英语(英美国家文化)论文

姓名：陈策 专业：金融学 学号：1207534093 电话：18322716270

American Education

Americans are proud of the fact that the window of knowledge is never slammed shut for any of the nation’s citizens. Children are allowed to attend classes with kids of various races, schools have equal opportunities for both males and females, and for children with disabilities or handicaps. Now each and every student can get an equal chance to be educated. American public schools have four basic characteristics in common: they are locally controlled, free from religious influence, coeducational, and publicly supported by taxes

Early Childhood Education: In most areas, free public school education begins with kindergarten classes for five-year-olds. Some public school systems also offer pre-kindergarten programs for four-year-olds. Some are introduced to the classroom situation at a much younger age, either through nursery schools or day care centers. Some communities have pre-and post- school programs for school-age children whose mothers leave for work before school begins and come home after school lets out.

Primary and Secondary Schools: In the United States, classes of students are divided into twelve academic levels called grades. One academic year is required to complete each grade. The child enters the first grade, at about age six, to do some academic work (learning to read, write, and do arithmetic). The first academic

institution that a child attends is called grammar school or elementary school. In some school systems, elementary school includes grades one through eight. The next four years are called high school. In other school systems, there are three divisions:

elementary school (grades one through six), junior high school (grades seven through mine), and senior high schools (grades ten through twelve).

High School: students meet a different teacher and a different group of students for each subject. The high school student’s day may be divided into nine periods: five for academic subjects, one session for physical education, a lunch period, and two study periods (visiting the library or participating in an extracurricular activity). At the stage of elementary education, the teachers have for a long time accepted the idea that

the important thing is to make the children happy and interested. Schools in the

United States have always stressed character training or social skills training through extracurricular activities. School and home are closely linked, and there is, ideally at least, a sense of partnership between teachers and parents.

Higher Education: American education on the college level is provided by more than 3000 institutions. Some of them are supported privately and some by local and state government. Most are coeducational. Since World War Ⅱ, one of the most dramatic developments in higher education has been the enormous increase in the number of students. This expansion reflects the nation’s population explosion as well as a trend toward democratizing higher education.

Degrees: After completing four academic years with acceptable grades in an approved course of study, the student earns Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. A master’s degree can be earned by one or two academic years of study beyond the bachelor’s degree. A ph.D.degree usually takes at least years beyond the master’s. About one-fifth of college graduates continue with studies for masters’ or doctors’ degrees in their own major subjects or professional qualifications in law, medicine, business, etc. in graduate professional schools.

As far as I’m concerned, American education system is better than any other countries’ in the world. It provide more opportunities for students to go to further education. Even so, it also has some shortcomings, but it is improving and will be better and better.