Richmond Study Abroad Student Gains Valuble Educational Experience

12/10/2007

Richmond Student, Jenny Cade, Gives of Her Time and Receives Valuable Experience in Return

Richmond study abroad student, Jenny Cade, from Bozeman, Montana, has taken advantage of the many opportunities available to students, and has been volunteering at a primary school here in London. Cade has been working with 6th graders once a day, every other week. As an Elementary Education major, it has been a very beneficial experience for her to see firsthand the similarities and differences between the US and UK education systems.
Cade has observed that the number of students per classroom, the female dominated teaching staff, and the similarities in daily routines seem to be quite the same in both countries. There is also a series of tests given to the students to track the improvement of each child’s abilities as they progress through school, as well as to track the school’s performance, which is another similarity in both both educational systems.
Some of the differences that Cade has noticed includes for one example, that the teachers she is observing in the UK are given their lessons each week, whereas in the US, Cade herself is learning how to write lessons and build her own curriculum. There is also the difference in attire that students are and are not allowed to wear to school. Students in the UK, whether they attend a public or private school, must wear a uniform. Cade’s students here in the UK seemed very jealous when told that most schools in the US allow their students to wear the clothes of their choosing, within reason.
But not only did Cade learn about the UK education system, the students whom she interacted with were able to learn more about the US in return.
“When the students found out I was American their eyes got real big. I was soon swamped with many questions and curious faces. It was the first time in my life that I truly felt like a foreigner, but it was a great experience,” said Cade.
This Richmond student will now take her time in London back to the US, not only as a fond memory, but as one of the most valuable educational experiences she could ever have gained.

Link to this page: http://www.richmond.ac.uk/n/336.aspx