The length of compulsory education in the United States is 13 years, including L-year kindergarten, 6-year primary school, 2-year junior high school (grades 7 and 8) and 4-year senior high school (grades 9- 12). We visited two schools, Arizona Junior High School and John North High School. We have seen a lot and heard a lot. After summing up, we have the following thoughts.
First, running a school is "rich but not extravagant".
The school buildings of the two schools are warehouse bungalows, with no two-story buildings and no tall school gates. The place where we were received was also very casual. Arizona junior high school is in the reading room, and North Middle School is in the principal's office. It is said that we are the first educational delegation from China. There is no VIP room reception in the two schools, and the whole reception process is frugal and enthusiastic.
Arizona junior high school has 1200 students. Although the school has 34 classrooms, due to the implementation of small class teaching, it can't accommodate so many students, so we can only cancel winter and summer vacations and weekends. The school is divided into four groups, each with 300 people. They attend classes for two months, take leave 1 month, and go to school by turns. Teachers and students rest together, and the principal has no holidays. John North Senior High School was founded in 1964, covering an area of 44 mu (1 mu =6 mu), with 55 classrooms and 13 mobile classrooms (recovered by the government after the peak enrollment period), including theater, arena, swimming pool, gym, instrumental room, typing room, science room and technology room. In addition, there are as many as 26 telephone numbers open to the public. 19971October registered 2,458 students, full-time teachers1kloc-0/person, and teachers' salaries were calculated at1October, with 28,000 yuan for junior teachers, 42,000 yuan for intermediate teachers and 54,000 yuan for senior teachers. The salary of school leaders is even higher. The salaries of teachers and administrators account for about 50% of the budget. The total annual expenditure of the community where North High School is located is $654.38+$50 million, including 3% of the school lottery income. North High School spends an average of $4,500 a year, and the special financial allocation is $654.38+600,000, which is used for the improvement of school equipment, the training of teachers and library staff, and various activities of students. School education funds mainly come from taxes of governments at all levels, of which state governments account for 45% and local governments account for 55%. American middle school students' textbooks are free, and some poor students' meals are also free. The principals of these two schools said that their financial power is limited and the school funds are not plentiful. Of course, they have no responsibility to generate income.
Two, the community education advisory committee has great power and responsibility.
Arizona junior high school and northern high school belong to ALV0RD and R 1VERS 1DE communities. An education advisory committee is established in the community, which consists of inspectors, parents of students, employers, experts and scholars, and the principal is appointed by the community education advisory committee. The school work is supervised and led by the Community Education Advisory Committee. Americans believe that the community is a unified school management area. The community education advisory committee has the responsibility to develop local educational resources and provide them for schools to enjoy, such as using social facilities, hiring experts and scholars to give lectures, recruiting teachers and supplementing teaching staff. In addition to more than 850 full-time teachers, there are 625 substitute teachers in ALV0RD community. In addition, the community education advisory committee also has the function of social education and even family education. On the reverse side of Nancy's business card, ALV0RD community inspector, has three inscriptions on "How to help children": committed to speaking for children and maintaining a positive political attitude. R 1VERSIDE community specially printed a booklet entitled "Homework Arrangement Policy and Prospect Hope", which was distributed to parents of students in this community from kindergarten to 12 grade. It includes not only the principles and purposes of homework assignment, but also the responsibilities and tasks of students and the guiding principles for completing homework. It also provides five operable methods for parents, namely: listening to children telling stories; Provide time, place and materials for children's homework, and limit the time for children to watch TV; Check the completion of the work; Let children only do their own homework; How to contact the teacher and so on.
Third, the curriculum-centered organization of teaching activities
American middle schools, like universities, implement the credit system. North High School stipulates that anyone who has completed 2 15 credits can graduate from high school. Among them, compulsory course 145 credits and elective course 70 credits. Students can also get 40 credits by participating in extracurricular activity groups. Of course, students who participate in extracurricular activities groups must be qualified in their academic performance (above the average level of C). 6 compulsory courses: English, 40 credits; Natural science, 30 credits; Social science, mathematics, physical education, 20 points each; Art or foreign language optional, 10, health 5. Students can successfully pass the ability tests of reading, writing and mathematical methods, as well as the training of employment skills, thus obtaining elective credits. In order to avoid loose front and tight back, North Senior High School also stipulates that all grades must get corresponding credits, such as: at least 5O credits for entering 10 grade,1/grade 105 credit, 12. At the same time, it is stipulated that the study of any course shall not be interrupted halfway, and those who fail to reach the required credits shall be repeated.
The credit system leads to the placement of classes according to disciplines. Classes in northern high schools are named after language and literature classes, mathematics classes, natural science classes, social science classes and foreign language classes, with 32-33 students in each class. If you change shifts, you have to go through the prescribed procedures. The United States is an immigrant country, and Riverside City is only 200 kilometers away from the Mexican border. High school students in North China have different skin colors and come from different countries. Among them, Hispanic students account for 4 1%, black students account for 14%, Asian students account for 5%, white students account for 38%, and others account for 2%. There are many foreign languages, including French, German, contemporary Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Spanish and Chinese.
The credit system promotes the examination system to meet the needs of students. Although we visited the North High School in summer, the school has arranged the examination plans for all subjects from1September 1998 to1June 1999. We can see that listening is the main test of Chinese subjects, and the difficulty is far lower than that of English courses in China.
There is no baton in the American college entrance examination, and students have no pressure for the college entrance examination. However, the "Introduction to 1997-98" of Beigao revealed the quality of their school: 55% of high school graduates are college students, 20% of whom are undergraduates and 35% are two-year junior college students. 1995-96 national SAT test scores, 196 students participated in northern high schools, and their Chinese and math scores gradually fell below the community, state and national average.
Fourth, take special measures to meet the learning requirements of different types of students.
At home, we already know that some primary and middle school students in the United States have a low level of Chinese mathematics and have difficulty in reading and writing, and calculation cannot be separated from calculators. Seeing is believing. This time in America. The two schools we visited have special classes for learning disabilities, which are mixed classes, specially accommodating students with poor IQ who can't keep up with work in all grades, equipped with special teachers and classrooms, and stipulated the most basic learning content to make them learn and progress.
According to American law, teenagers under the age of 16 and 18 can't get employment unless they have a certificate of labor skills training issued by the school. Vocational education courses are offered as elective courses in northern high schools. The school provides artistic information, business marketing, environment and industrial technology, health and leisure, and government official services (that is, office automation) for students to choose at will. Students can get 10 credits after completing the required class hours and practical tasks, and at the same time get the certificate of labor skills training issued by the specialized institutions of the school.
For students with unsatisfactory academic performance but potential for academic training, North Senior High School allows them to take AVID courses, aiming at inspiring students, teaching them necessary learning skills and giving individual guidance.
For students with excellent grades, North High School allows them to study pre-university courses through AP program, encourages smart and intelligent students to exert their academic imagination, and allows students to get credits for special subjects. Graduating from high school ahead of schedule, students in grade 1 1- 12 will study "high school-university courses" directly at RCC College or UCR University.
What is worth mentioning is the International Bachelor's Degree Program (IB) implemented by North High School. Project IB was designed by Geneva International School, 1962. It is a form of high school-university course learning. High school students have passed six courses (linguistics, sociology, experimental science, mathematics, etc. According to IB regulations, he wrote 4,000-word research papers, participated in the exchange activities of a certain theoretical discipline, and obtained the IB diploma, which was recognized by the education departments of more than 40 countries. Many universities give students various honorary titles according to IB test results, so that students can complete their four-year bachelor's degree study in a relatively short time, thus reducing the cost of studying for a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science. Unfortunately, although North High School became California's No.1 19 school as early as 1987, only 10 students obtained an international bachelor's degree in 17, while 1996 had 8 students, 1995.
Five, teacher training is a major feature.
Open Beigao1998-1999 Course Catalogue, and the list goes on and on. There are general education courses and general higher education courses; There are traditional two-semester courses and summer school courses; There are compulsory courses and elective courses. Students' activity courses are varied, including pottery making, painting, calligraphy, drama literature, performance, stage management, instrumental performance, solo, trio, chorus, community organization, etc. The forms are political, communicative, academic and active. What is commendable is that North High School has compiled a North Star School newspaper by itself, which is organized by schoo 1 yearbook students. It has a lively form and fresh layout. The first issue 16 all reflects the life of our students. The P.E. teacher's office in North High School has award-winning photos of sports competitions, which makes them proud that they won the first place in the California basketball competition. Through the phenomenon, we can see the essence and the needs of students. The fruits of students' labor reflect the sparks of teachers' wisdom. Northern high schools give priority to improving the professional level of in-service teachers, and the purpose of teacher training is to continuously improve or improve teachers' teaching skills. Among the existing 10 1 full-time teachers, 46 have master's degree or equivalent, 2 have doctor's degree, and some teachers are studying for master's degree or doctor's degree. According to the regulations of the school, teachers train for 7 days every year. The main topics of 7-day on-the-job training are: diversified teaching methods, students' success strategies, making special students successful, parents' educational skills, and mastering vocational education skills to cultivate the workforce.
These two schools make special evaluations of teachers' work. The evaluation is conducted by the principal and the assistant principal. The evaluation criteria are open and objective. The evaluation rules are jointly formulated by the principal and the teachers' union. Evaluate half of the teachers every year, and the new teachers will be evaluated every year for the first two years.
Sixth, grasp the training of students' code of conduct.
The crime situation of American middle school students is world-famous. There are as many as 17 kinds of activities that students are forbidden to engage in in in northern high schools, such as harming the health of others; Carrying and selling weapons and explosives; Carrying and selling drugs; Help arrange or negotiate the sale of prohibited items; Theft, robbery, extortion; Obscene or obscene reading behavior; Engaging in separatist activities or deliberately undermining school authorities; Sexual harassment or sexual assault; Threatening junior students to commit perjury or taking revenge on their testimony; Attacking school teachers and so on. The police patrol the campus from time to time. With the increase of juvenile crime rate and the decrease of criminal age, the American public is increasingly calling for strengthening moral education. Moral education has become the basic task of public schools. According to the principals of the two schools, their basic approach is to grasp the behavior norms of students, although the emphasis is on ways and means. In view of the young age of students in grades 7-8, Arizona junior high school emphasizes the communication between teachers and parents, and students contact their parents immediately when they don't arrive at school. Every day, teachers in all subjects will reflect students' performance in class and send them to parents through the school mail bag. Give timely praise to students who have achieved good results, and the school club will issue certificates to students who have completed the tasks assigned by the teacher, all students who have attended classes, and students who have excellent learning and good moral character. Students in northern high schools have a strong sense of adulthood and a certain degree of self-control. The school has formulated a series of regulations, including anti-cheating guidelines, closed campus guidelines, dress guidelines, late absenteeism treatment guidelines, and carrying documents guidelines. In addition, Beigao has formulated regulations such as searching and confiscating, closing classrooms, suspending classes, canceling credits, and even expelling students. According to the principals of the two schools, the data comparison of the two national teacher surveys in history is more real.
1940 teachers think serious problems 1990 teachers think serious problems.
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Speech disorder, drug abuse
Noisy and drunk
Running around the hall getting pregnant
Cut off the telephone line and commit suicide.
Rape in strange clothes
Delayed robbery
Chewing gum and fighting
There are many people working with students in northern high schools, including speech experts, legal consultants, psychologists, youth service consultants, child welfare consultants, security guards and drug squad. However, students with headaches are repeatedly forbidden to play truant. The U.S. Department of Education has issued a guide to dealing with truancy. Although I have a headache, it is different from grasping, and some methods of grasping are different from ours. The statistical annual report of North High School reflects that students have been diligent in recent years. The school dropout rate is also declining, far below the national dropout rate of 4.9%. According to opinion polls, the satisfaction rate of parents in northern high schools is 95%, although the satisfaction rate of students is only 88%.
Binjiang School District affiliated to North High School once issued a notice to the whole district: In order to meet the requirements of 2 1 century, cultivate a large number of talents and promote students' all-round success, they formulated the strategy of 1 1, which was summarized into three strategic ideas after integration: focusing on cultivating children, realizing the aggregation of excellent teachers and the efforts of all staff. That's true. However, the success of school education cannot be achieved by the education system alone. The success of education is subject to the society, and there are many problems in American society, which are reflected in the crime of students playing truant in school education, with low learning enthusiasm and poor academic performance. This is only one aspect of social ills. We come into contact with the principals of American middle schools who are loyal and capable, and the teachers of American middle schools who are dedicated and diligent. In the process of social development and change, the American people will find a good solution to their own educational ills.