Final Reflection

Teaching in England has been such a great experience and now looking back, I can really see the differences between British and American teaching and education customs. Most students in England wear uniforms because they feel that this contributes to the success and professionalism of the school. Also, there is a strong emphasis on religion in most schools. They have assemblies almost every morning - it has become routine - and once a week there is a religious assembly. In America, that is hard to come by. It is rare to have religious presentations and discussions in a school.  Again, I think this adds to the culture and community of the school. The schools in England are, in general, much smaller than the schools in America. I think this allows the schools in England to create much more of a community among the school. American schools develop community more among grades than the entire school. British schools also have to compete for enrollment numbers. They focus on test scores in order to show parents that the school is high achieving so they will send their kids their. Though schools in America do focus on teaching to the test, public schools do not have to compete for enrollment numbers. These are all obvious differences that affect the culture of schools in Britain and America.