How Ukrainian and American schools differ

The first very noticeable difference is that American students do not change their shoes before entering the building, and many schools have individual lockers for the students, not communal cloakrooms. Before classes start, most American students go to the so-called "home room" with a home room teacher who takes attendance and makes announcements, but after that students are on their own. This means that you may attend history with one friend and maths with another, but in secondary schools they do not travel in groups the way Ukrainian students do.

The grading system is also quite different. American students are graded either by numbers (1 —100) or letters (A—D and F). In general, if a student gets above 85, it is a good mark, and anything in the 90's is considered very good to excellent. But if a student gets an F, 65 or below, it is a failing mark and he must retake the class.

They also have more written tests and almost nearly no oral ones. They take written tests after every few chapters in a course, about one test every six weeks, with a mid-term exam after half the course is completed, and a final exam at the end, for every class. When a teacher gives a test in America, there is absolute silence; if you speak to a classmate, your test will be discarded or you will receive a failing mark. At the end of a course, the teacher adds up each mark and then finds an average, so the marks are simply a mathematician equation. Of course, teachers may give consideration to students' participation in class and their homework, but as a rule, your grade in the class is the average of how well you do on your exams.

Another important difference is that your grades are strictly between you and your teacher. You may, of course, tell the entire class your mark, but your teacher will not announce it. He usually hands back tests one by one, directly to the students, facing downwards, for privacy reason you or the teacher wish to discuss the mark, you may do so after class.

Most American school days last from 8 am to 3 pm. Students tend to have seven classes a day, which includes a full class period, lunch break, and five- to ten-minute breaks between classes.

An interesting difference about the subjects is that Ukrainian students study biology, chemistry, and physics all in the same year over a course of several years. In the United States students first take an entire course of biology, 55 minutes a day, five days а week and then the following year they will take chemistry and physics.

Vocabulary:

Questions:  

1. Speak about the differences between Ukrainian and American schools. Use the following plan to help you:

- before the lessons start

- grading the students

- writing tests

- subjects

You may include the additional information.

2. What do you like/dislike about schools in Ukraine/the US?