6 things to change in school education right now

1. General education

What, how and in what volume to teach children is dictated by the Federal State Educational Standard (FSES). Most of the programs developed on its basis boil down to the fact that children immediately study the humanities, and the exact, and natural sciences. Both parents and children are unhappy with this approach.

Irina Porokhova mother of the seventh grader

Each subject student considers his subject to be the most important and sets such a volume of homework that the child says: "I have no time to live." This does not take into account the interests and inclinations of the child. Often, no one needs all these drawings, crafts, herbariums, but children are blackmailed by their assessments.

Artyom Mokrushin 10th grade student

In my opinion, it would be better if, after the seventh-eighth grade, the students were divided into groups: physics and mathematics, humanities, chemistry-bio, jurisprudence, and so on. It is extremely difficult to cover all the material in all subjects, and this way you can succeed in what you have a predisposition to. And the country will subsequently receive many high-quality workers, which it needs. This approach already exists in some schools, but not in mine.

2. Race for performance

Rankings in the education system are becoming more and more popular. They are compiled both at the municipal and regional levels and throughout the country. School rating often becomes a decisive factor for parents when choosing an educational institution.

There are no uniform criteria for assessing the quality of a school. But they usually look at the results of students on the OGE and USE (the main and unified state exams), whether children participate in Olympiads and sports competitions, and so on.

There is nothing wrong with competition. But in the pursuit of rating, school administrators often forget about their main mission - to teach.

Georgy Porokhov 7th grade student

I don't like the fact that no one at school is interested in your opinion. Essays are written according to a generally accepted template. If you disagree, your grade will be lowered. Therefore, children do not ask unnecessary questions (why, if they still do not answer?) And do not argue. At least in essence. If only to show off.

3. Certification system

The Unified State Exam in Russia will soon celebrate its tenth anniversary. But the system has not yet been worked out. And it's not even about the leaks of assignments on the Internet and not about sudden excellent students. The format of the Unified State Exam runs counter to current educational activities.

The Ministry of Education and Science of Russia declares that "in order to obtain high marks on the Unified State Exam, it is necessary to demonstrate a high level of mastering the school curriculum." The problem is that in the process of coaching on the Unified State Exam, children do not have time for this development.

Daria Tsykina student of the 10th grade

From the seventh grade, the USE began to scare us. Even to pass the base, you need to study more than they give in the lessons. Shouldn't the state examination test what was taught in school? High school students study subjects that they will take, including with tutors, and the rest - just to somehow get an assessment.

The Ministry of Education and Science likes to emphasize that the CMM Unified State Exam (control and measuring materials, simply tasks) are not tests in their pure form. After all, there is part C. Open-type tasks, where a detailed answer is required, according to the FSES, are aimed at identifying the creative potential of children. But practice shows that this is not enough. Already now, the final essay is admission to the Unified State Exam in the Russian language. In the future - the introduction of preliminary written work in all subjects.

4. Paperwork and constant checks

Within the framework of the national project "Education", the services of electronic journals and diaries have been introduced in Russia for more than 10 years. The law does not prohibit the abandonment of paper documents, but most educational institutions continue to conduct double-entry bookkeeping. Because numerous commissions may require them.

I am annoyed by ezines and diaries. I can't see the grade until I get home and surf the Internet. Our school does not announce the grade after the student's answer. And these electronic assessments are not allowed to be corrected later.

Daria Tsykina student of the 10th grade

Programs, thematic and lesson plans, schedules, reports - this is only part of the paperwork that falls on the shoulders of an ordinary subject teacher. Class teachers and head teachers have even more red tape.

Natalia Chipysheva primary school teacher

I would like to teach children, but in fact I constantly have to fill out some papers, reports. If you don't pass it on time, the bonus is a minus, although these pieces of paper do not affect the quality of my children's education.

In addition to government supervision, parental control has interfered with teachers' work in recent years. “Proactive” moms and dads drive teachers into the grip of statutes and protocols.

Irina Pererasnova geography teacher

I like my job. I cannot complain about the "modern youth": there are, of course, individual offspring, but in general the team is manageable. It is stressful that you have to work directly with your parents and prove that you are not a camel. Now it is customary to interfere in the educational process and even sit in the classroom. The administration tries not to allow this on a large scale, but it cannot refuse. Therefore, we learn to respond in kind to phrases and articles of laws. Young teachers (22–45 years old) have already adapted, it is more difficult for the older generation.

5. Salary of teachers

According to Rosstat, the average salary of a teacher in Russia is about 33,000 rubles. But the real amounts are much less.

Teacher salaries vary from region to region and consist of a base portion and incentive payments. Increasing factors include a category, an honorary title or academic degree, work experience, classroom management, extracurricular work, and so on. They also pay extra for teaching in a village or, for example, a boarding school for orphans.

It is almost impossible for a young specialist without a category and experience to survive on a school salary. You have to earn extra money by tutoring or take on an enormous load.

To get a decent salary, teachers do everything they can. They don't have enough time to prepare for their lessons. As a result, children get bored, distracted, play on the phone, talk, and the lesson material turns into bloated homework.

Georgy Porokhov 7th grade student

Raising wages is not only a matter of social prestige and respect. The elevation of the teaching profession to the category of highly paid ones will lead to the fact that pedagogical universities will be filled with the best representatives of young people, and not with those who have not been taken anywhere else.

6. Out-of-class

Officially, the school now does not perform an educational function - only an educational one. Therefore, many educational institutions do not even try to organize children's leisure time.

Marina Oganezova, 10th grade student

At our school, I don't like organizing school events. In addition to studying, children should spend time with classmates and teachers, do some projects, contests. We don't have that. Isn't it insanity - not to let the students attend the ceremonial part of the presentation of certificates or the anniversary of the school and sit in a hall full of teachers? Or, for example, a complete ban on school discos …

Other educational institutions are trying to involve students in extracurricular life, but without a systematic approach, it also turns out badly. Both teachers and children are dissatisfied.

In general, I like the federal state educational standards. I think they are actually more in line with modern life than the traditional teaching system. I do not like the obligatory extracurricular activities, because of it, some children do not have enough time for anything at all.

Natalia Chipysheva primary school teacher

I am killed by voluntary-compulsory attendance of additional classes, circles, class hours. I have my own sections, I don't need these tea parties and concerts!

Georgy Porokhov 7th grade student

What shortcomings of the school system do you see? What does not suit you as a parent, student, or perhaps a teacher? Provide constructive criticism in the comments.