How well do our schools perform?

(From "Who Controls Our Schools?

American Values in Conflict" by Michael W. Kirst)

Our educational system, rooted in our history and our structure of values, has often been a source of justifiable pride. Whatever its limitations, the public educational system of the United States (including higher education) is the most egalitarian* systemin the world.

Thomas Jefferson had counted on education to develop only that "natural aristocracy" of the few whose talents justly deserved to be developed for the benefit of society. But Horace Mann and the common school advocates wanted universal education, to them education was to be the "balance wheel"** of society. Mann proclaimed in 1848: "If one class possess all the wealth and education, while the others are ignorant and poor; it matters not by what name the relation between them may be called; the latter will be the dependants and subjects of the former, but if education be equally diffused, it will draw property after it, by the strongest of all attractions, for such a thing never did happen, as that an intelligent and practical body of men should be permanently poor. Education is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance wheel of the social machinery."

The public schools were thought to by their supporters as a secure system for moderating social inequalities. The egalitarism of the American system distinguishes it from the school systems of the European countries. About 75% of our students graduate from high school, and some 44% go on to higher education. In most other Western nations, students are diverted into vocational and technical programs at age 14 or 15 and only 15 to 30% graduate from a secondary school. Considering the large percentage of teenagers the US schools enrol, the level of attainment of these students is surprisingly high. Our schools system has grown steadily more egalitarian. As recently as 1940 fewer than 50% of the pupils in this country completed high school. By 1984, the access to higher education among those least represented in the past – the minority groups – has increased. While college enrollment of white students grew slightly, the proportion of blacks in college more than doubled in the same period. In 1981 the percentage of black high school graduates who went on to college exceeded that of whites for the first time. The fact, that many of those students come from lower socioeconomic groups makes this achievement all the more remarkable. Recent sociological studies from Russia indicate that an unexpectedly high share of the places in most of its elite postsecondary institutions go to children of white-collar workers.

Lately, the headlines have warned us that our schools are not competitive with those of our economic rivals West Germany and Japan, and that current graduates of our secondary schools cannot match the records set by their predecessors. Now, when the performance of our schools is source of widespread dissatisfaction, we need to consider carefully how we measure that performance.

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* egalitarian – поборник равноправия

** "balance wheel" – баланс

Assignments:

1. Find in the text the English for:

укоренившийся, могущий быть оправданным, ограничения, рассчитывать на, на благо общества, всеобщее образование, сторонники, провозгласить, невежественный, смягчать общественные неравенства, отличать что-л. от чего-л., представленные в меньшей степени, уровень знаний, превышать, указывать, служащие, быть неконкурентоспособным, подходить (соответствовать), предшественник, измерить что-л.

2. Give the derivatives from:

just, to depend, limit, to support, universe, to attain, equal, vocation, access, to enroll, sociology, to expect, to compete, to perform, surprise.

3. Arrange A and В in pairs of synonyms:

A. limitations, advocate, high school, vocational, share, intelligent, talent, to moderate, common school, permanently, attainment. B. to mitigate, clever, professional, drawbacks, supporter, proportion, secondary school, gift, constantly, ordinary school, achievement.

4. Answer the following questions:

1) How can you characterize the system of education in the United States in general?

2) What was T. Jefferson's point of view on the aims of education?

3) What did Horace Mann proclaim in 1848?

4) How were the public schools thought of by their supporters?

5) What distinguishes the American system from the systems of the European countries?

6) Is the level of attainment of US schools high?

7) What changes took place in 1984 in the field of higher education?

8) Who composed the majority of college students in 1981? Isn't the fact remarkable?

9) What do recent sociological studies in Russia indicate?

10) What is the source of widespread dissatisfaction of the press and public?

5. Compare the concepts of education of Thomas Jefferson and Mann.

6. From Mann's quotation choose one sentence to cover the main idea of it and translate it.

7. What can you say about the state of affairs in American educational system today as it is described in the text?

SCHOOLS OF THE FUTURE

(From "How American Business and Education Can Cooperate to Save Our Schools" by Dr Marvin Cetron)

The schools that will shape our nation's future in the 21st century – are being planned today, at a time when education is again in the national spotlight. Nearly 30 reports issued by commissions and individuals have made it clear to the American people that their nation will be "at risk" unless they pay attention to their schools. During the past several years dozens of panels, commissions and other experts have made recommendations on how schools can become more effective. Continuing to improve America's schools is the key to the United States' future. Schools must make their plans for the future with an understanding of the key issues that will affect education.

A major responsibility of schools in the future will be to prepare students to enter a rapidly changing job market. American workers will need to be more highly trained than at present.

Schools will be responsible for preparing students who are adaptable, who are able to respond quickly to the changing requirements of new technologies. Schools will train both youngandadults; adult workers will need reeducation and retraining.

In the future, schools and business will need to work closely in anew business/education partnership.

Emphasis on such "traditional" academic subjects as reading, writing and mathematics will increase.

New technologies, such as computers, videodiscs and cable television will change the look of the "schoolroom." In the future, students may spend 1 or 2 days each week studying at home. Increased and well-planned use of these new learning technologies will enable machines and humans each to teach what they teach best.

Because of the additional responsibilities that will be imposed on teachers, they will archive greater status in society. In the future, they will be paid salaries that are comparable with other professionals. They will work in schools that offer continuing opportunities for professional advancement and training. As a result, education will once again attract the nation's brightest and most qualified students.

Assignment:

Read the text and say:

a) what changes the Americans are planning to introduce in their schools;

b) which of the changes you would like to introduce in our educational system.

THE ILLITERACY EPIDEMIC

In 1889, a person was judged literate if he could sign his name. In the machine economy of 1939, it meant completing the sixth grade. Today, the Information Age of computers and high technology requires a bare minimum of reading and writing skills at the high-school-graduate level.* Changes in workplace needs are so dramatic and unpredictable that people must be ready to adapt to jobs that did not even exist when they were in school.

There are 25 million Americans who cannot read or write at all. An additional 45 million are functionally illiterate without the reading and writing skills to find work – and that number is growing by more than 2 million a year.

Illiteracy is compounded by the attack on English as a national language, yet civilizations rise by literacy and a common language. Knowledge becomes accessible to all.

America, above all, drew inspiration from that ancient tradition of liberty and knowledge. Yet, curiously, we also have an anti-intellectual tradition of those who give the impression that they "know better." But in the post-industrial era, when the majority of people in the work force make a living with their minds, not their hands, it is education – more than coal or steel or even capital – that is the key to our economic future.

How can we restore America to preeminence by having the most educated work force in the world by the year 2000?

The first requirement is to organize schools that address the realities of modern life. Today, 60 per cent of women with children over the age of 3 work outside the home. Single-parent households and dual-income families* need year-round schools providing an extended school day and enriched day care to teach their children and keep them safe.

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* high school– (амер.) старшие классы средней школы

America also must fund preschools on a massive scale. A human being is capable of learning more in the earliest years than in the rest of his or her lifetime.

The second requirement is to establish performance standards. Not enough is expected academically of American students, our most successful competitors, the Japanese, have much higher levels of educational achievement because they have a longer school day and school year and because more is required of students. As a result, Japanese high-school graduates academically are equivalent to the average American starting junior year at a good college.

America must set standards for a basic academic diploma. As an incentive to school districts, the federal government should underwrite a national test that would reveal a demonstrated mastery of a core body of knowledge, including the essential documents of citizenship, history and literature and the principles of science and mathematics. Using the test would be voluntary, but Washington might encourage its use through scholastic aid to schools and students who excel.

Finally, the federal government should vastly increase its funding of research and development in education. Given the introduction of computers and computerized teaching programs, only the federal government has the resources to determine which programs would work best to maximize teaching performance.

Assignments:

1. Find in the text the English for:

грамотный, поставить свою подпись, требовать, навыки, уровень, приспособиться к, нападать на, доступный всем, черпать вдохновение из, производить впечатление, зарабатывать на жизнь, ключ к, семья без отца (или без матери), группы продленного дня, ограждать от опасностей, финансировать, стимул к, выявлять, отличаться (превосходить), сильно повысить уровень преподавания.

2. Form the derivatives from the following words:

literate, computer, require, nation, inspire, industry, economy, organize, perform, achieve, know, introduce.

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* dual-income families – семьи, в которых работают и отец, и мать

3. Answer the following questions:

1)What kind of person was considered literate in 1889?

2) What did literacy mean in 1939?

3)What kind of skills does the presentage require?

4) America drew inspiration from that ancient tradition of liberty and knowledge, didn't it?

5) What is the key to America's economic future?

6) How can they restore America by theyear 2000?