I have visited three schools during my first week in India. Naturally, there are differences. The most striking is the difference in the approach to assessment and curriculum. While in the United States, curriculum is a rather local decision, as is assessment, in India these decisions are tightly controlled by centralized authority. Each of the 50 states in the US can determine curriculum and assessment to some level, while the 29 states of India follow the same curriculum. Where the US finds various options for textbooks, the textbooks in India strictly mirror the curriculum necessary for the Grade 10 board exams.
However, there are far more commonalities than differences. I am struck by just how similar the experiences of students are throughout both systems. My colleagues rarely refer to our students as "students", but rather as "our kids." Teachers in India use the same phrase, a sign that we are not merely there to teach our students, but to care for them as we would our own children.
From the student perspective, I have witnessed the full gamut of participation, from the overachievers who can answer every question to those who might struggle to pay attention during their Friday lesson. Walking through my host school, SAI International School in Bhubaneswar, I noticed bulletin boards dedicated to soccer stars and students excited to practice instruments, participate in modern dance classes, and show off their school to visitors.
However, there are far more commonalities than differences. I am struck by just how similar the experiences of students are throughout both systems. My colleagues rarely refer to our students as "students", but rather as "our kids." Teachers in India use the same phrase, a sign that we are not merely there to teach our students, but to care for them as we would our own children.
From the student perspective, I have witnessed the full gamut of participation, from the overachievers who can answer every question to those who might struggle to pay attention during their Friday lesson. Walking through my host school, SAI International School in Bhubaneswar, I noticed bulletin boards dedicated to soccer stars and students excited to practice instruments, participate in modern dance classes, and show off their school to visitors.