On the other hand, the same word "normal" also suggests to us a particularly satisfactory state of affairs. When the doctor assures us we are in normal health, he means that our minds and bodies are free from illness and functioning well. If we were "abnormal", we should be worried. In this sense, we use the word normal to sum up a rather admirable set of conditions: it is "normal" to be above average in health, to have sound common sense and reliable opinions. We would expect the normal person to act with careful thought and consideration, and not to make silly mistakes. We are now generalizing from our own limited experience and ideas to form a picture of what is the right and proper behaviour in our particular part of the world.
Back to School: The First Day of Classes
Most college students tend to share similar feelings of anxiety mixed with hope towards their . Everyone... even the worst of students... tends to enter "" mode with a genuine sense of motivation. Many of us become ironically eager to purchase new textbooks, to see new teachers, and to adjust to a new schedule. We even convince ourselves that we are going to excel this semester... that we are going to live up to our "full potential" and score perfect marks even if we've never come close to doing so in the past! What could possibly go wrong?
What usually goes wrong is poor planning. Overly-creative, highly intelligent students begin each semester with genuine hope and personal promise but typically end the semester with a sense of underachievement and dissolution that had begun to set in even before mid-terms. How can a student avoid this? Break each semester down into little, sub-goals first. You wouldn't leap up an entire flight of stairs...you'd walk them each one at a time. The same principle applies here: Don't even look at the first quiz or test yet... it's probably still a long way off in the grand scheme of the academic term. Look at the FIRST lesson to be taught. Worry about how to excel at THAT lesson and ONLY at that lesson. Don't think of the mid-term or any other assessment yet to come. Concentrate only on what is to be expected of you in the very next class and focus all of your time and energy on achieving a mastery over that one subtopic. Do this for each class and when it finally does become time for an examination-- you'll hardly need to study... you'll only need to "review." The secret is truly in the psychology and it's far easier said than done... We challenge you to make it happen this year!!!
Education in Belarus
Scientific and intellectual potential is the main strategic resource of Belarus. In 1950s Belarus became the country of universal literacy. In 1989, according to the results of the census, 899 people per each thousand engaged in the national economy had higher and secondary education; 144 people among them were the graduates from the higher educational establishments. Thus, we can say that Belarus had a developed system of education. It embraced 11,000 educational establishments; 430,000 teachers worked there; 33 per cent of population attended different forms of classes.
Nowadays the number of students attending different educational establishments has not changed. The republic guarantees its citizens the right to universal secondary education and creates means for further professional education. It tries to preserve the democratic character of education, paying much attention to common human values, developing independent critical thinking instead of simple perception of information.
The republic is reforming its system of education today with the aim of creating an independent, qualitatively new national school, corresponding to international standards and ensuring each citizen the right to the high-quality education according to his abilities and inclinations.
The reform envisages a continuity of study at all stages, such as pre-school, secondary school, vocational training and specialized secondary school, and at the higher school level. It gives teachers and students freedom in the choice of educational forms and methods, while the results must correspond to the state educational standards.
The main principles of the educational system in Belarus are the priority of human values, national culture as the basis of education, humanism, sense of ecological purpose, scientific basis, democracy, and support of gifted children and so on.
In the period from 1996 till 2010 the reform envisages:
1. 12-year secondary school. Academic education in the 11—12th forms according to the main trends of the higher education: humane, natural, aesthetic and technological.
2. Primary vocational training at vocational schools.
3. Secondary vocational training at secondary specialized schools and colleges.
4. Higher education at two levels: the first level for those seeking a bachelor's degree (4—5 years) and the second level to obtain a master's degree (5—6 years).
5. Possibility for masters to obtain doctoral degree.
There have been changes in the organization of education itself. New types of educational establishments have appeared: gymnasia, lyceum, experimental school, college. There appeared non-state-owned schools of various kinds, private kindergartens, schools at home, and commercial institutes. So, it stimulates effectiveness of education, creates non-idealistic attitude to society on students' part.
Education in Britain and America
British Schools
All British children must stay at school from the age of 5 until they are 16. Many of them stay longer and take final examinations when they are 17 or 18. Before 1965 all children of state schools had to go through special intelligence tests. There were different types of state secondary schools and at the age of 11 children went to different schools in accordance with the results of the tests.
State schools are divided into the following types:
Grammar schools. Children who go to grammar schools are usually those who show a preference for academic subjects, although many grammar schools now also have some technical courses.
Technical schools. Some children go to technical schools. Most courses there are either commercial or technical.
Modern Schools. Boys and girls who are interested in working with their hands and learning in a practical way can go to a technical school and learn some trade.
Comprehensive schools. These schools usually combine all types of secondary education. They have physics, chemistry, biology laboratories, machine workshops for metal and woodwork and also -geography, history and art departments, commercial and domestic courses.
There are also many schools which the State does not control. They are private schools. They charge fees for educating children, and many of them are boarding schools, at which pupils live during the term time.
After leaving school many young people go to colleges of further education. Those who become students at Colleges of Technology (called «Techs») come from different schools at different ages between 15 and 17. The lectures at such colleges, each an hour long, start at 9.15 in the morning and end at 4.45 in the afternoon.
The organization of state schooling is not as centralized as in most European countries. Firstly, there is no prescribed curriculum. Secondly, the types of school available and the age ranges for which they cater vary in different parts of the country. In each area Local Education Authority is responsible for education. At any publicly-maintained school no tuition fees are payable. State schooling in the United Kingdom is financed partly by the Government and partly by local rates.