American school uniform. School uniforms from around the world: their own style, their own traditions. School uniforms in the US are the worst

In Russia and other post-Soviet countries, there is a very ambiguous attitude towards the American system of secondary education. Some believe that it is in many ways superior to the Russian one, while others are sure that schools in the United States have many shortcomings, therefore they criticize the American grading system, the lack of a school uniform and other distinctive features.

In the US, there are no strict uniform standards for all educational institutions, and everything depends on the local government. A school in California may be different from a school in Virginia or Illinois. However, the general aspects are the same everywhere.

As for the Russian and American systems of education, quite a lot of differences can be noted between them.

American ratings

If in Russia a five-point scale (in fact, a four-point scale, since in practice a unit is usually not set) is adopted for assessing knowledge, where the highest result is “5”, then in the USA everything is somewhat different. Grades in American schools are the first letters of the Latin alphabet from "A" to "F".

The letter "A" is considered an excellent result, and the worst result, respectively, is "F". According to statistics, the majority of students have time for "B" and "C", that is, "above average" and "average".

Three more letters are also sometimes used: "P" - pass, "S" - satisfactory, "N" - "fail".

Lack of school uniform

Aside from American grades, another difference is the absence of school uniforms and any official dress code in most educational institutions.

In Russia, the first thing that comes to mind at the word “school” is the form: the traditional “black top, white bottom”, puffy bows for girls and other attributes. In the US, this is not accepted, and even on the first day of the school year, students come in whatever they want. All that is required of schoolchildren is the observance of certain rules: not very short skirts, the absence of obscene inscriptions and prints on clothes, closed shoulders. Most students dress simply and comfortably: jeans, T-shirts, loose sweaters and athletic shoes.

Choice of items

For a Russian school, this sounds unrealistic, because every student must attend all the subjects established by the program without fail. But America has a different system. At the beginning of the year, students have the right to choose which subjects they want to study. Of course, there are also compulsory disciplines - these are mathematics, English, natural sciences. The student chooses the rest of the subjects and the level of their complexity on his own and, based on this, forms his own schedule of classes.

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On the question of whether a single school uniform is needed, one can argue to the point of hoarseness. Proponents of the dress code believe that it maintains discipline in the classroom, encourages cohesion and equality. Yes, and parents do not have a headache, what to dress the child in. Opponents argue that this approach to clothing kills individuality and has little effect on the learning process.

website offers not to argue, but simply to see what children in different countries of the world go to school in. Many options look quite stylish and practical, evaluate for yourself.

Japan

Japanese school uniform for girls "sera-fuku" occupies a special place in anime cartoons and manga comics and is known throughout the world. A navy-style blouse plus a pleated skirt that gets shorter in high school. Low-heeled shoes and stockings are required, which are worn even in winter. So that they do not slip, schoolgirls glue them to their feet with special glue.

United Kingdom

In England everything is strict with the school dress code. The very first uniform was blue. It was believed that this color teaches children to be organized and humble, but it was also the cheapest fabric. Now each institution has its own form and symbolism. Until now, in some schools, everything is so severe that even in the heat it is forbidden to wear shorts. This summer, schoolboys went on strike and came in skirts. Many schools have since introduced gender-neutral school uniforms.

Australia

The Australian education system has borrowed a lot from the UK. The school uniform is very reminiscent of the British, only lighter and more open. Due to the hot climate and the active sun, many educational institutions include hats or panamas in the uniform.

Cuba

In Cuba, the school uniform is presented in several variations: white top - yellow bottom, blue top - blue bottom. As well as white shirts and burgundy sundresses or trousers with an obligatory element - a pioneer tie well known to Soviet schoolchildren. True, it can be not only red, but also blue.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, students' uniforms differ in color at each stage of training. The white top remains unchanged, but the bottom can be burgundy, dark blue or gray. But the most interesting is saved for last. After passing national exams, schoolchildren celebrate their freedom and paint the shape with the help of felt-tip pens and spray cans. Goodbye, school!

China

Chinese students have several sets of uniforms: for holidays and ordinary days, for winter and summer. The school uniform for everyday wear is almost the same for boys and girls and often resembles a regular tracksuit.

Ghana

All children in the state must wear a school uniform. At the same time, Ghana, like most African countries, is characterized by low incomes and high levels of poverty. Buying a school uniform is one of the barriers to getting an education. In 2010, as part of its educational policy, the government distributed the form free of charge to communities.

Vietnam

The dress code for elementary and middle school is quite common. But high school students in Vietnam have the right to wear snow-white national costume ao dai. In some educational institutions, it is welcomed only for important events or ceremonies, but in some it is also required for everyday wear.

Syria

School uniforms in Syria even before the start of a protracted military conflict for political reasons has been changed from boring khaki to vibrant colors of blue, gray and pink. And it symbolized the desire to establish peace in the Middle East, which is a little sad to hear now.

Butane

Another country where students go to school wear traditional national costume,- Bhutan. For girls, the clothes are called "kira", and for boys - "gho" and resembles a robe. Previously, children carried all textbooks and school supplies right in it. Briefcases are now common, but if you wish, you can hide something on your chest.

South Korea

Children in South Korea study from morning until late at night. It is not surprising that many of them consider school the most romantic place, because they spend most of their lives there. A school dress code is required and regulated by the administration of the educational institution. But the form is popular and just on the streets of the city, and even among celebrities.

In many of its former colonies, the form was not abolished even after independence, for example, in India, Ireland, Australia, Singapore, and South Africa.

The form In Great Britain is part of the school's history. Each school has its own uniform, which comes with a headdress, tie, outerwear and even socks. Each prestigious school has its own logo.

In Germany never had a single school uniform. Some schools have introduced uniform school clothing that is not a uniform, as students can participate in its development.

In France the situation is similar, each school has its own uniform, but a single school uniform existed only in 1927-1968.

In 1918 the uniform was abolished. After the revolution, they did not think about it until 1949, when tunics with a standing collar were introduced for boys, and brown dresses with a black apron for girls.

In 1962, the boys were dressed in gray woolen suits, and in 1973 in suits made of blue wool blend, with an emblem and aluminum buttons. In the 1980s, blue jackets were sewn for boys and girls. And in 1992, the school uniform was abolished, the corresponding line was excluded from the law "On Education".

Since September 1, 2013 in Russian schools. In some regions, schools will follow the recommendations of local authorities, in others they will set the requirements for students' clothing themselves.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources

One in four English students may not worry about what to wear to class. The solution to this problem has long been a school uniform - an approved set of clothes for boys and girls in Western secondary schools.

At different times, school uniforms in different countries looked different. Until recently, pressed jackets and shirts with starched collars, fancy stockings and tailored skirts were associated with elite educational institutions for the children of wealthy parents. And it's hard to imagine that the original school uniform was intended for poor children who had nothing to go to school at Christ's Shelter. Their coats were blue, as blue dye was the cheapest in the 16th century. Since then, schools in which students wear blue coats have been called Bluecoat schools - “blue coat schools”. But even such a conservative UK tends to abandon certain traditions and styles. So, at the end of the 20th century, in many educational institutions, striped blazers were replaced by plain ones, because the “stripes” were too expensive.

And the privileged private school Eton (Eton School), where only boys from the richest families or heirs of the royal court can study, abandoned the school uniform in the late 60s. The Eton student's costume looked like this: a wide white starched collar, a waistcoat and a short black jacket. Today, this school uniform is worn in specialized boys' choir schools.

In another private school, Sevenoaks School, which is one of the three oldest schools in England, all students are required to wear a uniform. Boys aged 7 to 11 wear blazers and trousers, girls wear blazers and kilts. Going to the sixth grade, the guys put on special costumes. The form is also provided for gaming activities. A set of clothes can be bought in a special store of the school or on its website.

The American version of the school uniform is different for private and public schools. In regular high schools, girls rarely wear sundresses or plaid skirts, and boys don't wear blazers. In public schools in the United States, boys most often wear sneakers or sneakers, which is not accepted in most private schools. In many schools, boys and girls wear a t-shirt and jumper in a certain color with the school logo.

In secondary schools in Germany, school uniforms were almost never introduced. In addition, the uniform here is preferred to be called "clothes for school" (Schulkleidung). For example, at Hamburg-Sinstorf and Friesenheim schools, girls and boys wear stylish shirts and sweaters in blue or red. In addition, some German schools produce their own branded clothes, which are both fashionable and honorable to wear.

But the students of Italian schools are still forced to dress in long shirts with white collars - grembiuli, which simultaneously resemble a nightgown, tunic and artist's robe. For western high school graduates, the uniform remains forever in the memory. Someone dreams of putting on a jumper with a school badge again or proudly tying a tie, and someone, many years later, has nightmares about a terrible, restricting movement, eerie color uniform.

Perhaps the most fashionable school wardrobe today among Japanese schoolgirls. Young manga lovers are so excited about short skirts, white knee-highs, and most importantly - sailor shorts (sir fuku), that they are ready to wear them even outside of school.

Today, school uniforms are incredibly popular among teenagers. The heroes of the Harry Potter films have made school uniforms a symbol of selectivity, American comedies have shown rebellious schoolchildren and schoolgirls, and Japanese anime have made girls all over the world set aside a special place in the closet for skirts, golfs and ties. In comfortable and stylish clothes, the learning process becomes even more enjoyable, which is why many boys and girls are happy to put on a school uniform and go to class.

To see with your own eyes how much time the descendants of conservative British people spend on dressing for physical education and how young goths or emos put up with the dress code in Western schools, you can take a tour of American or English high schools. And even better - to sit at the same desk with those who managed to give up jeans for a while for the sake of quality education and interesting pastime.

School uniform - a necessity or a relic of the past? Serious battles are going on on this topic on the eve of the Day of Knowledge. To give our readers a basis for these disputes, we will talk about how and when the form arose, how this school attribute is treated in different countries, and how a British briefcase differs from a Japanese backpack.

The history of the emergence of school uniforms, however, is itself controversial. Some believe that going to an educational institution in the same clothes began in ancient Greece. The students were asked to wear shirts or chitons, light armor and a cape called a chlamys. Other historians do not agree with this version of events, they refer to the fact that almost all Greeks wore such clothes, but they made really strict requirements for school uniforms in Ancient India. No matter how hot it is, the student should come wearing a dhoti breeches and a long kurta shirt.

But as far as Europe is concerned, everything is very clear. Great Britain is considered a pioneer country in the introduction of school uniforms. For the first time since antiquity, special clothing appeared at Christ's Hospital school. Students wore dark blue tailcoats with tails, vests, bright knee-highs and leather belts. However, then - in 1552 - orphans and children from the poor studied at Christ's Hospital families, and now this school is considered elite. According to a recent survey, even modern students of Christ's Hospital speak positively about the school uniform. Although it has not changed for 450 years, schoolchildren perceive it as a tribute to traditions, and not as an obsolete attribute.

Pupils of one of the British schools, Harrow, in school uniform

Now in the UK there is no uniform form for all educational institutions. Each school has its own requirements. For example, in Harrow the boys wear not only trousers and jackets, but also straw hats, and in Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the students themselves came up with the design of the clothes - gray suits with pink stripes. In the most prestigious educational institutions, a logo or coat of arms is considered an obligatory element of school clothes.

Eton British College students

In other European cities, school uniforms are not so quoted. So, in France, a single school uniform existed only in 1927-1968, in Poland - until 1988, in Germany and Switzerland it resembles tracksuits and is accepted only in some educational institutions.

The example of Great Britain was followed by its former colonies - India, Australia, Singapore and others. School uniforms were not abolished there even after the recognition of these states as independent. So, schoolchildren in India attend classes only in a special form: boys - in dark blue trousers and white shirts, girls - in a light blouse and dark blue skirt. In some schools, girls wear saris on holidays.

Another former British colony - Singapore - has not introduced a single uniform for all schools. In each educational institution, it differs in color, but consists of classic elements - shorts and light shirts with short sleeves for boys, a blouse and a skirt or sundress for girls. Uniforms of some schools are richly decorated with badges or even shoulder straps.

School uniforms are also worn by most Australian and New Zealand students. In its diversity, it can be compared with the British. But in schools in Australia, due to the heat, shorts are more often worn than trousers, and hats with wide or narrow brim are put on the head.

Australian school students

In another hot country - Jamaica - school uniforms are considered mandatory. Many educational institutions impose requirements not only on the suit, but also on the color of the socks or the height of the heel of the shoes. Jewelry is not welcome, extravagant hairstyles are also not welcome. Many boys wear khaki shirts and trousers, and girls wear sundresses below the knees in different colors, complemented by stripes with the name of the school.

Another connoisseur of a bright form is Africans. Here, the school uniform strikes with a variety of shades. Orange, green, purple, yellow - each school chooses its own color.

Queen Elizabeth and Jamaican schoolgirls

Sports-style school uniforms are common not only in Germany, but also in China. So, for the cold season, schoolchildren have a dark windbreaker and trousers, for the summer - a white shirt and shorts for boys, a blouse and a blue skirt - for girls. And, often, a red tie!

The country in which the school uniform is more popular than in the UK can be considered Japan. Who among us has not seen anime cartoon characters dressed in long white stockings, pleated skirts, jackets and white blouses? Sometimes Japanese schoolchildren wear a uniform called "sailor fuku" or "sailor suit". Together with her, they put on a bright tie and, as a rule, take a massive backpack with them.

Japanese schoolchildren and schoolgirls

In many private schools in the United States and Canada, uniforms are considered mandatory, but each school has its own. Most often, these are outfits of rather restrained colors - blue, gray, dark green. In some schools girls wear plaid skirts and boys wear striped ties. Mandatory components of the form are also, as a rule, shirts with long and short sleeves, cardigans and jackets. The only form in which you will be "allowed" to any American school is an American football uniform.

New Orleans Schoolgirls

So we got to the school uniform of Russia. It was first introduced in 1834, when the law on gymnasium and student uniforms was adopted in the Russian Empire. After 62 years, it became mandatory for gymnasium students. Later, the school uniform was abolished, and only in 1949, during the Soviet era, it returned again. Military blouses with a stand-up collar for boys, brown dresses and aprons for girls, a pioneer tie for everyone - the standard uniform of any Soviet schoolchild.

Now in Russia there is no single form, it has been introduced only in some educational institutions. Basically, these are clothes of soothing shades, which are allowed to be supplemented with things from everyday wardrobe. It looks more modern than in Soviet times, but Russian schoolchildren still prefer to wear white aprons and tie bows on the Last Bell, as their mothers did.