Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today, a famous quote from the great Malcolm X. Education is one of the most powerful tools an individual can use to unlock the future, breaking barriers, sharing or exchanging knowledge which can later be used to change the world.
This is not intended to be a dreary composition about education or its history, but rather my personal experiences and relationship with education as an immigrant. I was born and raised in the beautiful Island of Jamaica, a country that fashioned it’s teachings around the British educational system. Many of the developments in the history of the Jamaican education can be seen as responses to events such as the abolition of slavery in 1834, the advent of suffrage in 1944, and the achievement of independence in 1962. (Education.StateUniversity.com)
People from countries in the Caribbean that utilizes the British educational system tend to have a bit of a challenge adjusting to the American educational system, especially the ones that have completed high school prior to emigrating to the United States. What makes the British educational system as used in the Caribbean so different in comparison to that of the United States? Well you would be surprised at how uniquely different they both are. Firstly, the English differs in the sense that the vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation, as well as certain grammar used are not the same. Secondly, the class grades differs as the British system requires students to attend school a bit earlier than that of the United States. Thirdly, the curriculum content and the standardized testing used in both systems are uniquely different as the area of focus and specificity differs.
Growing up in Jamaica, where the British educational style is commonly utilized, it was very challenging adjusting to the educational format used in the United States. The differences in spelling, accent and dialect were a few of the main contributing factors which made the transition so challenging after relocating to the United States.
According to Oxford International English, the British and American employs different spelling styles as the British uses the spelling of words it absorbed from other languages such as French and German. American English on the other hand bases its spelling mainly on how the words sound when it is spoken, furthermore resulting in the differences in the pronunciation of the words. Additionally, the use of grammar is different as the British system considers collective nouns to be singular or plural depending on whether the group is thought of as an idea, or many individuals. The American system only considers collective nouns as singular so for instance the British would say “Which team is/are losing” while the Americans would say “Which team is winning”.
From as little as eight months old, my mom would read and spell to me so I started learning the British way of spelling before I was even old enough to attend school. With these principles being taught to me for the past twenty plus years, it definitely took some readjusting to learn the American way of spelling. Also many people find it challenging in understanding my native language so order for them to understand exactly what I’m trying to say, I have to speak slower and in standard English. This is something I experienced personally after moving to the United States.
In the British system, it is mandatory for students to start formal education at the age of four which is one year earlier than the required age in the United States. At the secondary level, students are required to leave school by the age of 16 in the British system but are able to attend up to the age of 18 in the United States. In Jamaica we have two General schools that students attend between those age group; Primary school (grades 1-6) and High School (grades 7-13). However, the United States has three General schools: Elementary school (grades 1-5), Middle school (grades 6-8) and High school (grades 9-12). Under the British system, students at the age of 12 are in the 8th grade, while in America students of the same age are in the 7th grade. The reason for the labeled higher number in comparison to the United States is the fact that year one in Britain is equivalent to kinder garden in America.
When it comes on to standardized testing, it differs as the United States’ quality of education as well as the standard varies based on States and sometimes districts. Countries under the British system have a national standardized testing throughout primary and secondary school. In Jamaica we have CXC and CAPE exams which are taken in high school, both contributing to college admissions. Each student has the option of choosing a specialty such as science, business and the arts, in addition to the core Math and English courses which are then tested in that area to see their competence. In America, the SAT exam is taken in high school which focuses on general studies and features their competence in areas such as Math, critical reading and writing, which is further used towards their college admissions. Additionally an important point to note is that the United States high school standardized testing system is mainly focused on general academic ability of students which aids in the preparation of colleges, while the British system allows students to test in their specific area based on their specialty.
Amidst of the challenges I faced adjusting to the educational system in the United States, I believe the resources and skills that were imbedded in me throughout my years of schooling in Jamaica, as well as the limited resources that were provided with it being a third world country propelled and shaped me into being the person I am today. As a result of my personal experiences after moving to the United States as well as stories I have heard from my friends that shared similar experiences, it is safe to say that people from countries in the Caribbean that uses the British educational style tend to have some challenges adapting to the American educational system. Furthermore, being a Jamaican immigrant was beneficial in the sense that the style, system as well as the limited resources that were provided made me more aware and appreciative of the tools, technology and resources the American system provides.
