Education

5. Education

1. Let’s talk about education. What can you tell me about your school?

 Education plays a very important role in our life. It is one of the most valuable possessions a man can get in his life. We get our knowledge of this world and life through education. Many famous discoveries would have been impossible if people were not interested in learning something. Education develops different sides of human personality, reveals his abilities. Besides, it helps a person to understand himself, to choose the right way in this world.  During all the periods of human history education ranked high among people. Human progress mostly depended upon well-educated people.

 Self-education is very important for the development of human’s talents. Only through self-education a person can become a harmonically developed personality. A person becomes a highly qualified specialist after getting some special education. And professionalism can be reached only through it. Even highly qualified specialists from time to time attend refresher courses to refresh their knowledge.

The civilized state differs from others in the fact that it pays much attention to the educational policy. John Kennedy said: “Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education”. But it doesn’t concern only one particular nation. We know that science and art belong to the whole world. Before them the barriers of nationality disappear. So education brings people closer to each other, helps them to understand each other better.

My school is an ordinary building in a new residential area, a 3-storied building with a spacious gym. Of course there is a lot to be improved. For example our canteen could be more pleasant in its design. Also I’d like to have a bigger library with a reading hall. But in spite of all I love my Gymnasium and I’m proud of it.

Most of our classrooms are quite good, light and spacious. When you enter this or that classroom you understand what subject is taught here as you see special devices or equipment in every room.

At school we work at many things like physical development, emotions, relationships, and which is the most important we get knowledge. Various subjects are studied at our gymnasium: History, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English, Belarusian, Russian, Literature, Geography, Astronomy, Drawing and Singing. So we have a great variety of things to choose for our future interest in our professional life. As for me I’m fond of … I work hard so as to gain appropriate knowledge and to pass my future exams successfully.

School provides children not only with knowledge. It’s also a place where children spend their free time. There are many amateur groups or circles and sport sections in my school. Special teachers help children to develop their creative abilities either in sport sections, a school choir or theatre, or to improve English after classes. Ecology and tourism are also very popular today. So, schoolchildren can also be engaged in these activities.

School is our second home. No one can ever forget it.

2. Do you agree that Belarusian secondary school provides a person with good knowledge? Why (not)?

Generally speaking, I should say that children have got good opportunities to get good knowledge. Scientific and intellectual potential is the main strategic resource of Belarus. The republic guarantees its citizens the right to universal secondary education and creates means for further professional education. It tries to pay much attention to common human values, developing independent critical thinking instead of simple perception of information.

 Our system of education has been reforming for many years probably because the aim of the reform is rather global: to create an independent, qualitatively new national school corresponding to international standards and ensuring each citizen the right to the high-quality education according to his or her abilities and inclinations. 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, support of gifted children and others.

3.      Ask me whether I liked school when I was a pupil.

       Did you like your school when you were a pupil?

     What was your favourite subject?

     Did you have classes on Saturday?

     How much time did it take you to do your homework?

4.    What ideas from Belarusian school can you advise a teacher from Great Britain to use in British school?

I don’t think it’s a good idea to be intrusive (навязчивый). First of all, I’m not a professional person in the sphere of education. Secondly, it would be more reasonable to have some kind of experience of real British education. And only then, if I were asked, I would be able to suggest something.

5.      Today some young people think that having a good education is not very important. Do you agree with them?

It all depends on many things. Those people who think that having a good education is not very important, have their own plans. Some girls want to be good mothers and have big families. Other people think that manual professions do not need good education. In this case they are mistaken. To my mind all professions need special education. Nowadays only highly qualified workers can deal with rather sophisticated equipment and computers.