Before deciding to send your children abroad, it is best to know the education system first. Here is a model of education in five developed countries of the world
1. China: long class hours
In the United States, the average school hour is six and a half hours per day. But preschoolers in China alone can study 8 hours a day, and by the age of 6, children still spend a few hours doing homework. “Parents in this country will do whatever they can to ensure that their only child succeeds and enters a leading university in a highly competitive society,” said Stephanie Giambruno, American television producer and mother of 4. – a resident of Beijing for four years.
“You don’t see kindergarten kids in this country playing outside because they’re home doing their homework. Even on Saturdays, they study English or another subject. “Of course, it was worth it. Chinese students aged 6 and over were able to memorize complex Chinese characters (up to 50 new characters per week), master a second language (mainly English) and learn it. more on science classes, taking three to four years in high school for biology, chemistry, and physics, when most American students only have one year for each of these subjects.
2. New Zealand: share your story
You may be wondering when it is best for your children to start using the Internet. But in New Zealand, children are encouraged to upload their work online from an early age. “Students start using the technology at age 5, draw with a simple graphics program, then dictate the caption to teachers,” says Sarah McPherson, Ed. D., head of the Department of Education Technology at New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, New York, USA, who recently visited schools in New Zealand.
“Once in third grade, they uploaded their own writings and photos.” It’s all part of the New Zealand Department of Education’s goal to create a generation of children who can express themselves and take responsibility for their learning. “Blogs are a way for them to express themselves,” says Dr. McPherson.
3. India: Academic Star
Can you imagine your children being part of a team that participates in quizzes, not football or tennis?
This is what happened in India. Charity matches, chess and of course, guess the word, drawing hundreds of spectators to watch, exemplify the country’s emphasis on creative thinking. From an early age, students are encouraged to participate in leisure activities that focus on academic rather than physical abilities.
“When you’re playing guesswork, you’re communicating non-verbally to your teammates, and they have to translate what you’re saying,” says Compton, creator of a global education documentary series including the Finnish phenomenon: Inside the World .
Most surprising school system. “It takes extraordinary creativity and problem-solving skills.” Several schools in India have also started teaching Vedic Mathematics, an ancient Hindu system of formulas known as the sutra. By applying the 16 rules to various math problems, including multiplication and division, students use these skills to face competitive tests.
4. Japan: order in the class
Surprisingly, the Japanese found that a large number of students in a class (about 28 in elementary schools, compared to 23 in the United States) made teaching more effective: when a teacher teaches a larger class, other teachers can spend their time collaborating, planning lessons and giving private lessons. as much as possible individually. “Classes in the country are more structured than in the United States and teachers have full control,” says Verna Kimura, an education consultant who has lived and taught in Japan for more than two decades. “And the kids compete at all levels and start fighting to get into their favorite kids.” The Japanese believe that good study habits at a young age create a pattern that children will continue to adopt as they age. At the age of 6 or 7, students learn to take specific tests, such as how to use the process of elimination to find the correct answer to a question.
multiple choice. “This approach may seem intense, but the atmosphere that will be created will help build combat power and accountability,” Kimura said.
5. Canada: a smooth transition
Katie York is grateful that there is a unique program for preschoolers in the province of Ontario. When he has to send his daughter, Gemma, now 6, he has four alternative, state-funded and free school systems in his city, Toronto: English, English Catholic, French-speaking and French Katorik. Parents in Ontario can also enroll their children in junior high school (JK) at age 3; they share lessons with pupils aged 4 and 5 (called TK seniors or SK). Volunteering in a classroom that is encouraged but not compulsory provides York with information on how the multi-age approach can work. For example, SK may have the ability to proliferate one by one with a session with a teacher or volunteer students from an upper class. In the meantime, JK will be working on an art project centered on the same subject. “It’s great to see all that match, and Gemma’s ability has improved between JK and SK,” York said. Parents should be given a detailed curriculum and schedule so that they can complete their children’s education at home.