An Unfamiliar School

What would you do if you got into an unfamiliar academic environment? I had finished two years middle school education in China until my family immigrated to Chicago, and then, I completed two years high school education in United States. We moved to Chicago because my parents expected my brother and I could have a better future in United States. We have decided to plant roots in this land for our American dream. However, adapting to a new school was not that easy. I got many troubles in this unfamiliar academic environment because the differences in class systems; teaching style; and social conventions made it difficult for me to make friends.

Firstly, I found a big distinction between United States and China is their school system. On the one hand, the same level students in China always divide into several classes. Their purpose is to separate the best and better classes from the rest of the grade. Those students who were arranged in the same classroom would study together until they graduated from that school. They have to stay in the same classroom to study for all the classes also. Different teachers would come into their classroom for their classes. There is no need to change classrooms because they all have a same schedule. Students in each grade are required to take certain constant subjects in middle school and high school. On the other hand, to studying in high school in the U.S., it is a totally different situation. American students have different schedules. The courses may be chosen by students, and students from different grade level could take certain course together. No wonder I have heard that America is a free country. Now, I have right to plan my schedule. The only one thing that I hate is that students have to move over to their next classroom in five minutes in high school in the U.S. Sometimes I carried some heavy books and ran a long way to next classroom. Needless to say, I never had my locker and bathroom. Up to now, I have still confused of why they don’t give one or two more minutes for the rest time.

Secondly, the teaching methods vary greatly from China to America. Most of American teachers use computer and projector as a tool to teach. That’s a really cool way for teaching. They put all the main notes on it, and told us to write it down. On the other hand, teachers tend to review the pages quickly, so students couldn’t catch up. The teaching methods I have seen in China are teaching step by step and lead students into a deeper level. And then, they used tons of exercises, exam papers, and homework to make students stronger. This period of memory was awful for me, but it really worked for studying. I used to do homework all night so often. In contrast, homework in high schools in America as few as some warm up questions. Day by day, I became lazier than before. However, each teaching method both has their advantages and disadvantages. Learning their advantages and trying to combine them together would become my own learning method. For instance, I will ask my teacher or classmate for the notes which I missed. And then, I would study it over. After I finish my homework, I might do extra more practices questions when I have time. Anyways, I won’t let myself become lazy.

Finally, to build up a firm friendship is hard in America. I have been in Chicago for three years already, and I have made a lot of friends during these three years in high school and college. The amount is even more than all the friends that I have known in China. I found an interesting trait of friendship in America—the friendships period in school are short and frail. I think the friendships in my hometown are firm because we used several years to build up our friendship, and sometimes even more than ten years. Even though I have immigrated to America, I still keep in touch with all the friends I met in primary school and middle school. For me, the factor to form a firm friendship was based on we spent several years studying together. One the other side, the school system in America could not offer that. Of course I have met a lot of friends from different countries, and also learned a little bit different culture from them. Such often, I make a good friend during one semester, we stick together and have fun all the times. But sometimes I can’t find them when the term is over. Americans have a busy life, and they are more independent. This indicates that a firm friendship need time to build up with each other. I am glad to meet different friends, but in the depths of my heart, I pity American friendships.

All in all, every country has their own culture values, but it’s not polite for anybody to compare which one is better. I like the middle school system in China because I had enough time to dispose things during the rest time. For the teaching methods, neither China nor America is faultless. By knowing their advantages and weakness, it’s easy to find a good way for learning. Since the differences of school system and Americans’ fast life, that is difficult for me to build up a firm friendship. However, I do not regret immigrate here for my new life. Instead, I appreciate what new things happened to me. It has broadened my vision and made me know more about the world and life. I believe each country have their own exclusive culture. Even though they are not perfect, (in my view, nothing is perfect in the world.) the society and human are trying to get it better all the time.