At the age of five children go to primary schools, first to infant schools for pupils aged from 5 to 7 and then to junior schools for pupils from 8 to 11 years.
Some parents choose to pay for private education though there are free state schools. The preparatory schools are for pupils aged up to 13, and the public schools are for 13 to 18 year-olds. These schools are very expensive and they are attended only by about 5 per cent of the schoolchildren.
Free secondary education has been available to all children in Britain since 1944. Children must go to school until the age of 16, and pupils may stay on for one or two years more if they wish.
Over 80 per cent of schoolchildren go to comprehensive schools at the age of 11. These schools are not selective — you don't have to pass an exam to go there. But before 1965 all children took an exam at the age of 11 called the «11+». The top 20 per cent were chosen to go to the academic grammar schools. Those who failed the «11 + » went to secondary modern schools. A lot of people thought that this system of selection at the age of 11 was unfair on many children. So comprehensive schools were introduced to offer education for pupils of all abilities. There are a few LEAs who still keep the old system, but most LEAs have now changed over completely to non-selective education in comprehensive schools.
Comprehensive schools want to develop the talents of each individual child. So they offer a wide choice of subjects, from art and craft, woodwork and domestic science to the sciences, modern languages, computer studies, etc. All these subjects are enjoyed by both girls and boys. All pupils move to the next class automatically at the end of the year.
At the age of 14 or 15 pupils begin to choose their exam subjects. In 1988 a new public examination — the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) — was introduced for 16 year-olds. This examination assesses pupils on the work they do in the 4th and 5th year at secondary school. For University entrance pupils have to take «A» Level (Advanced Level) GCE exam.
Many people decide to leave school at the age of 16 and go to a Further Education (FE) College for practical vocational training, for example in engineering, typing, cooking or hairdressing.
Education in Japan
The # 1 concern for anyone in Japan is education. Most mothers don't work outside the home, especially when their children are small. Their major profession is mothering, and the Japanese mothers are said to be an agent of the educational system, which would not work without her. These women have a curriculum for their kids, and they are very inventive about it, with games and songs, exercise and dancing. Fathers are not much involved, and they are usually with the kids only on Sunday. So their nickname for father is the Sunday friend.
When you walk into a Japanese elementary school classroom you discover that it is very, very noisy. Kids are jumping all around and calling out answers to questions. Japanese teachers are relaxed, not trying to control the classroom. The kids are so involved that the teacher often says that the noise level is the measure of her ability to motivate them.
Another important principle of Japanese education is that all kids are innately equal and therefore they are all treated the same. The Japanese are sure that what matters is effort. Children are taught to think of themselves as members of a group. The school is a society with its own ways of doing things. And the most important goal for teachers is to give children the confidence of membership. Children learn about social relationships. In the first grade, before doing anything academic, the teacher spends the first part of the year getting the children socialized to the ways of the school and the habits of working together in groups.
In grade school, it is common to divide the group into smaller groups of five or six kids each. Tasks are assigned to these groups rather than to individuals. The small group leader is like a kid teacher who helps bring up the slow students. The system works because it takes the pressure off the individual. She/he stands or falls with the group. It's just like the work teams that are established in the workplace. These teams support individuals and allow people to be creative within the group.
All junior high school kids learn to play two musical instruments. The Japanese believe that creativity comes after mastery, and mastery is what the schools can offer.
Exams – How to Deal with Anxiety
Many students have stress, worries and anxieties when thinking about or taking an exam. You should start with attending all of your classes; you will already be partially prepared because of your attendance in the classroom. Complete all of your assignments, these assignments are for your continued understanding of the materials and will aid you in your realizing that the subject is comprehendible by you. Once you have mastered the basics in the classroom and material understanding the rest will come easily. There will never be a guarantee by anyone that you will do well on an exam no matter how much you should study, but in understanding the materials you should feel confident enough to take the exam.
Avoidance of stress in your life should be another top priority as your exam time approaches. Keep regular hours; your body will notice a difference and your mind will be tired if you don’t keep regular sleeping habits. This theory also applies to the all-nighters that some students pull. Studying away all-night to complete or cram for a test will deplete your mind and body of you balance until you get the rest you need. Start studying for a test at least two weeks before the exam; giving your self-breaks between studying will help you retain more knowledge. Eating from a regular diet also helps you build concentration and the feeling of self-confidence. If you are eating straight chocolate and chips for a week your body will feel depleted of nutrients needed to keep you motivated.
Keeping your body and mind in tune with your on going classes and studying needs will give you extra motivation needed to conquer an exam. As you prepare to head to class to take the actual exam, make sure you have all of the needed supplies – pens, paper, calculator, and eraser – anything that keeps you in control. Being afraid of the exam or test, it is a normal feeling that many students have and face everyday. You will find that some students need to crack jokes before a test, have a quick jog, or even some may need to take a nap before a big exam to feel relaxed and in control of their feelings as they approach the testing time.
Foreign Languages in the Life of an Educated Person
Today it is quite evident that everyone should know at least one foreign language.
Knowing one or more foreign languages makes it possible to get acquainted with different ways of thinking, to understand a new civilization. Learning a foreign language stimulates mental abilities and gives you a chance to appreciate a new literature, a different culture and to broaden your horizons.
Besides, knowing foreign languages has a practical value. It makes it easier to choose a profession and provides job promotion. It helps to improve the quality of your work, because it reduces the time lost on obtaining the necessary information. At present many professions, such as a pilot, a doctor, an engineer, a cosmonaut and many others, require a working knowledge of at least one foreign language.
People all over the world speak almost 3,000 languages. Some languages are spoken by millions of people, others by only hundreds of them. The most wide-spread language in the world is Chinese. 350 million people speak English as their first language. About the same number use it as a second language. Russian is also one of the most prevalent, expressive and rich languages in the world. 240 million people speak Russian nowadays.