Figure 1.--Here we see a Soviet classroom. Notice the deskls all line up in near rows. Also notice the starkness of the room, relieved only by potted plants on the window still. It was a nice well-lit classroom, but looks so barren. A Russian reader tells us that this was unusual and is probably a brand new school. Also note the large class size, about 42 children. There may have been two more children at the extreme right that the photographer did not get in the photograph.

Classroom images can tell you a great deal about teaching philosophy and teaching methods. Images over time can help illustrate changes in teaching approaches. We do not yet have many classroom photographs, especially of the Tsarist and early Soviet era. More images vecome available after World War II. The images we see are very hierarchial. The desks are in neat rows all facing the teacher. We tend to note individual desks, at least by the 1950s. This of course tends to suggest that the student's role was to sit still and learn from the teacher. We doubt if the children were allowed to question what the teacher was presenting. We are unsure just what class discussioins were like in an environmentlike that or even to what extent class discussions occurred. The classrooms also seem very stark without any attempt at classroom decoration. It is almost as if the teachers were not allowed to decorate their classrooms. The photograph here was taken in 1954. Stark classrooms were not all that uncommon in Europe before World War II, but by the 1950s this was no longer the case after the War, cetainly not by the 1950s--at least in Western Europe. Russian classrooms still cointinue to be quite formal. Notice here that the the children are not grouped by gender. For the most part they are paired off by mixing genders, although there are some exceptions. We suspect the teacher has done this on purpose. A modern Russian teacher tells us, "In my school children are not allowed to sit next to their friends. Its boy girl where possible but as there are more girls than boys then two girls sit together." Notice that this and other matters are not left to the individual teacher. Also notice the lesson books on the desk. Lessons in the Soviet schools were text book generated. Teachers had only limited choice in varying the presentation. This also meant there were limited adjustments to individual differences. A British teacher working in Russia tells us, "Thus teaching in the British way which incourages discussion and questionng is the complete opposite to the formal class room structure the children are used to and sends some Russian children wild."

Classroom Organization

The images we see are very hierarchial. The desks are in neat rows all facing the teacher. We tend to note individual desks, at least by the 1950s. This of course tends to suggest that the student's role was to sit still and learn from the teacher. We doubt if the children were allowed to question what the teacher was presenting. Russian classrooms still cointinue to be quite formal. Notice here that the the children are not grouped by gender. or the most part they are paired off by mixing genders, although there are some exceptions. We suspect the teacher has done this on purpose. A modern Russian teacher tells us, "In my school children are not allowed to sit next to their friends. Its boy girl where possible but as there are more girls than boys then two girls sit together." Another Russian reader writes, "The educational system of the USSR was derived from Russian Empire educational system, which is mainly German by origins. Strict discipline and system were highly appreciated. So usually teachers used a system 'where you sit' to promote discipline. For example, two best friends and class bullies had their places on the opposite sides of the classroom. Often girls sat paired with boys, because girls are less active and better disciplined. Often best pupils sat in a pair with worst - to 'pull 'em up'."

Classroom Discussions

We are unsure just what class discussions were like in Soviet schools or even to what extent class discussions occurred. A Russian reader tells us, "Classroom discussions in Soviet schools were quite common, but they were totally planned. There were no case to establish a sudden discussion during a lesson. And all that 'planned' discussion were strictly moderated by teachers and Pioneer leaders. This was the approach during the Stalinist era. Later it became less and less strict, until it disappeared in the late-1980s."

Decorating Classrooms

The classrooms also seem very stark without any attempt at classroom decoration. It is almost as if the teachers were not allowed to decorate their classrooms. The photograph here was taken in 1954. Stark classrooms were not all that uncommon in Europe before World War II, but by the 1950s this was no longer the case after the War, cetainly not by the 1950s--at least in Western Europe. A Russian reader tells us, " Why is the classroom so stark? No doubt that is because it is in a just-built school. A lot of new schools were built after the end of World War II in the USSR. In fact, there was a strong tradition in USSR schools, that walls in each class must be decorated both with teaching and ideological things, like portraits, slogans, bookshelves and so on. You ask about "teachers were not allowed" - teachers were ordered to set up geographic charts, plascards, models and so on. In each class there were "a class wall newspaper", which was made by pupils under a teacher's guidance."

Teacher Role

Notice that the classroom organization and other matters are not left to the individual teacher. Also notice the lesson books on the desk. Lessons in the Soviet schools were text book generated. Teachers had only limited choice in varying the presentation. This also meant there were limited adjustments to individual differences. A Russian reader tells us, "The teaching system in Soviet schools was strict - and teacher were obliged to use one and the same standard textbooks and one and the same teaching plan. Maybe for you, who live in Anglo-Saxon liberal traditions, it could be seen as too strict. But believe me, that system had its own advantages, because if some child moved from one school to another, or a teacher was changed and so on - the learning process worked anyway like a well-made machine. For example, if some boy had a daddy - army officer, he could move from Moscow to Vladivostok - but in a new school were just the same textbooks, rules and so on." A British teacher working in modern Russia tells us, "Thus teaching in the British way which incourages discussion and questioning is the complete opposite to the formal class room structure the children are used to and sends some Russian children wild."

Teaching to the Mean

A Russian reader writes, "I am a freelancer, and always, even when I was a boy, I was "out of control of the system". I was a nightmare for my school and broke up all traditions. I didnt attended lessons, spending all my time in the school computer lab. Maybe in the earlier times the system could have broke me down, but it was the late-80s and Soviet controls were breaking diwn. Later, when I discussed this with Russian teachers, they often told me, that for the Soviet traditional system of education a talented and advanced child was often considered by teachers as a nightmare. Soviet teachers (and present-day Russian) are focused by authorities on teaching "a middle mark" of the whole class. Thus they primarily attempt to "pull up" weak children rather than lead advanced boys and girls to grow further.

Guest Speakers

It was a common practice in Soviet schools and kindergartens (and it is still common in modern Russia, too) to invite famous or just interesting people to talk to classroom groups. They included soldiers, sailors, musiciants, workers and so on. A Russian reader tells us, "I remember the father of one girl in our class was a pilot. The teacher asked him to come and to tell us about the pilot profession." A good example is a primary class in the 1970s where two soldiers gave a talk. Some times a number of guest speakers were invited to a school on the same day to speak to the various classes. A really important individual might speak to the whole school, but usually these were classroom visits. This provided for closer contact and chances to ask questions.

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Created: 1:52 AM 4/7/2009
Last updated: 3:10 AM 5/15/2012