Why do I think education in many countries is less effective compared to, for example, British education? Because as a child I had a choice – I had the opportunity to compare. At the age of 15 I went to study at a British boarding school for girls ThorntonCollege, ConventofJesusandMary and I became convinced that Leo Tolstoy was right when he said that «It is not the quantity of knowledge that matters, but its quality. You can know a great deal without knowing the essentials.
I could go on for hours about how different it was, but to put it briefly – it was VERY interesting, I really wanted to learn!
As part of my geography lessons on rivers and mountains, we went on a trip to Wales: we lived in the mountains, where we learnt how to orientate ourselves on a map and how windmills work (I saw them there for the first time). We, wearing rubber boots, measured the water level in the mountain river at different points, and in the evening, as an entertainment, we passed an obstacle course built for us in the forest – a very funny team competition.
And of course, we couldn't resist a hike at the foot of Snowdon, the highest mountain in the Uls. Do you remember geography lessons in your Russian school?
And what English literature lessons we had! I still have Jane Austen's book «Pride and Prejudice» written in pencil.
Written because we learnt literally every phrase, because even British children don't know many of the expressions of the time when the writer was writing. After reading a chapter, we were sure to watch the corresponding film adaptation of the novel in class.
And after the same detailed reading and analysis of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, we went to Oxford to see the play in the theatre.
In a Russian school, children are forced to read a huge number of works, sometimes even in abridgment, without really understanding what they are about – both from the fact that there are so many of them and the teacher has to follow the programme and from the fact that many of them should still be read at an older age.
A unique subject, absolutely unparalleled in the Russian school curriculum – ReligiousEducation (Religious Education). Don't think that it is only about reading the Bible.
The Bible is read, of course, but only some passages that teach us some very important things, teach us to be more spiritually developed. But this is just the tip of the iceberg, and in fact we were told about starving children in Africa, about euthanasia, about contraception, about the harm of abortion, not only from a religious point of view, but also from a medical point of view (the school is for girls, after all).
I sent my sons to a British boarding school for boys AysgarthSchool in the north of England – clean air and a minimum of Russian speakers – there were only two other Russian boys besides them.
AysgarthSchool.
They went at the ages of 8 and 10, as I realised from my experience that the earlier you get into the environment, culture, language – the better.
I must reassure parents who are afraid to send their children away from themselves at such a young age, the British are a very kind and sensitive people (they all had lessons in ReligiousEducation as children).
The children are always looked after and made to feel at home by teachers, carers and even the headmaster himself, who usually lives in the school with his family. For this reason, I personally advise you to send your kids to smaller, smaller schools with a homely atmosphere.
In a boarding school, your child will be closely monitored to maximise their talents in sport, music, creative writing or any of the academic subjects. Teachers will write you detailed reports and will be sure to direct your child's talents in the right direction. Every child is important to British schools and teachers will never have a favourite, they will unlock everyone's potential because they have the facilities to do so!
Besides knowledge, it is important for parents that their children are properly educated. Much has already been written about the quality of British upbringing, I will not repeat myself. I will tell only about one very interesting fact – in school of my children each teacher has a dog (well the English love animals, the director in the house they had even two), so that – during lessons the dog does not leave the class, it just quietly sits or lies near the teacher, it is not an indicator of discipline! No barking or squealing! But parents can rest assured that in such a school there will be no drugs and children will be taught to love animals!
«Education — that is what is left after forgetting everything learnt in school» – Albert Einstein.
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