School education is a prime example of the national traditions of education. And here we remain true to myself: keep quiet about the main thing, paralyzing initiative and curiosity of children to inhibit their own bosses, do not talk to them seriously and respectfully. I want to share with you my observations and conclusions about how differently arranged, and our western schools. My last trip was in the U.S., so call a few significant differences in education, that affect the character and intelligence of children.

For a long time in Russia, believes that education has two interacting components: education and training. Deep emotional attachment to family or school obligations to keep the other children from the "criminal" acts. School in the Soviet tradition is more like a house inhabited by classes-families. The class is always strong informal relationship, the children emotionally attached to each other. For ten years they lived as a family, grow, make friends in and outside school.

In the U.S. it is considered that the purpose of schools is to provide the most common knowledge (teach reading, writing, mathematics, and give a basis of natural and social sciences), and the upbringing of future citizens should be shifted onto the shoulders of parents and church. American schools are very difficult to take into account religious and cultural differences to effectively teach what in the world is the fundamental preparation for adult life of the citizen and the professional or family relationships.

Unlike the Soviet and Post-Soviet School of uniting children for many years a joint study about family, family ties, the American public school is like a big factory, in which the student moves on its own plan. Impressive, and the gigantic size of American schools, resembles a space hangar. The system of elementary, middle and high schools implemented so that children of different ages learn in different schools. Thus, in American schools can learn from 2 thousand young people (and sometimes up to 5000), whereas we have considered overloaded school pupils 700-1000 from 6 to 17 years.

In Russia, educational content, as a rule, represents the universe of the best and most important aspects of culture. Subjects such as math and science are taught thoroughly and systematically, while teaching history and literature observed continuity of cultural traditions, the value of the intellectual heritage of the country, presented in interesting events and achievements.

In America, every lesson a child spends in the new group. There is no continuity between the objects, which is typical for our education system a unified approach to education. In the U.S. the opportunity to choose topics and methods of the training program significantly reduces the possibility of perception of cultural achievements. Subjects such as mathematics, are often taught in different ways at different levels and in different classes. Natural science is often taught in an "all or nothing", that is, the entire course of physics can be read in one year, and next year all of chemistry, and so on. A history and literature are taught at times as chaotic set of themes. If the student does not work out a clear idea about the topic at the first lesson in the classroom, it is unlikely there will be another chance to catch up.

But it is in our school do not prepare children for life in a democratic society, do not form their proper self-control, individual initiative and self-government. Our children are not ready for life in a rapidly developing society, they do not form the critical thinking skills, group work, solving unusual problems, and so on. American schools are more or less cope with these tasks, but only because they do not follow the strict requirements and value individual initiative and independence. Instead relationship of emotional intimacy and empathy (when the entire class - it's family), cultivated in the American school values of individualism, competition and independence.

Differences between Western and our education consists in the fact that American teachers encourage individual initiative of students, originality of training tasks. They do not insist on high discipline and unquestioning obedience, but do not worry, if someone from the students not interested in their subject. The cornerstone of the American approach - the responsibility for the education of children are their parents. In the Soviet tradition, and for the upbringing and education of the school answered. The teacher was endowed with great authority, his orders were in the nature of the order and were not discussed. Violation of regulations, the failure of homework - is cause for severe punishment and calling parents to school. Especially the American teachers - their friendliness toward the students. In this sense they are - a role model, media ethics of the average American. They have no special privileges to students, but students can not count on the indulgence. Relationship is a partnership in nature, are built "in an adult."

Parents and school

With regard to the relationship of school and parents, we must note that developed in American schools volunteering, voluntary and unpaid parental involvement in the organization of school life. Once or twice a week, parents come to school to help teachers to conduct extra-curricular activities, check out the school assignments, to get out in the classroom, plant flowers, etc. Russian emigrants are shocked by this practice, because at home call a parent to school - an extraordinary event, fraught with troubles. In Russian practice, parents are the advocates the interests of their children and, although critical of some teachers try not to interfere in the affairs of the school.

And at the family relationships between parents and children in the Russian and American society are different. The typical American family as well as the school encourages the initiative of the Child. Very common system of credits for their help in the home: children pay a small monetary reward for their participation in the economic affairs of the family. Both father and mother should pay attention to children. Family - this is the same team as those who work in commercial firms. American parents are willing to discuss various issues (including sexual) with children. However, according to press publications and analytical reports, the American family in crisis. Although the divorce rate has declined sharply decreased and the number of people wishing to marry. Families, ages, marriages, after forty years, respectively, reduced resources for education and emotional support to children. On this Russian teens from exile says: "American children are practically no grandparents. "Americans will never swear, but our parents love each other more than Americans."

Differently constructed in America and relationships with peers. Teenagers, children of our immigrants have complained that their American counterparts "can not be friends:" They never invite to your birthday, do not even walk after school. " "If you meet an American guy on the street during summer vacation, he just coolly said hello and did not rush to see you on the neck." Our children about the differences in the ideals of love notes: "They love to be calmer than the Russian," If there are girlfriend and boyfriend sleep together, it does not mean that they love each other. "

In general we can say that the American school is like a factory, where every move of their own plan - one lesson you can hold in one group, the next - already in the other, are the main differences between Western and our education . The team easily consolidated at the time around the solution of any problem, but its members do not care about how awkward relationship with John and his girlfriend. But our children have every reason to beat children in America on formal indicators of intelligence, but as far as social skills, we have systematically and specifically deprive our children's autonomy and independence in decision making. Letting go of our children in school today, we can no longer count on the fact that the school will teach them life.