We have had several lectures on the education system in Cuba—both higher and lower education. Last week, we had the director of a regional medical clinic talk to our class about the relationship between the medical system and the education/preparation of medical personnel.
For obvious reasons, the education systems in the two countries—U.S. and Cuba—are very different. The philosophical foundations of education are diametrically opposed. The purpose of education here is to create patriotic, well-educated Cubans. And education does not mean literacy and math skills, but the complete development of the individual. Because of the system of government, the state provides the social, cultural capital that in the U.S. is dependent upon family and peers.
We went to an elementary school this week (K-6) and the differences between schools in the two countries could not have been more glaring. The schools are very spartan and sparse, with very small classrooms and about 15 to 20 in a classroom.
The children are very serious about school, even at an early age. The level of work that children do in the early grades is impressive. In a sixth-grade classroom, I watched part of a math lesson. The teacher was teaching students the properties of triangles—calculating angles, areas, etc. In general, students cover much more material in school than they do in the U.S. The middle school (grades 6-9) curriculum is comprised of Spanish, mathematics (including algebra, geometry, statistics, etc.), physical sciences (chemistry and physics), biological sciences, history (world and Cuban), civics, computers, physical education, arts, and English.
There is a very strong support system (supplied by the state) in the schools. That includes social/family and medical services. Teachers stay with the same group of students from grades 1 through 6. There are also mentors who are responsible for 10 students. Middle and high school teachers are trained for about 5 to 6 years. Most teachers begin their training in junior high school. The Cubans are obviously very invested in their education system and don’t leave much to chance.
Today, we went to a junior high school—grades 7 through 9—and it was really impressive. The Cubans regard those years as critical to the development—intellectual, physical, and moral/social/political—of the child and take great care in making sure that it is done right.
There is quite a bit of mentoring of new teachers and ongoing professional development for all teachers. Professional development focuses entirely on pedagogy and child development. Each child has exactly the same curriculum. It does not matter which school or which city or province. All students get the same curriculum no matter where they are. The Cubans have video lessons for each lesson and for each subject that is taught. These videos have been developed by master teachers and are available for teachers to watch. In some instances, the instruction may be on video. The idea is to create a strong professional culture among teachers and to reduce or eliminate variation among teachers in terms of subject matter and pedagogy. Teachers do not close their classroom door. In fact most classrooms don’t have doors. Teachers are evaluated on a monthly basis. Each teacher has a mentor who works with her/him.
Comparative Education Experience in Cuba - UC Davis School of EducationEducation.ucdavis.edu,. (2015). Comparative Education Experience in Cuba - UC Davis School of Education. Retrieved 19 April 2015, from http://education.ucdavis.edu/general-information/comparative-education-experience-cuba
For obvious reasons, the education systems in the two countries—U.S. and Cuba—are very different. The philosophical foundations of education are diametrically opposed. The purpose of education here is to create patriotic, well-educated Cubans. And education does not mean literacy and math skills, but the complete development of the individual. Because of the system of government, the state provides the social, cultural capital that in the U.S. is dependent upon family and peers.
We went to an elementary school this week (K-6) and the differences between schools in the two countries could not have been more glaring. The schools are very spartan and sparse, with very small classrooms and about 15 to 20 in a classroom.
The children are very serious about school, even at an early age. The level of work that children do in the early grades is impressive. In a sixth-grade classroom, I watched part of a math lesson. The teacher was teaching students the properties of triangles—calculating angles, areas, etc. In general, students cover much more material in school than they do in the U.S. The middle school (grades 6-9) curriculum is comprised of Spanish, mathematics (including algebra, geometry, statistics, etc.), physical sciences (chemistry and physics), biological sciences, history (world and Cuban), civics, computers, physical education, arts, and English.
There is a very strong support system (supplied by the state) in the schools. That includes social/family and medical services. Teachers stay with the same group of students from grades 1 through 6. There are also mentors who are responsible for 10 students. Middle and high school teachers are trained for about 5 to 6 years. Most teachers begin their training in junior high school. The Cubans are obviously very invested in their education system and don’t leave much to chance.
Today, we went to a junior high school—grades 7 through 9—and it was really impressive. The Cubans regard those years as critical to the development—intellectual, physical, and moral/social/political—of the child and take great care in making sure that it is done right.
There is quite a bit of mentoring of new teachers and ongoing professional development for all teachers. Professional development focuses entirely on pedagogy and child development. Each child has exactly the same curriculum. It does not matter which school or which city or province. All students get the same curriculum no matter where they are. The Cubans have video lessons for each lesson and for each subject that is taught. These videos have been developed by master teachers and are available for teachers to watch. In some instances, the instruction may be on video. The idea is to create a strong professional culture among teachers and to reduce or eliminate variation among teachers in terms of subject matter and pedagogy. Teachers do not close their classroom door. In fact most classrooms don’t have doors. Teachers are evaluated on a monthly basis. Each teacher has a mentor who works with her/him.
Comparative Education Experience in Cuba - UC Davis School of EducationEducation.ucdavis.edu,. (2015). Comparative Education Experience in Cuba - UC Davis School of Education. Retrieved 19 April 2015, from http://education.ucdavis.edu/general-information/comparative-education-experience-cuba