Education Systems Beyond Border: History

In the history of school education in Western Europe and the United States there are many periods of interest for modern Russian education.

Education systems in Western Europe and the United States were formed under the influence of powerful discoveries in natural science at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, including in the psychology of the child. At that time, reformist pedagogy was born, many ideas of which are relevant and in demand today.

The Italian physician Maria Montessori proposed the formula of "on the basis of the child". The Swedish writer E.Kay substantiated the method of natural consequences - the creation of exercises for the development of the child's natural forces. American educator John Dewey became the founder of the method of projects and pedagogy, focused on practical life skills.

During this period, new models of the school were actively developed: the "School of Action" of Augustus Wilhelm Lai in Germany, the "School of Life Through Life" O. Decroli in France. There were international pedagogical organizations and movements proclaiming free, nature-friendly upbringing and education. In the first place - the cognitive interests of students, taking into account individuality, stimulating activity.

The traditional class-lesson system was criticized because of strict regulation of the learning process and limitations in the child's actions.

"Reformed" pedagogy gave impetus to the revision of traditional education systems in Europe and the United States. In the 40-60s of the XX century, significant school reforms of the education system began. At the heart of the transformation was the desire to train initiative, independent, creative people, able to work at the level of advanced technologies. Another direction of reforms is the creation of a multivariate general education.

The reform of the American education system in 1961 advanced the principles of the obligatory "Five Bases": English language and literature, mathematics, natural science, social sciences, computer technology. The remaining subjects are courses of choice, of which there were about a thousand.

The educational system in Germany also took the form of "basic subjects plus elective courses", and also introduced new profile areas - technical, agricultural, technical and technological, music, and municipal services.

In England, such transformations affected public schools. The education system looked something like this: 50% of the study time was devoted to English and literature, mathematics, religion, physical education; 50% - packages of compulsory subjects by choice - humanitarian, natural science, mathematical.

The US education system was also reformed in the direction of working with gifted children at the level of state programs. There were "superstages" for gifted children under five. The schools selected talented children (the main criterion - the ability to think outside the box) and tested. About 35 thousand gifted students received benefits for admission to the best universities in the country. For the preparation of future students, government programs "Start" and "Sesame" were created, in which pre-school children's activities were organized, and 130 educational TV programs for preschool children appeared.

In the 60-80s of the 20th century, experimental schools influenced foreign educational systems, which tested new methods of teaching.

"Open School" was a full-time institution: in the first half - lessons, in the second half - group classes (theater, sightseeing, drawing, walking).

"School without walls" helped to reduce the filling of classes without additional costs and to increase interest in the learning process. Basic subjects were studied at school, and elective courses were held at industrial enterprises, offices, etc.

"Alternative School" in the US served as an opposition to the class-lesson system - each student has an individual training plan; Classes in scientific centers, libraries, museums; Involving parents in the learning process.

Undoubtedly, educational systems abroad developed in the humanistic direction, focused on the personal development of children, and also widely introduced profile training and specialization.