Middle School

American students begin school at the beginning of September and drop out at either the end of May or the beginning of June. In general, Americans study almost a month less than students in most European countries.

When children move to middle school, it is assumed that they already have a basic knowledge base and have already roughly decided what direction they would like to go in the future. In middle school, each subject is taught by a different teacher. Art history, world history, technology, and optional foreign languages are added to the list of required subjects. If a student feels an aptitude for particular subjects, he/she may attend additional classes or sign up for elective lessons.

Studying at secondary school is divided into two stages, each of which lasts three years. During this period students are divided into classes, which are formed on the basis of their academic performance. Pupils with poor academic performance study the program less intensively, and more attention is paid to reinforcing the material they have learned. Better achievers study an intensive program, which gives them a better chance of entering a prestigious university in the future.

Over the past few years, the practice of dividing students by academic achievement in public schools has begun to lose its popularity. The fact is that many parents have begun to speak out against such a division. First, they believe that dividing children into classes encourages selfish behavior by some and contributes to the deterioration of the self-esteem of others. Secondly, it is believed that such a division does not bring significant benefits to learning, since the results of students in mixed and segregated classes are practically the same.