Education in Different Cultures

Learning in the United States

In typical, free-thinking style, the U.S.A. has always left the door open for people to choose their education, as long as they come out with eight years of school and can pass standard tests in the "three R's," reading, writing, and arithmetic (two of which don't start with R, but Americans love to break the rules).

Americans love to express individuality; in most public schools students are not required to wear uniforms, and modern classrooms are quite informal. Choice in Education In the U.S. most students go to public schools - paid for by public tax money. But if a student feels the public system is not right for them, there are plenty of private schools, run by churches, individuals, and private groups. Many of those schools use teaching methods that are non-traditional, allowing students to mix with other age groups or even focus on personal preferences or talents. In America, if you don't like the education your children receive at school, you can even choose to teach them at home. As long as they pass basic annual exams, anything goes! Popularity of Life-long Learning Life-long learning is popular in the U.S., where one can find courses and books on just about anything through all sorts of independent schools, community programs, colleges, and universities. The U.S. has always been a leader in distance learning or "correspondence courses," and many of these programs are now available online, through "e-learning."

"As an American, I often feel I could have learned more in school, or that teachers should have helped me find ways to use my unique abilities, but they didn't. Perhaps that's why I love to keep learning-to make my basic education better. School gave me a solid, basic, education, and had a lot of fun-high school in America can be a blast with all the sports and activities." ~ former American student

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By Randall Shirley
Contributing Writer to World Wide Learn. © 2005. All Rights Reserved.