September, Labor Day, and ends on June 24th. The school year is divided into four non-holiday quarters (four Thanksgiving holidays in November, Christmas holidays from December 24 to January 3, the penultimate week of February, and a week in early April). Classes run five days a week. In high school, the day consists of eight lessons lasting 43 minutes. In four minutes between lessons, you need to have time to move to the desired subject room (the word “office” here means closet), and the school is long, because it has only two, rarely three floors. So the movement in the corridors after the call is very, very busy. After the fourth lesson, 20 minutes are allotted for lunch.

At the end of the school year, each student makes a list of subjects, including their level of difficulty, that he wants to take for the next year. Since one of the eight lessons is physical education, these are seven subjects. So he draws up a program of seven courses and coordinates it with an adviser (see the chapter "Advisors"). The office shakes up the schedules of all students and sends each student a completed schedule for the next year. It is impossible to change the teacher, whoever got it will be.

This schedule includes the number of the room where you will be coming all year. For example, the first lesson every day and all year will be physics (room 129), the second - always history (room 215), the third - geometry (room 117), etc. The exception is physical education, which is four days a week. Usually, due to it, double laboratory work is carried out once a week. Thus, each subject has five lessons per week.

Since there are no classes, then there are no class teachers, in our understanding, either. Each student is assigned to the Home Room, that is, the classroom. There after the second lesson for five minutes (therefore, the second break is five minutes longer) the same teacher comes in, conducts a roll call and makes sure that all students listen to the current announcements on the radio, if necessary, distributes educational materials or some forms to them, which need to be filled out and then handed over to the office or nurse (certificate from a doctor for participation in competitions, permission from parents for an excursion, etc.). If the teacher has nothing to add to the radio broadcast, then he dismisses the students for a break.

Typical lesson and homework

A typical lesson is a lively lecture. The teacher involves students in a discussion of a topic proposed in advance or presented in the lesson. Those who wish raise their hand and speak, the teacher incites, sharpens the questions. Participation in the discussion is not a survey; there are no oral knowledge tests here. Some teachers do not evaluate it at all, others, especially in linguistic and historical disciplines, take it into account at their own discretion. This form of "voluntary survey" is aimed at consolidating what has been learned and developing one's own opinion, and not at keeping one in fear: they will call - they will not call. The lesson is often illustrated by a slide show through a projector from a teacher's laptop, experiments and fragments of films in foreign languages.

Everyone does their homework in writing and turns it in in the classroom or on the Internet - every day. You can get sick, grab a couple of days for the holiday (a note from the parents) - please, only homework must be handed in, and without delay, for all the days of absence. Occasionally, instead of, or even together with homework, there are larger tasks - “projects”. Usually they are humanitarian. For example - compose a short piece in French and perform it in the class (and repeat it at the parent meeting). Or organize a discussion “Are you for co-education of boys and girls or against?”: One group of students collects arguments “for”, the other - “against”, the rest of the class judges. Often they are asked to create presentations (Power Point), for example, on the topic "Mendeleev's table". Each represents the element entrusted to him: position in the periodic table, properties, application.

Teamwork is seen here as an important skill acquired in school, so both projects and classwork are often done by two to four people. In computer science (the foundations of informatics and computing), teamwork is the rule, not the exception. The task of the project there is set in the most general form: to write any application for the iPhone or to come up with a game. The guys themselves get together by two or four people and work together, sometimes the whole year. If something does not work out, they go with questions to other groups, or the teacher tells them who to consult with.

The total mark for the project varies from teacher to teacher, but in general it stays at the level of a major test. The contribution of each to the project is usually not allocated, everyone is equally divided. In addition to homework, there are tests (short, quiz, 5-20 minutes; more detailed, test, 40 minutes) and exams.

Grades and Difficulties

Examinations appear towards the end of high school, and in high school they are held every six months. Cheat sheets and cheating on exams and tests (but not cheating on homework, especially at the end of the 12th grade!) are practically unknown. Intra-school exams, which are compiled by the teachers themselves, can be quite legitimately corrected if it turns out that the majority did not perform well on a particular task or exam as a whole. Then scaling is carried out: those students who scored the highest percentage of correct solutions, say 95%, are credited with 100%, and the rest are added 5%.

The number of tasks or questions is measured in dozens; The time allotted for the exam is 90 minutes. Not all, but usually most of the tasks are tasks for choosing the correct solution from the proposed answers. There are no special days for preparing for exams, and the exams themselves go on four days in a row, or even two a day.

All grades are given in the alphabetic system: A, B, C, D and F, plus and minuses added. For correctly solved 93% or more they put A, 90-92% - A with a minus, etc. Only 60% of correct answers (D-) will still be credited, but less is already F (failed).

Grades are given at school, but they are not reported in the classroom, only to parents and the student. (Although many other cities in the country maintain a student ranking system.) Now parents are simply given a password to a site with their child's current grades.

Although other people's marks are unknown to others, closer to graduation, the position of each in the educational hierarchy is not only known, but also accompanies the student's application for admission to the university. It is impersonal and represents the percentage of the top ten in terms of academic performance, in which the student fell in terms of his average score: the first ten, the second ten. Getting into the top ten adds to the certificate the diploma "With the highest honors" (Honors), the second and third - "With honors" (Honors). Each edition has a valedictorian of the year, sometimes two, who are given the honor of giving a speech to the graduates at a ceremony. Another category of awards are the prizes of numerous scientific (Intel, Merck, Google, etc.) and art and humanitarian competitions and olympiads.

The submission of documents to universities ends on December 31, and by April 1, all universities send their decisions, and those who have been accepted only need to not be expelled from school before receiving a certificate. Therefore, in the second semester of the last, 12th grade, only enthusiasts or those who complete AP courses (see below) study. The university competition primarily takes into account the average score for the 10-11th and the first semester of the 12th grade - the so-called GPA (Grade Point Average), which includes marks in all subjects, except for physical education and health, but including art subjects. Therefore, there are many who want to improve it, and the main way for this is no, not just to study well. To do this, you still need to increase the level of difficulty of the items that you pass.

Each subject in high school has four levels of difficulty. The names of these levels differ not only in different states, but even in districts. Pretty typical set: Сollege Level or Advanced Placement (AP, A.P.); Accelerated or Honors; CPA or standard; and CPB or essential. The last two mean "College Preparation" (College Preparation) A and B. "A" means the usual, typical level, "B" - a little lower. In the certificate, these levels have different weights. If the maximum in CPA and CPB is estimated at 4 points, then the maximum in Accelerated (Honors) gives 4.33, and in AP - already 4.67 points. Selection for the Accelerated level is carried out according to previous assessments; to AP, in addition, you must pass an entrance exam.

In addition to grades, many of the advanced courses have prerequisites: to take advanced algebra 2, you must pass algebra 1, and to enter AP physics or AP statistics, you must complete algebra 2, so the choice must be planned far ahead. To stay at the Accelerated level for the next year, an average score of B with a minus is enough, but in order to move from it to the AP level, you need to have an annual A, sometimes they can take it from A with a minus. AP is the highest level, corresponds to the first year of the university. The first three AP courses (European History, Biology, Art) are allowed to be taken in the 10th grade, then more, and some courses are only available in the last grade.

The most prestigious universities don't take GPAs under 4.25 seriously, which is impossible without honors and AP courses. On the other hand, most universities and colleges in the US count a high school AP course as a university course. Many students use this opportunity to get a bachelor's degree not in four years, but faster, which, with rapidly rising tuition fees (recently about 10% per year), can save tens of thousands of dollars. In addition, many courses taken by AP are a plus when considering applications for admission to universities, and competition for the most prestigious colleges exceeds ten people per place.

They say that there was a girl in the school who was able to take 16 AP courses. My granddaughter's friend passed 14, but not with maximum marks, which lowered her main indicator - GPA. Alas, she was not taken to any of the prestigious universities she chose. The adviser (see below) placed her in a university of a lower rank, where at first she did not apply, however, for full support (full ride): she does not pay anything either for tuition or for accommodation.

Private exams

The grade point average (GPA) is important for admission to universities, it is evidence of the quality of assimilation of school material, an indicator of a stable interest in learning. After him, the second most important indicator is the results of exams conducted by private organizations. Their goal is to determine how ready the student is to continue his studies in college, that is, to assess his abilities and work skills, and not the amount of accumulated knowledge. For them, the school on a free day provides a place and teacher supervision.

These exams are paid and only those who are going to go to college take them, but in a good school, this is almost everything. In fact, there are two such exams: SAT (Sholastic Assessment Test) and ACT (American College Testing), although there are additional varieties in the more common SAT. You can take either or both of them and in any class. The SAT is administered by the same organization, the College Board, that verifies and grades the AP exams.

The regular SAT (there are also subject SAT or SAT II, ​​which assess knowledge of chemistry, physics, economics, language, etc.) consists of three parts, each of which has a maximum weight of 800 points: this is critical reading (critical reading) , which includes checking the student's ability to analyze texts, in particular, to compare two texts by different authors on a similar topic; writing (writing) - the ability to choose the right means for conveying thoughts, in particular, in 25 minutes you need to write an essay, preferably five paragraphs with an introduction and conclusion; and foundations of mathematics. In addition to tasks with a choice of four possible options, there are also tasks in the SAT that require an answer in free form, and the complexity of the tasks is different. It lasts 3 hours and 45 minutes, and time is rarely superfluous.

Of course, testing for intelligence according to such a system resembles an exercise in solving problems for speed and thus allows you to assess only the ability to solve problems that do not require deep thinking, but after all, such problems, in fact, are to be solved in college. By the way, the ability to concentrate for four hours is also an important skill in college. Such an exam is suitable for ranking students for admission to decent, but not the most prestigious universities. It is held many times a year, it can be retaken, however, since 2011 it costs $50 (last year it was $25). In accordance with the future specialty, the requirements of the university for the SAT are different depending on the specialty that the applicant has chosen: if you are a future artist, then you may not be interested in the mathematical section at all.

So, the graduate receives two most important documents: a record of the GPA marks and the results of the SAT and / or ACT. The third mandatory component for success at admission is references, and the most important of these is the school profile. The Guidance Counselors who write this profile play a prominent role in school life. They give students advice on behavior at school, the choice of subjects for the year, changes in their personal schedule, but, of course, their main job is to enter universities. Their task is to know the students, and there are 50-60 of them per adviser only in the senior class, so they distribute questionnaires to students, communicate with teachers about their wards and simply urge them to come more often. With the question "Why does my Vasya have a deuce in geometry?" you can go straight to the math teacher, but everything else - to the adviser, there are no class teachers at the school.

When entering, social activities are taken into account - sounds familiar, doesn't it? A system of recommendations is practiced from those places where the applicant worked, for hire or as a volunteer. Individual teachers, as well as out-of-school teachers and coaches of art, ballet, sports, religious schools, studios and clubs can give their recommendation - at the request of the student, of course. All recommendations are sent directly to the admissions office (Admission Office) of the university, the recommended does not see them.

Almost all universities require several recommendations and two or three short essays on a free or given topic upon admission: from the standard “Why our university?” to exotics like “How could you use the ability to write backwards?”. These essays are not entrance exams (although they are practiced in some places), this is additional, in addition to recommendations, material for studying the personality of the applicant.

When selecting students, achievements in any kind of activity, especially competitive ones, are valued. A future chemist who has a diploma of a laureate of a piano competition has an advantage in admission. Why? Because this diploma shows that a person can achieve something, win, and we will teach chemistry. Sports achievements are welcome, but in different universities to a different extent. In some, promising athletes are sought out, invited, and wholly or partly exempt from tuition and accommodation fees. In others, this is a plus, but other things being equal. The system of interviews (interviews) is widely practiced, which are often conducted by former graduates of this university, who live or work near the applicant. There is another scheme: a representative of the selection committee comes to places where there are many applicants and conducts interviews with them at one of the nearby schools.

At the end of the 11th (not the last!) class, the student usually has a list of potential universities for admission agreed with the adviser. There are three approximate gradations in it: at the limit of the possible, your level and the reserve, where they seem to be exactly taken. Usually the list consists of 10-15 titles. More would be nice, because many graduates of 2011 received one or two offers in response to them, some - nothing, but everything has its price: in 2011, each application cost $ 75, plus mailing SAT to each college beyond the first five - more fifteen (results will be accepted only from the organization that conducted the exam).

Colleges are chosen not only on the Internet or the very informative printed guide "Fiske Guide to Colleges", which includes only 300 of the best of them, less than 10% of the total. On holidays and weekends, many parents with children travel around the country, attending open days in the proposed places of future study, in order to see for themselves where the child will live, what to eat, what and how he will be taught.

Mathematicians, chemists, humanities

The trouble with the American school is mathematics. Intimidated by her bogey, teachers introduced “connected math” in high school, which “intelligibly”, that is, according to ready-made formulas, teaches how to calculate the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe barn or the perimeter of the fence. Although in high school, it would be a good time to hone your ability to abstract thinking. As a result, children develop not understanding, but fear of the very discipline that is designed to create a simplified, idealized image of complex phenomena in the natural sciences. If at home they understand what is happening and help the child, then you can go a year ahead: get “excellent” in the seventh grade and in the eighth take simple, but at least reasonable algebra instead of Connected math 1. Strict mathematics appears only in geometry for 10- th grade or AR courses in calculus (Calculus).

Computer classes at the school are well equipped, but without luxury. There are two of them in the mathematical department (for geometry and computer science) and two in the art department, where the lessons of architecture and computer graphics and design are held. At the lessons of informatics, they study the programming languages ​​Visual Basic and Java and relational databases.

Natural science subjects are taught at a quite decent level. Compulsory chemistry in high school is the Periodic Law, the structure of the atom, valency and bonds, molar ratios, expression of concentrations. Biochemistry is taken in the course of biology, it includes metabolic cycles, the structure of carbohydrates, protein and DNA. The one-year AP chemistry course in high school includes gas laws, the structure of crystals and solutions, acidity and basicity, redox reactions, the structure of molecules (s- and p-bonds, hybridization, the basics of orbital theory, chirality, isomerism), equilibrium, the Arrhenius equation and kinetics, the beginnings of organic and analytical chemistry. Mastering such a course at school is a serious work, however, the same applies to courses in biology and physics.

In laboratory work, both simple instruments such as electronic balances, burners, pipettes, burettes, and the old reliable Spectronic 20 spectrophotometer, developed back in the late 50s and modified many times, are used. If anyone remembers the Soviet SF-4, then the Spec is even more compact and simpler. The results are averaged: "one experience - no experience."

However, most school graduates choose humanitarian specialties for the future: politics, business, art, psychology, languages, so the humanitarian component of American education is at a very high level. World literature, film and society, the Middle East, Russian history, macroeconomics, US government, six levels of Chinese, four Spanish are just a few examples of the liberal arts courses on offer. From a very early age, students learn the construction of not only sentences, but the entire composition. School essay (essay) in high school in any subject consists of more than just an introduction, discussion and conclusion. The location, purpose and scope of each phrase in it are determined and fixed by repeated practical repetition. In high school for creative writing lessons (there is such a subject of choice), children write one page of free texts daily or a story once a week.

While only two years of foreign language is required in high school, colleges usually require at least three years, and those who intend to enroll are forced to follow this.

French, which began in the 6th grade (Spanish was completely useless in elementary school), the children know well enough to calmly read The Little Prince in the original and ask about the road in Paris. With subjects for aesthetic education (painting, drawing, cinema, dancing, music, drama, etc.) everything is in order here, but we will not talk about them in more detail. Working part-time at the cinema in the summer, my granddaughter now not only tears off ticket stubs or sells popcorn, but paints the windows of the entrance panel with scenes from new films - they taught drawing and painting well, therefore.

Not only lessons

At the end of the school year, in elementary, and in some places in high school, they organize the Strawberry Festival (Strawberry Festival) - a holiday in the school yard with many attractions, lotteries, competitions (what a squeal is when tug-of-war!), prizes, ice cream, hot- great danes. At this time, strawberries really ripen, but these days this has nothing to do with the holiday. Police officers participate in the general entertainment: they measure the speed of throwing a baseball with their radars. One of the teachers is sacrificed: they put it over a transparent box with a target filled with water, and if someone hits the target, the hatch opens and ... the victim has fun with everyone - it's hot.

In middle school and especially in high school, where there are no permanent educational groups, social life separates children into groups, “cliques”. The school has a parent committee, almost all events, except for discos, parents are invited. Entertainment does not obscure learning, but creates a favorable background. School printed magazines publish literary works and drawings of students, usually from homework for advanced courses. The school library subscribes to 140 journals, including some scientific ones. In the halls and corridors, exhibitions of schoolchildren's works replace each other, concerts of school orchestras, sports competitions with other towns are popular, but the central event of the year is the production of a musical, which gathers the whole school; even a basketball game between teachers and students does not attract such an influx of spectators.

As you know, dates in the USA start with a month, so October 23 is celebrated as Mole Day (do not forget - 6.02x10 23, Avogadro's number). On this day, pyrotechnic outrages are arranged in chemistry, and the fire alarm at the school has to be turned off. The number pi is 3.14 with a penny, so March 14 is Pi Day (Pai Day), recommended by the US Congress for celebration throughout the country. Since the word “pie” (pie) sounds exactly the same, on this day, pies are brought to mathematics, of course, in the shape of a circle, preferably homemade. There they are carefully cut, and then there is no more mathematics. Any high school student of physics must build a bridge (for a toy car) with wooden toothpicks and PVA glue 25 cm long and weighing no more than 60 grams. Then, in an atmosphere of general excitement, according to strict rules, they break bridges that have previously passed the qualification minimum of strength. For the strongest bridge, and the good ones can withstand 50 or even 70 kg, they give an award that is mentioned in the application for admission to college.

It's impossible not to admire the typical suburban high school stadiums with full-size football and baseball fields, tennis courts, running tracks, lighting, and stands for hundreds of spectators. It is equally impossible to list all clubs (circles): debating, cinema, chess, philosophical, botanical, ethnic, etc., etc. To create a new club, it is enough to find a teacher who is ready to attend its meetings (this is included in duties of teachers) and, if necessary, raise or earn money for its operation. Near schools, it's not uncommon to see announcements like "My $5 car to raise funds for the fencing team."

Until the age of 12, children are forbidden to be left alone - they can easily be deprived of parental rights, but from the age of 13 a child has the right to work, and many begin to earn extra money as tutors or looking after small children. It should be noted that the work of older students is the rule rather than the exception. This is both an opportunity to get acquainted with different sides of life (how do you like to groom paths in a national park in Alaska for a month, then a week-long tour of this state?), and a way to earn pocket money. Millionaires don't give them just like that: it's not pedagogical.

In religious and even sanctimonious America, both religion and propaganda of atheism are not allowed in the public school. In general, the intervention of the district in the educational process is a rarity. But here's an example: a provincial school district in Pennsylvania voted for the introduction of creationism in school, in addition to evolutionary theory (more precisely, the so-called intelligent design theory). The stormy protest of educated teachers and parents led to the second "monkey process" - a trial, in which the US Supreme Court had to put an end in 2005.

But at school they teach a tolerant attitude towards all sorts of "otherness", from race to sexual orientation. Asian children in a good school make up about 10-15 percent, African Americans - about two. Racial tensions in a good school are usually not serious. In any case, all races are represented among my granddaughters' friends.

Motivation of schoolchildren

My nimble granddaughter, back in the sixth grade, asked her Chinese friend, an excellent student: “Why work hard for the sake of A (five), what is the difference if there is A with a minus?” "The difference will be in the college you can get into," was the immediate reply.

There is an inner motivation when a person cannot live without knowledge and understanding, even being in conditions that are completely unsuitable for study, like those of Socrates, Lomonosov, our late contemporary, mathematician (and not only, he did a lot for biology) I.M. Gelfand. A similar, albeit not so large-scale, phenomenon is the students of special schools in Russia and America.

External motivation is, first of all, an attitude in the family and the desire to enter a more prestigious college. In the development of such motivation, teachers and peers, friends also play an important role: "Who will you behave with ...". It is external motivation that creates the environment in which students of good schools find themselves. A young middle-class American family has a choice: buy (in installments, of course) a luxurious house in a neighborhood with a mediocre school, or a modest house in a good school area. Those who choose the second option fall into the circle of like-minded neighbors: people who value the education of their children over personal conveniences. In this environment there will be better teachers who receive higher salaries in a good school and work in a normal human atmosphere, there will be peers who have been selected for motivation, if not internally, then at least under the pressure of their families. I don’t see much difference here with Russian good schools, lyceums, gymnasiums, etc.

There are enough people who do not want to study everywhere, the point is the degree of unwillingness. I don't have any quantitative information. I will say this: in a good school, not everyone is eager for knowledge, but it does not happen that someone tries to disrupt the lesson. When half wants to study, and the other does not know what she wants, then study is quite successful. If half of the class actively does not want to do anything, then the units that want to learn have a hard time. It is difficult to expect a child to be highly motivated to study if he eats once a day - at a free lunch at school, because his parents spend everything on drugs or drink. There are cities where children who receive free lunch are the vast majority, even if it is not their only meal of the day.

Conclusion with afterword

I am only talking about my experience and am not trying to convince you that the American school is the best in the world. I began the story by saying that there are absolutely horrendous schools, and there are probably no less of them than good ones. But I emphasize that next to the school of my granddaughters, there are mixed bad schools, and schools of the same level as theirs. I visited them, talked to my parents, read reviews about them, looked at their ratings. Ours is not exceptional.

The American school system is not perfect, but at its best it meets the needs of today's post-industrial American society. In essence, the choice of training options in it is free only in one direction - where it is more difficult. Whichever is easier is a must. Although one more choice, perhaps, also exists: if you don’t want to study, don’t study (after the 16th birthday). Not all students can fully use the opportunities provided to them, they need a natural minimum of abilities and constant attention, yes, yes, “families and schools”. The best American schools are good, but there is no system that would provide everyone with equal opportunities for development. And where is she, or at least was?

Having finished these tales in the rough, I sat down to read "Chemistry and Life" for June 2011 and found the article "What to teach in chemistry lessons?". It seems to me that my notes are quite consistent with some of the thoughts expressed in it. The humanitarian trend in American school education has already led to the fact that specialists in computer and even some natural sciences and technologies have to be imported. This is easily feasible in the US due to higher wages and better work organization. In the future, Russia does not have such an opportunity to keep the remaining ones, so the school system for it needs a self-sufficient, much more scientifically oriented than in the United States. After all, it is possible to retrain from a techie to a humanist, but in the opposite direction it does not work.

Khutoretsky M.V.
"Chemistry and Life" №10, 2011

When in 1990 her parents told Sasha Zueva that she would have to go with them to the USA, she burst into tears: she really did not want to part with her classmates. Now Sasha, who recently turned 17, lives in New York, studies at a private American school and communicates with new friends. She comes to Russia only for summer holidays. On her last visit to Moscow, Sasha told the "i" correspondent how she lives and studies in America.

Seven years ago, my dad was offered a job in the USA, at UNISEF - the World Children's Fund.

I felt good in Moscow, besides, I did not know English. But let's go.

In August we flew to New York, and in September we had to go to school. My parents said that the American school was better than the Russian one at the embassy, ​​because there I could learn the language.

And I was placed in a public American school not far from home. I ended up in a class where there is not a single Russian. For two weeks I sat in the classroom in silence - I did not understand anything. Then I was transferred to a lower class, there were three Russians. Parents decided that it was more important to understand the language than mathematics.

At first, I didn’t do any tasks: I just wrote out the words from the book and drew pictures for them. And for a whole year I went to a tutor who "set" me grammar. Gradually, I began to read and talk, and a year later I understood everything without difficulty and did my homework myself.

The school was not very strong - there were few good teachers. Almost all of the lessons we sat in the same class, and did not move from one room to another, as in Moscow. And the classes were taught by the same teacher. When we came to the class, we didn’t even know what the lesson would be - until, for example, she said: “Well, let's do math.” It’s good that we didn’t have to carry textbooks with us to school - we left them in our desks.

So I studied for two years - the fourth and fifth grades (at the same time I completed the sixth grade as an external student at the Russian school at the embassy).

The fifth grade was the last in this school, and my parents began to think about where I should study next. Our friends advised me to choose a private school.

There are three good private schools in our area. In one there were a lot of Russians, in the second there was a very developed atmosphere of competition. Both didn't work for me. I liked the third - Fieldston School, where they sent me. But to be honest, my parents were not very interested in my opinion, it's just that in this case our views coincided.

To transfer from a public school to a decent private one, you need to have good grades, a reference from the previous school, and also pass an English and math test. All this should be done in January-February, since the results are already announced in March.

They wanted to assign me to the 6th grade, but I protested - I was tired of being the oldest in the class. Then I was credited with the sixth grade of the embassy school and accepted into the seventh.

Fieldston School is an expensive school, but it has a fund from which some students are paid part of their education - based on exam results. And I would not say that only children of rich parents study there. The school has guys from absolutely terrible areas. Teachers try to make everyone friends so that social differences are not noticeable.

But all the same, the poor are friends with the poor, and the rich with the rich. I'm friends with mediocre people.

At first, I was a bit aloof. I was embarrassed that many schoolchildren live in their homes, and I live in an apartment. And when I went to school for the first time, I was very afraid that they would not accept me well. I thought there were only millionaires who only knew that they turned up their noses. But everyone was very friendly. I remember that during lunch I went into the dining room, and although I didn’t know anyone there, all the guys waved their hands at me: “Come to us!”

Later I learned that many schoolchildren - including the children of wealthy parents - earn extra money in restaurants, at firms - wherever they can.

The school was very big: 720 people! There are 100-120 people in each class, this is, in fact, something like a course or stream at a university.

Each student has his own schedule - depending on what you want to do. Therefore, in English, I sit with some guys, and, for example, in mathematics, with completely different ones. And every year the composition of the class and the teachers change.

In grades 7 and 8, it is necessary to go to mathematics, biology, and to physical education - as many as five times a week. In different quarters it was necessary to attend drawing, dancing, acting and ethics. And the choice could take two of the four languages ​​- Spanish, Russian, French or Latin. I chose the last two.

For some reason, it seems to me that languages ​​are taught in the USA rather poorly - Americans do not have a vital need to know a foreign language, because there are few countries nearby that speak other languages. The only popular foreign language in New York and in the United States in general is Spanish.

In my school in America, the older the class, the more freedom. If in the seventh and eighth grades there are almost no electives, then in the ninth grade you can choose, for example, between natural history and biology.

In the tenth, a choice of chemistry or physics is offered. And in the eleventh, I decided to study biology at the university level. Every school has these "advanced" courses - and the grade you get for them on the exam at school counts at the university as the current exam mark for the first or second year.

From the first to the last year of study at my school, there is always mathematics. And also English: it includes various courses in literature and history. For example, the entire tenth grade we studied American literature, and in the eleventh grade we chose between Japanese, Latin American, Russian and others. I took European literature of the twentieth century. I read (naturally, in English) one book each by five writers: Kafka, then another writer from Czechoslovakia - Kander; Flaubert, Camille, but I don't remember the fifth. Of course, I did not take Russian literature - why should I read Russian books in English?

At our school, classes last 50 minutes. Lessons start at 8:30 and end at 3:30 at the earliest. Studying, I must say, is stressful, but we often rest - in addition to holidays, there are also American national and Jewish holidays (there are many Jews at the Fieldston School, and if they do not go to school, then there is almost no one to spend classes with).

I also like that in America students are not called to the blackboard. Homework can also be omitted, but it will come up on the test. It is very important for the teacher how you participate in class discussions.

At the end of the term, teachers write reviews about the students. They usually write about me: “Sasha is a quiet girl, she hardly participates in discussions” ... But they don’t ask me themselves - they don’t want to embarrass me: you never know, or maybe I don’t like performing?

In general, the atmosphere is democratic, although it cannot be said that there is no discipline at all. I remember how surprised I was when I went to the school cafeteria with the class for the first time. The class is built in two lines, the procession is led by the teacher. In front of the stairs, he commands like a general: "Stop!" - and everyone stops. Then he says: "Forward!" - and everything goes smoothly. And in Moscow, as soon as the bell rang for recess, we ran into the dining room like crazy, in a crowd.

And of course, students in America are never rude to teachers. And if during the control the teacher leaves the class, no one even thinks about cheating!

There are things that are strictly prohibited. Recently, two sixth-graders were expelled from our school, who, standing near the school, were smoking "weed". And two more students of the 11th grade who came stoned to the lesson. Now they will not receive a diploma - but this is a tragedy. But almost all the guys there smoke cigarettes - starting from the age of 12. It's even strange: children in America smoke, but adults don't. I don't smoke on principle.

My girlfriends and I (I have four of them - a Ukrainian, a Belarusian and two Americans) have fun in a different way. We visit each other, sometimes we go to Manhattan. Parents let us go - they know that we will not go to a dangerous place.

We often go to the cinema: cinema halls in America are better than in Russia, but the ticket is more expensive - 8 dollars. We dine in restaurants, go to discos. From there we take a taxi home. I don't like public transport, especially the subway - it's terrible in New York.

The school almost does not hold events that would make everyone friends. But the boys are still friends with the girls. And in our school, I noticed a strange phenomenon - boys in the twelfth grade often look after girls from the ninth grade. Everyone condemns this: it is clear what the big boy wants from the little girl.

Although in the US, as in Russia, boys lag behind girls in development. American boys are also less courageous than Russians, and even without initiative. They are waiting for the girls themselves to begin to show them signs of attention. And they provide. It is not customary to write love notes, but you can always show a person that you like him ...

As for me, I'm not up to my personal life now: this fall I'm going to the twelfth grade. And at the beginning of the last academic year, American students take a general exam - mathematics and English, and its results can be sent to universities (according to the rules, a student has the right to send them to 7 universities of his choice). You can also take tests in other subjects. I will see in which subjects I will have the best results and send them to the universities.

Along with the test results, you need to send an essay on a topic provided by the university. For example: "If you could meet one of three people - from the past, present or future - who would you choose and what would you talk about with him?" Or: "What do you think about the upcoming presidential elections?"

I don’t want to go to Harvard - I was there on an excursion, and I didn’t really like the students. Too smart and ambitious. But just in case, I’ll submit documents there - I want to work in Russia, so it’s better to graduate from a university that people in Russia have heard about.

At first I wanted to become a doctor. But then I realized that it is more interesting for me to work with people themselves, and not with their insides. My dream is to work as a psychiatrist in prison, to help people whom everyone has given up on.

In fact, I can change my mind a hundred times more: in US universities, you choose a specialization only in the third year. Or in general, all 4 years at the university, I can do mathematics, and then go to medical school.

I'm only seventeen years old. Let's see how life turns around.

Alexandra ZUEVA

The system of education in the USA is different from what we are used to: American students receive secondary education for 12 years, the year is divided into two semesters, and the grading system is based on a letter designation.

International students usually begin their studies in middle or high school in an American school.

A high school in America is called Middle School (grades 6-8) or Junior High School (grades 7-9). They come here from the age of 11. At this time, students study a set of compulsory subjects (mathematics, English, natural sciences, social studies and art) and several subjects to choose from (journalism, rhetoric, theater arts and many others).

Senior School - grades 9 to 12 (High School) or 11 to 12 (Senior High School). There are more subjects to choose from, students are already guided by their goals in entering a university. Schools in America offer a wide range of subjects, from agricultural engineering to 3D design.

A High School Diploma usually requires 20-24 credits (Special Education Units) in required and elective subjects in grades 9-12. Each credit is the result of studying one subject during one academic year. Credit requirements may vary by state.

Why USA

America is a country of opportunities, a multicultural society and a high standard of living. The business and economic elite of the world is concentrated here. US universities occupy the highest lines of authoritative rankings. Studying at school in the USA is the first step to enrolling in a prestigious university and brilliant career prospects.

The American education system is considered one of the most progressive. In US schools, participation in real scientific and technical developments is encouraged, leadership qualities and the ability to defend one's point of view are developed.

In recent years, it is the United States that has become a priority area of ​​education for Russian schoolchildren. Parents see more opportunities for their children in America than, for example, in densely populated Europe, where it can be difficult to get a work visa and find application for the education received.

US private schools are the most prestigious secondary schools. Here, children are purposefully prepared for admission to leading universities, including elite Ivy League universities. Career consultants work with high school students, so the guys already know what they want to become and choose subjects depending on their future specialty.

Foreign students prefer to study in private schools in America, and here's why:

  • a higher level of student preparation (which reflects the percentage of students enrolled in top universities);
  • small classes (10-15 people), where teachers can pay attention to everyone;
  • teachers who are interested in their work and the success of students;
  • technological classes and laboratories;
  • excellent conditions for sports and creativity.

Private boarding schools in the USA are a safe and picturesque area with educational buildings and residences for living.

Much attention is paid to physical training. Parents of sports gifted children often make a choice in favor of such schools, which, without interrupting their studies, prepare children for a professional sports career.

Educational programs of American schools

Each state has at least 50 private schools, each of which is an independent educational unit with its own administration and teaching staff.

American schools do not offer a single curriculum with the same set of subjects for all students. There are compulsory subjects and elective subjects. The older the child gets, the more subjects he can choose - in accordance with his plans for higher education.

To gain an advantage in admission, students can take courses of in-depth study (Honors) and choose one or more subjects of increased complexity AP (Advanced Placement). The higher the level of the school, the more AP subjects it offers.

In some educational institutions, you can study under the international IB (International Baccalaureate) high school program, the results of which are accepted by universities around the world.

Cost of education

The cost of education in private schools in the United States starts at $ 39,300 per year. This amount usually includes accommodation, meals, insurance, educational materials. Excursions and extracurricular activities are paid extra.

When to act

The ideal age for school entry in America is 11–13 years old. At this time, it is easiest for the child to adapt to the new system, make friends, and get comfortable in another country. By the senior classes, it will be easier for him to choose subjects for study and the direction of preparation for the university.

We recommend starting preparation for admission a year before the start of studies. Each school has its own requirements for admission, conditions may vary depending on the state. In some American schools, in addition to providing grades for the last 2-3 years of study, it is necessary to pass tests in certain subjects.

How can we help

IQ Consultancy specialists will help you understand all the variety of US schools and choose the one that suits your child and reveals his potential.

We will help:

  • understand all the intricacies of the entrance requirements;
  • improve English and pass TOEFL;
  • prepare a motivation letter;
  • Successfully pass an interview with the admission committee of the school;
  • arrange all necessary documents and visa.

We will keep in touch with the chosen school and help resolve all possible difficulties and force majeure. If necessary, we will recommend a language camp in the USA, organize a tour of the schools, if there are several options, and offer the service of supervising the child during the training.