Федеральное государственное бюджетное
образовательное учреждение
высшего профессионального образования
РОССИЙСКАЯ АКАДЕМИЯ НАРОДНОГО
ХОЗЯЙСТВА и ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЙ СЛУЖБЫ
при ПРЕЗИДЕНТЕ РОССИЙСКОЙ
ФЕДЕРАЦИИ
ПОВОЛЖСКИЙ ИНСТИТУТ УПРАВЛЕНИЯ
имени П.А.СТОЛЫПИНА
Факультет: Экономики и управления
Направление подготовки: 080400.62 Управление
персоналом
Дисциплина: Иностранный язык (английский)
ПИСЬМЕННАЯ РАБОТА
на тему: “School education in the USA“
Выполнил: студент 1 курса, 123
очной формы обучения
Занозина А.А.
Подпись___________________
Проверил: к.ф.н., доцент кафедры
английского языка Зотова Л.И.
Подпись___________________
Оценка____________________
«__»____________________
Саратов 2013
Contents
Introduction
3
1 Education in the USA
4
Conclusion
10
References
11
Introduction
When an immigrant family moves to the USA, one of
the first questions that parents ask is, "Will my children get
a good education here?" The answer depends on two major factors:
where the children attend school and how hard they are willing to work.
In some schools where the community is stable, the
funding good, and the school environment orderly, a hardworking student
can get an excellent education. But in other schools - especially those
in poor neighborhoods in the nation's large cities - it is very difficult
to become educated. The flight of middle-class families to the suburbs
left big city public schools with mostly lower-income students. Many
are deprived children from impoverished homes with only one parent.
Many come to school ill-prepared and poorly motivated to learn. A large
number need help in learning English. Many change residences and schools
often, and a changing classroom population is difficult to teach. In
some poor neighborhoods, the students do not attend school regularly
because they are frightened by violent gangs. In some class-rooms, teachers
have difficulty keeping the students' attention because disrespectful,
uncooperative students disturb the class. Because the quality of education
varies so much from one school district to another, parents who are
planning to move to a new neighborhood often inquire about the schools
- and even visit them - before deciding which community to move to.
1 Education In The USA
1.1 Purpose And Scope
Americans believe that every citizen has both the
right and the obligation to become educated.
In order to develop an educated population, all states
have compulsory school attendance laws. These laws vary somewhat from
one state to another, but generally they require that formal schooling
begin by age 6 and continue until at least age l6. However, most Americans
attend school at least until high school graduation, when they are l7
or l8 years old. About 75% of all American adults and about 85% of younger
American adults are high school graduates.
The size of the nation's basic educational enterprise
is astonishing. From kindergarten through high school, about 46 million
students are enrolled in school. To educate this vast number of students,
Americans employ about 2.7 million teachers, by far the largest professional
group in the country.
1.2 Public and private
schools
About 88% of American children receive their elementary
and high school education in the nation's public schools. These schools
have the following important characteristics in common:
a) They are supported by taxes and, therefore, do
not charge tuition.
b) In general, they are neighbourhood schools, open
to all students who live within the district.
c) They are co-educational, which means that boys
and girls attend the same schools and have nearly all of their classes
together. By providing girls with equal educational opportunity, American
public schools have helped to create today's self-sufficient American
woman.
d) Public schools are required to follow some state
guidelines regarding, for example, curriculum and teacher qualifications.
But, in most matters, schools are locally controlled. Each school district
is run by an elected Board of Education and the school administrators
that Board hires. This system creates strong ties between the district's
schools and its community.
e) Public schools are non-sectarian (secular), which
means that they are free from the influence of any religion. As a result,
children of many different religions feel comfortable attending the
public schools, and the public school system has been able to help a
diverse population build a common culture.
Private schools can be divided into two categories:
parochial (supported by a particular religious group) and secular (non-religious).
Private schools charge tuition and are not under direct public control,
although many states set educational standards for them. In order to
attend a private school, a student must apply and be accepted. Parochial
schools make up the largest group of private schools, and most of these
are operated by the Roman Catholic Church. Private secular schools are
mainly high schools and colleges.
1.3 Course content and
teaching methods
In educating students for adult work and adult life,
American schools try, above all, to be practical. American education
has been greatly influenced by the writings of a famous 20th-century
philosopher named John Dewey. Dewey believed that the only worthwhile
knowledge was knowledge that could be used. He convinced educators that
it was pointless to make students memorize useless facts that they would
quickly forget. Rather, schools should teach thinking processes and
skills that affect how people live and work.
Dewey also influenced teaching techniques.education
must be meaningful, and children learn best by doing - these are the
basic ideas of progressive education. Thus, science is taught largely
through student experimentation; the study of music involves making
music; democratic principles are put into practice in the student council;
group projects encourage creativity, individual initiative, leadership,
and teamwork.
What do American schools see as their educational
responsibility to students? The scope is very broad indeed. Today's
schools teach skills and information once left for the parents to teach
at home. For example, it is common for the public school curriculum
to include a campaign against cigarette smoking and drug abuse, a course
in driver's education, cooking and sewing classes, consumer education,
and sex education. Most American grammar schools have also added computer
skills to their curriculum. As human knowledge has expanded and life
has become increasingly complex, the schools have had to go far beyond
the original three Rs ("reading, writing, and arithmetic")
that they were created to teach.
American high schools have a dual commitment: (a)
to offer a general college preparatory program for those who are interested
in higher education; and (b) to provide opportunities for vocational
training for students who plan to enter the work force immediately after
high school graduation. For the college-bound, high schools offer advanced
classes in math, sciences, social sciences, English, and foreign languages.
They also have Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which enable good students
to earn college credit while still in high school. But in the same building
other students take vocational courses such as shorthand and mechanical
drawing, and some participate in work/study programs which enable them
to get high school credit for on-the-job training in various occupations.
Today, more than ever before, American schools are
committed to helping foreign-born students adjust to life in an American
class-room. The Bilingual Education Act of l968 provided federal funds
for bilingual instruction, which allows students to study academic subjects
totally or partially in their native language while they are learning
English. Bilingual education is offered in about 70 languages including
Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and several American Indian languages.
Of course, this type of instruction is available only where a number
of students speak the same foreign language. In addition, immigrant
students have benefited from the l974 Supreme Court ruling requiring
public schools to provide special programs for students who speak little
or no English. Today, English as a second language of instruction is
common in American elementary and high schools.
1.4 Early childhood education
By the age of five, about 87% of American children
are attending school, most of them in pre-academic classes called kindergarten.
However, many American youngsters are introduced
to their first school setting even before the age of five, through nursery
school or day care attendance. In fact, about 29% of three-year-olds
and 49% of four-year-olds are enrolled in one or the other.
Nursery schools accept children from three to five
years of age for half-day sessions ranging from twice a week to five
days a week. The typical nursery school is equipped with toys, building
blocks, books, puzzles, art supplies, and an outdoor play-ground. These
pre-school programs usually charge tuition, although some are subsidized,
and some offer scholarships. Day care programs have similar facilities
that offer all-day care for the children of working parents.
1.5 Elementary school and
high school
In most areas, free public education begins with
kindergarten classes for five-year-olds. These are usually half-day
classes two or three hours long, although some communities run all-day
kindergarten programs. The primary purpose of kindergarten is socialization,
but the young students also gain information and skills. For example,
they learn to identify colors, count to ten, print their names, work
with art supplies, listen to stories, and enjoy books. After kindergarten,
American children begin their academic studies. Their schooling is divided
into 12 academic levels called grades. One school year (from late August
or early September to mid-June) is required to complete each grade.
Academic work - learning to read, write, and do arithmetic - begins
when children enter lst grade, at about age 6.
The first academic institution that a student attends
is called elementary school or grammar school. In some school systems,
elementary school includes kindergarten through 8th grade, and the next
four years (taught in a different school building) are called high school.
In other school systems, there is a third division called junior high
school (or middle school) which usually includes grades 6 through 8,
but in some communities includes grades 4 or 5 through 8 and in others
includes grades 7 through 9.
The typical school day is about seven hours long
and ends about 3 P.M. Classes are in session Monday through Friday.
Traditional vacation periods include a two-week winter vacation (including
the Christmas and New Year's holidays),a one - week spring vacation
(often coinciding with Easter), and a two-month summer vacation. In
addition, there are several one-day holidays giving students a day off
to celebrate.
Children going to public elementary schools usually
attend a school in their neighbourhood. In big cities, many children
live close enough to walk to and from school and come home for lunch.
However, most elementary schools provide a place where students can
eat if it is inconvenient for them to go home at lunchtime. American
high schools are larger than elementary schools and serve a larger community.
As a result, most high school students take public transportation or
a school bus to and from school and eat lunch in the school cafeteria.
Grammar schools teach language arts (reading, writing,
spelling, and penmanship), social studies (stressing history and geography),
mathematics (up to and sometimes including algebra), science, physical
education, and health. In addition, elementary school programs often
include music, art, and home economics.
High school subjects are more specialized. English
classes emphasize writing, grammar, and literature. Social studies is
split into separate courses such as American history, European history,
and psychology. Year-long courses in algebra and geometry are followed
by more advanced math work in trigonometry and pre-calculus. There are
also specialized science courses in biology, chemistry, and physics.
Many high school students study a foreign language, usually Spanish,
French, or German. Courses in music, art, home economics, and consumer
education are also available, along with various vocational courses.
As in elementary school, health and physical education classes are generally
required.
During the elementary school years, students are
grouped into classes, and each group stays together for the entire school
day and the entire school year. Generally, the class has the same teacher
for most subjects, although art, music, and physical education are usually
taught by teachers who specialize in these areas. Also, in the upper
elementary grades, students in some school systems have different teachers
(but the same classmates) for their major academic subjects.
In high school, students move from one classroom
to another and study each subject with a different teacher and a different
group of classmates. Many high schools have what is commonly called
a tracking system, which groups students according to academic ability
and motivation. Thus, more capable and hard-working students take more
difficult courses. Depending on the subject, classes may be offered
at two, three, or even four different ability levels.
High school students have a very busy day. Many take
five or six academic subjects as well as physical education. During
other periods, students may be doing homework in a study hall, researching
in the school library, or participating in activities such as the school
orchestra, student government, school newspaper, or math club. Many
extracurricular activities also meet after the school day ends. Students
involved in time-consuming activities such as athletics, dramatics,
or music may be at school from very early in the morning until dinnertime.
However, these school activities are well worth the time because they
help students find friends with similar interests, develop their talents,
gain greater self-confidence, and sometimes even discover their career
goals.
Conclusion
What's wrong with American education? To find the
answer and to fix the problem, one must look at all of the elements:
the students themselves, their parents, their teachers, the school curriculum,
the textbooks, and the community. Many students simply do not study
enough. (Two-thirds of high school seniors do an hour or less of homework
per night). American teenagers are often distracted by part-time jobs,
sports and other school activities, TV, and socializing. Some do not
keep up with their schoolwork because of emotional problems, use of
illegal drugs, or simply lack of motivation. Clearly, if Americans are
to become better educated, students must spend more time studying, and
parents must insist that they do so.
Criticism of American education stimulated a reform
movement. As a result, 45 of the 50 states raised high-school graduation
requirements. One government study recommended a longer school year.
(Now, the average American student attends school about 180 days a year,
compared to 210 for a Japanese student). Efforts have also been underway
to increase parental involvement in schools and to improve teaching.
College programs that educate teachers are trying to encourage more
academically talented students to choose teaching as a career. Schools
of education are also improving their curriculum so that American teachers
of the future will be better prepared. School administrators are working
on curriculum revisions. Publishers are being urged to create text-books
that are more challenging, interesting, and objective. Finally, concerned
citizens are urging communities and the federal government to provide
more tax dollars for education.
What can one say about basic education in the USA
today? It has many strengths, but there's plenty of room for improvement.
Since the school reform movement began, test scores have risen somewhat,
and Americans are optimistic that reform and improvement will continue.
Americans deeply believe in education as the best vehicle for individual
and social advancement. Improving the basic school system is one of
the nation's top priorities.
References
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2 Шпаковская И.В. Популярный
англо-русский и русско-английский словарь.
Транскрипция и транслитерация английских
слов русскими буквами. 12000 слов и словосочетаний.
/И.В Шпаковская. –М.: Центрополиграф,2010.
– 441 с.
3 Education In The USA [Электронный ресурс]
/ – Режим доступа: http://prousa.ru/education (20.12.2013).
4 Education In The USA [Электронный ресурс]
/ – Режим доступа: http://www.studyamerica.ru (20.12.2013)
5 The American system of education [Электронный ресурс] / – Режим
доступа: http://www.americansights.ru/education-usa (20.12.2013)