Comparing US and European School Systems
By Rachel Berry
While many Miami students are packing for home, finishing up for the semester, and preparing for summer, a group of about 20 students will be on their way to Europe for two weeks of educational observations.
The Comparing US and American School Systems program begins mid-May and lasts for two weeks in Europe, but the final research paper isn’t due until the students return to the United States. The timing of the program leaves the rest of the summer for students to complete internships or jobs.
Students earn credit for the education capstone course EDT 455 and have the opportunity to observe classrooms in Luxembourg and Austria, which they are assigned to based on their area of study. For example, early childhood education majors would be observing elementary school classes, while math education majors would be placed in math classrooms. Most of the time, Miami students are placed in classes with other students from the program.
The group is mainly made of education majors, who are able to compare the school systems in Europe and America. European school systems are typically based on a track system, so students on the higher track are bound for college, while those on a lower track attend trade school.
Miami students visit some of these trade schools as well, which are focused on careers such as construction or hospitality and serve as an alternative to high school.
The group usually spends the morning in classrooms, and the rest of the day they visit heritage and cultural sites. The professors, Jim Shiveley and Tom Misco, are both knowledgeable about history and give the students tours to explain the importance of historical sites.
On weekends and when not observing classes, students will travel to various countries across Europe — such as Switzerland, Germany, or France — where students do more sightseeing and are given the opportunity to explore on their own.
“I would 100 percent recommend the trip to anyone who’s an education major and honestly anyone that’s not. I think it was a great way to dip your toe into being abroad especially if going abroad for a whole semester is really intimidating to you,” said Lauren Tjaden, a former participant on the program.
Are you interested in the Comparing US and European School Systems program?
Lauren Tjaden
Cassie CampbellLauren
Lauren Tjaden
Year
Senior
Major
AYA Integrated English Language Arts Education
Minor
Literature
Why did you choose this program?
When I chose Miami, I loved all their study abroad programs, and I knew I wanted to be a teacher, so I loved the education programs. I realized when I got here that it was going to be hard for me to take a whole semester to go abroad, and so when I found out about that trip that was only two weeks my freshman year, I was like ‘I have to do this.’ It fit into my schedule perfectly because I was still home in time for my summer job.
How did the program change your perspective on your major or career plans?
I wrote my final paper on comparing accommodations and inclusivity because a lot of schools in Europe because of the way that they’re tracked, don’t have as many accommodations for that highest level of learning because if you don’t succeed then you just get bumped down a track … Seeing the accommodations when I was doing my research and looking at what’s in place in schools and who legislation is around, it really made me consider getting my masters degree and either becoming an intervention specialist or going into policy [instead of teaching].
Miami has so many options for study abroad, so find the one that works for you. Find the one that works for your schedule, and do the one that you are interested in whether it connects to your major or not.
Cassie
Cassie Campbell
Year
Senior
Majors
Integrated Mathematics Education and Mathematics
Why did you choose this program?
I knew I wanted to go somewhere where I was going to be able to hit the most possible countries, so I was really looking for something in Europe ... I really didn’t want a full semester. I was really looking for something that would check all my boxes, and this was the program that did that for me.
How did the program change your perspective on your major or career plans?
In Europe there is more exploratory learning. In the US we have a lot of learned helplessness surrounding all subjects but I think, in particular, math … This program really pushed me to think about ‘am I challenging my students in my classroom’ in the US and applying what I saw in Europe.
A global perspective makes you better as a teacher, better as a person and just a better global citizen, so I think being aware of what’s going on in the world outside the United States in education and in general is really important.