SCHOOL……
It is December. Everybody in our school is very and very busy! Teachers have now enough subject matter to examine from and so they aren’t lazy and prepare for us one test after another. This is the most difficult thing at grammar school. To study all the time…..And how did I get there? And where can I go after it? Let’s start from the beginning…
The system of Czech education
In our country a mother gets social security benefits for her child until the child is four years old. After maternity leave she must return to her work. When she doesn’t want to be at home for such a long time she can put the child into nursery school when he or she is two years old.
When children are three years old they can be put into kindergarten. Teachers are there and look after them all the day. This is child’s first social contact with other children. They learn first common games, talk with their school mates. They can also learn English or German, first letters and maybe reading. It is necessary to develop also imagination and creativity.
Children go to primary school when they are six years old. They study basic school for nine years and then they can go to some secondary school. There is possibility to study secondary grammar school from the age of 11 but pupils must take an entrance exam (as meJ).
To finish secondary education students have to pass a school leaving examination (at the age of 19). It is from four subjects. Compulsory is Czech and one foreign language. When you pass it (you are happy peopleJ), you choose which university you want to study and you start preparation for entrance exams. After graduation from the university you can get these degrees: Bachelor (of Arts or Science), Master (of Arts or Science), MD (medical doctor) and the highest is Doctor of philosophy – PhD.
I am a student of secondary grammar school from the age of 11. I think that when children get to grammar school at this age it is good for them because for example the level of foreign languages here is better than at primary school. We learn how to study, we have general view and in addition to all also possibilities of excursions abroad.
Our school also takes annually part in exchange stays of foreign students. This year we have two guests from abroad – Katie from Texas and Liz from Australia.
Little interview with our guests from abroad
I think that exchange stays are very useful for young people. It’s very good opportunity for learning languages, for getting to know new countries and their habits and their culture and different kind of life. It is very good experience for students.
In our school we have two girls from abroad. I have asked both of them about their impressions from our country and also about their life at home.
First is Katie, girl from Texas who came to CR for ten moths. She likes reading and also sport. She is in football team at home. She thinks that Czech boys are really handsome.
Second girl’s name is Liz and she should stay here one year. She is from Australia and also likes reading, sport and she is really good at knitting. For both girls Czech language is very difficult to learn, it has horrible grammar and many exceptions. But they learn many new words every day and do big progress at it.
They like this country. Katie says that Czech nature looks like a fairy tale. Both have been in Prague and admire that beautiful place. It is so old and historical. It has special magic.
They are also happy with their guest families. They like Czech meal such as dumplings, pork and sour kraut or goulash.
And what do they say about our education? It is more stressful than in their countries because there the teacher is like a friend. In CR teachers are stricter, have big respect (of course it depends?) and students must be quiet in classroom and listen to teacher! Students have more tests and exams. They must learn more.
Katie noticed that in our country people spend more time with entertainment and having a rest. People in USA work almost all the time and their only one relaxation is shopping or watching TV. In CR she can see that people go to streets, to pubs, to dance, to listen to music, to the theatre or cinema more than people in USA.