The school system in the United States seems familiar until you start to look at the details – then everything becomes not so obvious.
Where did 12 years of study come from?
This idea arose during the Great Depression: then it was decided that children would study longer - 12 years instead of the usual 8. It seemed that this would solve the problem: teenagers would not compete with adults in the labor market. A strange decision? Perhaps, but it worked!
When does the school year start?
It is difficult to say for sure, there is no single date in the United States. It all depends on the state: somewhere children return to classes in July, somewhere in August, and sometimes the school year begins only in September. The main rule is that there should be at least 180 school days in total.
Go to school from the age of 5? Yes, and sometimes even earlier!
By the age of 5, the child already goes to the "zero" grade, and in some places children are accepted even earlier, to classes for toddlers of 3-4 years old. During the time of studying in US schools, a child will almost certainly have time to change three educational institutions: after primary school, there is a secondary school, and then a high school, and all these are different schools, often different buildings.
School freedom: what to study?
In addition to the five compulsory disciplines (mathematics, English, natural sciences, social studies and physical education), students choose additional subjects themselves, each makes their own schedule, and it can be completely different for two students in the same class. Because of this, the concept of "classmates" is basically blurred here.
Oath to the flag - every morning
The school day often begins with an oath of allegiance to the national flag, and it is pronounced on the school radio. There are exceptions, but not many: in some states, the oath is taken once a week or once a month, and in Texas, for example, they add an oath of respect to the state flag.
Pencil vs Pen
In the first years of school, children write exclusively with a pencil, a pen is given in their hands only from the third grade. Why? A pencil allows you to make mistakes and easily correct what you have written! This way there is less stress. And somewhere they decided to abandon writing altogether: in three states, instead of penmanship lessons, they teach you to type text on the keyboard (but we don't think this is a good idea).
No changes, but with lunch
No breaks between lessons! High school students get only 3 minutes to move from one room to another. The exception is a long lunch break (20-30 minutes on average).
Sport is not just a circle
There are sports teams in every school, and competitions between educational institutions are an event. It is difficult to get into the team: you need not only sports talent, but also good grades. Sport here is also a chance to get into a prestigious college, to get a scholarship that will give you a chance for a good education.
There are enough names, but surnames are superfluous
Teachers address children only by their first names, and if there are several people in the class with the same name, they add the first letter of the surname. Surprisingly, but true: schoolchildren can study together for years and never learn the names of their classmates!
Homeschooling is a popular alternative
About 2 million children in the United States do not go to school at all - they are taught by parents or guest teachers, and children periodically take exams to test their knowledge.
You can leave school at the age of 16
Yes, it is legal. Secondary education in the United States is optional: every year about 6.6% of adolescents (about 3 million) leave school without receiving a certificate.
