Unit Three: Schools: Different and alike
Education
Topic29:
Write a composition on the notion of education.
Typical Essay:
For hundreds of years there have been varying philosophies on education, based on various models of study. Plato and Aristotle are of course amongst the earliest theorists to develop philosophies on education. In modern times, parents, students, and educators continue to explore the different philosophies on education and how they impact learning. While each education philosophy has its own belief in the driving forces behind it and no one way has been proven the most effective, there are vast differences and similarities amongst them. While the following is by no means an exhaustive list of educational philosophies, these are but a few that are in wide practice today.
Montessori
The Montessori method is one of the most widely known philosophies on education. Developed by Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, educator, and philosopher, the Montessori method is used in both public and private schools around the world. Montessori based her education philosophies on several key factors including educating children as the natural learners that they are by providing a “child-sized” environment for learning and self-guided, self-corrected education.
Dewey
John Dewey was an American philosopher and psychologist whose educational philosophy centers around pragmatism and the method of “learning by doing.” Dewey felt that science played an important role in education and that critical thinking was more important than memorization of mere facts. Dewey is often credited with laying the foundation for standards-based education.
Holt
One of the more modern philosophies on education is homeschooling – a concept that didn’t become mainstream until the early 1990s. John Caldwell Holt, a teacher and author, was the leading advocate for homeschooling, or a similar method known as “unschooling.” Holt believed that learning could not be forced to occur in a classroom, but rather children should be taught and enabled to learn through life experiences. Holt authored several books in the mid 1970s that many people viewed as a controversial opposition to compulsory schooling.
The Inquiry Method
Neil Postman, an author and teacher, poses a very specific method of teaching called the inquiry method. Of all the various philosophies on education, Postman’s is one that is widely respected by many. The inquiry method centers around student-driven learning by limiting the number of statements a teacher makes and encouraging students to ask and find answers to their own questions. The theory behind Postman’s inquiry method is to have children learn by building what they don’t know on to what they already know.
https://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-som...-education.htm
Topic30:
Write a composition on the Algerian education system.
Typical Essay:
The Algerian structure of the school system is based on 5+4+3 model: five years of primary school, four years of middle school and three years of secondary school. Together, the nine years of primary and middle school education constitute the compulsory basic education phase.
The Ministry of National Education is responsible for the supervision of basic and secondary education; the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and the Ministry of Professional Education in collaboration with various other relevant ministries regulate the tertiary sector.
The first nine years of schooling, comprising the basic education cycle, is compulsory for all children of school age (usually age six and above).
In the first five years of basic education pupils attend class for 27 hours a week. Pupils are assessed on the results of their coursework, and progression between grades is based on these results. Pupils who perform poorly in key subjects are required to take make-up classes, or to retake the year if they have an overall average below 50 percent. Promotion to the third cycle of basic education is based exclusively on pupil performance in the fifth grade. Pupils are assessed and promoted to successive grades based on their coursework; an average of 50 percent (10 out of 20) or better is required for progression.
At the end of basic education pupils take the national basic education certificate examination. Pupils who succeed in the examination and in their final year of studies are awarded the (BEM), which grants them access to one of the three streams (troncs communs) of the first year of secondary studies.
pupils choosing to pursue the baccalauréat, the national competitive school-leaving examination, are streamed into one of two branches: literary or scientific. Secondary studies leading to the baccalauréat are three years in duration. Pupils who succeed in their Bac exams have the opportunity to go through higher education.
Higher education in Algeria is offered at many universities, university centers, national schools and institutes. Universities and university centers are centrally administered by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, while specialized schools and institutes generally fall under the portfolio of the ministry to which its specialization is most closely related.
The Algerian framework of university degrees is currently under reform with the traditional system, modeled on the French structure, to be gradually replaced with a three-three system deemed to be more internationally compatible. The reform, known as the “L.M.D,” is set to introduce a degree structure based on the new French model of bachelor’s, masters and doctoral degrees. The new degree framework is similar in structure to the reforms being undertaken in Europe through the Bologna Process:
The licence, corresponding to three years of study beyond the baccalauréat (bac+3);
The master, corresponding to two years further study beyond the licence (bac+5);
The doctorat, corresponding to three years of research beyond the master (bac+8).
It is hoped that the new system will make program offerings from Algerian universities more compatible with those around the world, thereby increasing the international mobility of Algerian faculty and students. In addition, the reforms are aimed at increasing student flexibility in choosing and transferring courses and credits; making the system more efficient as relates to the time it takes for students to graduate; increasing lifelong learning opportunities; and increasing institutional autonomy while producing learning outcomes more attuned to the needs of the labor market.
https://www.wes.org/eWENR/06apr/practical_algeria.htm
Topic31:
Write a composition on the British education system.
Typical Essay:
The education system in the UK is different to that in many other countries. At the age of 16, British children take General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations. Students then transfer to studying A-Levels which last for two years and qualify them for entry to university. Students tend to specialise in these courses and often study for three or four A-Levels. This means that degrees do not last as long in the UK as other countries.
An undergraduate degree normally takes three years to complete but can take longer if they include an industrial placement, an additional subject or a year abroad. They are also specialised from Year One.
Types of undergraduate degree include:
• BSc (Bachelor of Science) - a science degree
• BA (Bachelor of Arts) - an arts degree
• BEng (Bachelor of Engineering) - an engineering degree
• Undergraduate Masters degree (e.g. MEng) - an enhanced four year undergraduate degree including extra subjects studied at a deeper level
Students who receive good grades in their undergraduate degrees may choose to take a Masters degree, which takes a minimum of one year to complete.
Types of Masters degree include:
• MSc (Master of Science)
• MA (Master of Arts)
• MEd (Master of Education)
• LLM (Master of Law)
• MBA (Master of Business Administration)
Taught Masters usually involve six months of intensive tuition followed by six months of project work which ends with a dissertation. Research degrees involve at least one year, sometimes more, of full-time research resulting in an examined thesis. If you would like to continue to study for a PhD, you will have to conduct a minimum of two years' research after the award of your MSc. In some subject areas, a student may transfer from BSc/BA/BEng to PhD so that they follow a three year research programme for PhD without first obtaining a Masters degree.
Topic32:
Write a composition on the American education system.
Typical Essay:
To begin, because the country has a federal system of government that has historically valued local governance, no country-level education system or curriculum exists in the United States. The federal government does not operate public schools. Each of the fifty states has its own Department of Education that sets guidelines for the schools of that state.
In the United States, education is compulsory for all students until age sixteen. The pupils go through elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools. Elementary schools are composed of students in kindergarten and grades 1-6. Many children attend kindergarten when they are five-years-old. Children begin 1st grade at age six. Middle school is composed of students in grades 6-8 and high school contains grades 9-12.
High school students are required to take a wide variety of courses in English, mathematics, science, and social science, foreign ******** or physical education, and they may elect to take music or art courses. Many high schools also offer vocational training courses. A course can be one semester or two semesters in length. The academic year generally begins in late August and ends in early June.
University students pursuing a Bachelor’s degree are called “undergraduates,” whereas students pursuing a Master’s or Doctoral degree are called “graduate students.” American undergraduate students will say they are “going to school” or “going to college”, which means they are attending university. A common question one student asks another is, “What is your major?” This means, “What is your major field of study?”
Most universities give undergraduate students a liberal education, which means students are required to take courses across several disciplines before they specialize in a major field of study. Graduate and professional (such as medicine or law) programs are specialized.
Topic33:
Write a letter to one of your friends in which you describe your class/school.
Typical Essay:
Dear Linda,
Today, I’ll write to you about my school. And the least I can say is that I feel quite happy and comfortable in it.
First, let me mention its old stone building, surrounded by a nice flower garden. The flowers are carefully arranged, and in spring, they give off nice scent when we head for the classes through the garden. Further back, there are two large courtyards with enough space and benches to play or relax. There are also big, ancient olive trees near the walls, where birds perch and nest. We can hear them warble and chirp all year round.
Let me also describe my classroom. It is large and well-decorated, with old-fashioned brown desks, and posters and pictures all over the walls. And then, there are those cabinets full of books which smell of old paper. Actually, I like borrowing a book from time to time and dream all the adventures and mysteries I read about.
I’ll finally say a few words about my teachers. I’m lucky to have such good and considerate people around me. They are so keen to see the students do well. They are always prepared to answer our questions, and they really want to make sure we understand the hard parts of the lessons and exercises. I like the way teachers get us involved. They surely have children of their own at school, which explains why they understand how we feel.
So if there is one good reason why I like my school, it surely because the teaching staff are so caring, and friendly. I can’t dream of a better school.