What does education look like? During my three weeks in India, I saw a lot of similarities between education in India and the United States. Students are students wherever they are in the world and their curiosity exists regardless of nationality. Subjects like math, science, and social studies are also pretty much universal. On the other hand, I saw a lot of things that looked very different. Class sizes of 40 to 50 were the norm and because of the climate, schools are constructed differently in India. (Cooling, not heating, is the priority.) Teachers in India also have very little discretion about what and how they teach due to end of the year tests that are of great importance for students, teachers, and schools.
While capturing education in images is difficult, I've made a mediocre attempt by gathering together a few sets of images. Below are some pictures of what education at Rutland High School looks like:
In India, I visited schools that are completely publicly funded, schools that are private schools, and schools that are financed through a combination of public funding and private tuition. Below are pictures of schools students can attend if parents can afford the tuition costs.
Finally, the following are pictures of public primary schools in India.
Is either country 'doing' education right? Has education developed, in both countries, based on their culture, history, and economy and therefore uniquely fitted to each place? Are there things to be learned from each other that can improve our respective education systems? My answers to these questions: no, probably, and yes, without a doubt.