Schools #159 and #90

Today we visited two public schools in Almaty--school #159 (named after Kazakh writer Ibrahim Altynsarin) and school #90 (Mathematics and Physics Academy).  These are two top performing schools in the city and have even won numerous national awards.  We saw and experienced so much here that I find it difficult to be brief!  I will write about some highlights, and please feel free to write in questions if you want to hear more details about anything.  For the shortest version, look through the photos in the next post!

School #159

Altynsarin School #159 is a tri-lingual school which teaches mostly in Kazakh.  Students learn Russian and English language and literature too, and they teach some math classes in English too.  This school has won many national awards, and when we got to see the talented teachers and students it became more and more clear why!  Upon arrival we were treated to a handful of talks and outstanding performances by students from elementary, middle, and high school.  I then sat in on some an 8th grade English class and an 11th grade history class.  In English, the day's topic was comparing cultures through music, and students took turns giving presentations on different aspects of the topic.  For instance, one boy played the dombra, one girl sang a solo r&b song, another played a classical Kazakh composer on the flute, someone else gave a talk on Michael Jackson.  Their preparation, talent, and eagerness were all quite impressive!! 

Humbling Hospitality

After touring the school, the principal--a 42-year-long educator who has been principal since the school opened in 1992--and several teachers served us lunch.  I had a lot read about the incredible Kazakh hospitality, but everything I read was an under-exaggeration!  They treated us like royalty with a table overflowing with homemade food and specialties.  It was quite humbling, especially when I compare it to the meager hospitality I usually show my guests. 

Schooling in Shifts

We left the school at 1:00, and the majority of the students were walking home at the same time.  The school has enough room for 800 students, but it has 1200 enrolled--so they come in two shifts (except for the oldest grades, who stay all day).  One group comes from 8:30-1, and the next comes from something like 1:30-6.  All of the students walk to and from school.  We learned that having two shifts is common in Kazakh schools, since they do not have enough school buildings to accommodate all of their students. 

School #90

Next we went to Math and Physics Academy #90, which has a reputation in the city as a top math & science school.  One chemistry teacher there even showed us some original research and publication that students had done in conjunction with the faculty at a local university.  Here classes are taught in Russian, although students also have Kazakh language and literature class from the first grade onward and begin learning English in late elementary school.  The seriousness of the students here was as clear as were their high ambitions--something like 95% of graduates from this school go to a university upon graduation.

Again we were treated to some performances, this time a ballroom-style dance performed by 4th graders and a stirring dobro performance by a teenager.  The principal (they use the term "director") was very eager for us to see many different classrooms, so we (a rather large group of around 14) entered many classes, and the students were urged to ask us questions.  The students seemed more reticent here, and it often took some coaxing to get them to volunteer either questions or answers to our questions. Finally, we had a sit-down discussion with a group of around a dozen high-schoolers who had questions for us and answered our questions for them.

Commonalities

However, it became clear throughout the afternoon that there are more commonalities than differences between children here and in the U.S.  For instance, they spend free time in similar ways (hang out with friends, play sports, electronic games, talk on the phone, ride bikes, swim), they have similar goals and ambitions (get a good job, go to college, study medicine, become an engineer, study abroad . . .), and they have the same type of genuineness and candor that so often sets them apart from adults.