미국 학제의 변천 - 초ㆍ중등교육의 수업연한을 중심으로

Historical Trends in the Grade Configuration of the US Elementary and Secondary Schools

  본 연구는 미국의 학제를 중심으로 초등교육과 중등교육의 수업연한 변천과정을 역사적 배경과 함께 교육적 상황을 기술하고, 새롭게 논의되고 있는 수업연한의 형태와 그와 관련된 쟁점을 분석하였다. 미국의 학제 가운데 수업연한의 변화는 크게 두 차례 변화되었다. 20세기 초 전통적인 8-4제에서 고등학교가 분화된 저학년고등학교의 도입으로 6-3-3제가 주를 이루었다가, 20세기 중반 이후 중학교라는 새로운 개념이 도입됨으로 인해 5-3-4제가 주를 이루었다. 최근에는 다시 초등학교와 중학교를 통합하는 유형이 시도되고 있다. 미국 학제의 변천과정을 통해 국내 학제개편 논의에 얻을 수 있는 시사점을 학년구성의 다양성, 중학교 개념과 사춘기 아동에 대한 이해, 수업연환을 전환하기 위한 전략 등을 중심으로 탐색하였다.

&nbsp;&nbsp;This study explored historical trends in the grade configuration of the US elementary and secondary schools. Junior high schools emerged in the first few decades of the century and grew in number until the early 1970s, which the junior high school replaced the traditional 8-4 pattern with 6-3-3 plan. In the mid 1960s, the decline of the junior high coincided with the rise of the middle school which the 5-3-4 arrangement became the most common pattern of grade configuration. Recently, several urban school districts, such as Milwaukee, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, are abandoning middle school and middle school concepts and building K-8 schools in order to increase academic achievement and create an atmosphere more conducive to learning.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;The topics of grade configuration include the following: Which grades should be grouped together in one school? How many grades should be in one school and how many classrooms per grade? How many school transitions will students make during the K-12 years? Based on these issues, the US school organizations are trying to find particular sequence of grade span most cost effective, yielding higher student achievement.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;There is a controversy on innovating current school ladder system of public education in Korea. The following implications were discussed. First, when it comes to grade span, diversity rules. At some schools grade span comes about by choice, at others as a result of practical and administrative considerations. Second, no matter which grade span school districts choose, the most important decision is what kind of education they will offer young adolescents. Third, rather than debate which grade span is best for the entire nation, we would be better off finding better ways to reach out to young adolescents underprivileged.