Is American Education Better Than Russian?
About half of Russian schoolchildren have problems with mastering mathematics. This is the conclusion made by the researchers of the electronic base of the Znanika Olympiads, having analyzed about 300 thousand tasks in mathematics for students in grades 5–9. The studies covered almost 13000 schools in 62 regions of Russia.
If the results of the study are reliable, then this can be considered a really alarming signal. However, the situation in other countries is no better than in Russia. For example, researchers at the University of Cambridge conducted an analysis of student performance in Italian and British schools. According to the results of their study, it was found out that schoolchildren not only experience difficulties in mastering mathematics, but also often experience the so-called “panic attacks” when studying this discipline.
The authors of the study recommended transferring children to an easier level of education so as not to injure their psyche. In Russia, they look at this problem from a different angle: if in the West they offer to reduce the load, then in our country they urge parents to do more with their children and monitor their performance more closely.
According to Russian journalist of American origin Tim Kerby, the stereotype that Russian children who came to the United States immediately become the best in the class is justified. The Russian education system allows pushing children forward, forcing them to study, even if they do not like it. However, the approach of Russian teachers “kills” creativity, children simply “drive” certain knowledge into their heads, not allowing them to think creatively. On the other hand, thanks to this approach, Russian students gain more knowledge than American students, who are allowed to not do what they do not want, but are given the opportunity to think in their own way.
Each approach to learning is good in its own way, but at the moment there is no ideal education system. But it can be noted that Russian education gives us the opportunity to be proud of our schoolchildren and students, who always show excellent results at international Olympiads and competitions.
If the results of the study are reliable, then this can be considered a really alarming signal. However, the situation in other countries is no better than in Russia. For example, researchers at the University of Cambridge conducted an analysis of student performance in Italian and British schools. According to the results of their study, it was found out that schoolchildren not only experience difficulties in mastering mathematics, but also often experience the so-called “panic attacks” when studying this discipline.
The authors of the study recommended transferring children to an easier level of education so as not to injure their psyche. In Russia, they look at this problem from a different angle: if in the West they offer to reduce the load, then in our country they urge parents to do more with their children and monitor their performance more closely.
According to Russian journalist of American origin Tim Kerby, the stereotype that Russian children who came to the United States immediately become the best in the class is justified. The Russian education system allows pushing children forward, forcing them to study, even if they do not like it. However, the approach of Russian teachers “kills” creativity, children simply “drive” certain knowledge into their heads, not allowing them to think creatively. On the other hand, thanks to this approach, Russian students gain more knowledge than American students, who are allowed to not do what they do not want, but are given the opportunity to think in their own way.
Each approach to learning is good in its own way, but at the moment there is no ideal education system. But it can be noted that Russian education gives us the opportunity to be proud of our schoolchildren and students, who always show excellent results at international Olympiads and competitions.
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