It’s easy to talk about education with Vadim Moshkovich: we both did not study in ordinary schools. He is in the legendary 57th Moscow school, I am in the no less legendary boarding school of the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok. However, the owner of the Rusagro group of companies is building neither one nor the other. Classical, albeit very good, education does not work now. Either children need to cram ten times more information into their heads, which is impossible, or something needs to be changed in the system. At his boarding school "Letovo", the construction of which is being completed in New Moscow, Vadim Moshkovich is going to do the latter.
Own school
The idea of creating his own school came to the head of the owner of the Rusagro group of companies ten years ago. And all these years, he methodically moved towards its implementation, gathering a team of like-minded people and assessing the best world and domestic experience. “We studied the experience of 20 of the best schools in the world,” says Madlena Shaginyan, deputy director of the Letovo school for academic affairs, “such as Singapore’s Raffles, the British Winchester College and the American Montgomery Bell Academy. But “Letovo” will not be their copy: this is impossible, because we have a different mentality.” Based on the British experience, we decided to use the boarding system. Moshkovich believes that this is the most correct organization: children do not spend several hours a day in traffic jams, and it is much easier to form a team spirit. And the ability to work in a team is one of the main skills that Letovo wants to instill in its students. They adopted a very rich experience of extra-academic activities from the American system - various clubs, sports sections and student clubs. It’s more interesting with Singapore: nothing was created in this country, but they successfully adapted and reworked the best practices from around the world. For example, the performance evaluation system, which was created in America, but is used more effectively in Singapore. Another advantage of Singaporean education is bilingualism, because English is not their native language, which makes this system closer to ours. In addition, in the teaching of natural sciences, a lot of time is devoted to experimental work - up to 80%.
School "Letovo"
Tuition: Free for those who cannot pay.
Opening: September 2018.
Enrollment: 175 students.
Independent
Most private educational institutions in Russia are expensive schools for the children of the elite. With this approach, you can’t count on top rankings. At Letovo, children are selected from all over Russia based on a system of full-time and correspondence tests, and any of you can apply right now on the school website. The tests are completely independent. Vadim claims that his youngest son, who is now nine years old, will take them on a general basis when the time comes. If he passes the tests - great, if not - he will go to study somewhere else. After enrollment, specialists from partner banks will check the financial status of parents and determine how much of the tuition fee they can afford - the system is similar to checking when obtaining a mortgage. The total cost is about 20 thousand dollars per year. The missing part will be covered from a special fund, an endowment, into which Moshkovich invested $120 million. The income from this amount will be used to form the Letovo budget - this year it amounted to half a billion rubles. Vadim invested another $80 million directly into the construction of the school and equipping the buildings at the most modern level.
Town
“Letovo” is a small town that spreads over 60 hectares. There is everything for a happy life and study: educational buildings, houses for students and teachers, sports grounds and even an orchard. The architectural bureau, like everything else in Letovo, was selected on a competitive basis. Moshkovich talks about this simply: “We took 15 of the best architectural bureaus in the world, specializing in the design of buildings for education. And we held tenders in three stages. We listened carefully to their concepts. At first we chose five, out of five there were three left, and in the final we settled on the Dutch bureau atelier PRO.” The choice turned out to be correct: in December 2016, the Letovo campus project received an award from the Moscow Architectural Council. The school really turns out to be unusual and comfortable; many rooms can be easily transformed for different purposes. In my time, such buildings could only be dreamed of.
From left to right: Mikhail Gennadievich Mokrinsky, director; Madelena Lvovna Shaginyan, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs; Vadim Nikolaevich Moshkovich, founder.
People
Madelena Shaginyan says that high demands at Letovo are put forward not only to students, but also to teachers: both children and adults are constantly taking exams, who are obliged to continuously study. The main thing is not just to find the best teachers and students, but to assemble a team of like-minded people. Training programs are built based on the ultimate goal - who we want to get as a result. It is believed that by the 9th grade, a child must determine exactly where he is going to enroll (Letovo focuses on the top 10 Russian and Western universities), and individual curricula are prepared for these tasks. If the state does not have its own teachers for a specific specialty, they will be invited from outside. Madelena has special plans for school Olympiads: the team of teachers is determined to participate and win not only within the country, but above all outside. International Olympiads are a sport of high achievements, the academic team believes. It's hard to find talented kids, but it's even harder to find world-class coaches for them. What is needed here is not even academically brilliant teachers, but incredible charismatics, behind whom children will follow into a breakthrough. “And I know such people,” Madelena says confidently. Mikhail Gennadievich Mokrinsky, director: “I don’t like it when they say that you need to compete with your neighbors in terms of ratings and in the region. You need to learn from good neighbors, but you need to compete with your own dreams.”
Arguments
One of the most important departments is literature and foreign languages, responsible for the development of verbal means of communication. At Letovo, great importance will be paid to the development of speech, especially public speech. The most interesting thing that Madelena Shaginyan learned from Stanford University trainings was organizing academic discussions among students. “These words didn’t mean anything to me before, but now it seems to me that this is one of the most interesting technologies,” says Madelena. — In a properly organized discussion, where the role of the teacher is minimal, it is clearly visible how children think and how their thinking develops. The child finds answers to questions on his own, after listening and analyzing opinions, accumulating the points of view of others.” In real life, we constantly present something - the results of our work, projects, ourselves, and finally, presentation skills are very important here. In Letovo, the student must be able to present not only himself, but also his thoughts and ideas. It’s difficult to build arguments correctly and logically, refer to the right sources, and provide facts. Speak interestingly, understand quickly, evaluate the audience. And do it in at least two languages. Madelena Lvovna Shaginyan, Deputy Director for Academic Affairs: “You may forget what year the Tatar-Mongol invasion took place, but you will definitely learn to work with historical and critical sources of information.”
An interesting idea was spotted at one of the top schools. They don’t accept the answer “I couldn’t.” There must be six attempts. There cannot be one attempt, even a successful one, this is not enough; the student must try to cope with the task in six different ways. This is the only way to instill the skills of invention and develop the ability to find unusual new solutions.
Passion
Vadim Moshkovich considers the success of children to be the measure of a school’s success. The basic measure of success is when a child, after graduating from school, gets to where he wants to go. The second meter is internal satisfaction from what you do, which is no less important. You have to love your job. “We have a lot of guys who get accepted somewhere, but then don’t work in their specialty,” says Moshkovich. — My task is to help the student determine at the earliest possible stage what “drives” him and what he has an interest in. If you don't have passion for your chosen business, you will never be successful." It often turns out that a child needs a little push to understand where his area of interest lies. Therefore, Letovo will have many interdisciplinary and developmental subjects - choose, look, try. Vadim Nikolaevich Moshkovich, founder: “My task is to help the student determine at the earliest possible stage what “drives” him, what he has an interest in. If you don't have passion for your chosen business, you will never be successful."
Now the first intake is underway at Letovo - 175 people, a competition like in space, about 30 people per place, and this despite the fact that applications are still being accepted. In a few years, about a thousand children will study at Letovo. Presumably, happy children. Saying goodbye, I ask the question that I wanted to ask at the very beginning of the conversation: “Vadim, will your grandchildren study at Letovo?” “This is not my problem, but their parents,” Moshkovich answers. “I have developed in myself the skill of not doing anything.” expect not only from my grandchildren, but also from my children, because this is their life, not mine. My task was to teach them to think, and not to think for them. And, apparently, I succeeded.”
Enrollment for the first academic year will last until December 1, 2017. Applications for training in grades 7–9 can be submitted on the website letovo.ru. Based on the test results, 200 students will be enrolled for the first school year 2018/19. The school will reach full capacity in three years, when a thousand children will study at Letovo.
A school where you can swear and do nothing, an adventure school, a floating school and other strange institutions around the world
On the eve of September 1, Maria Ivanova, a freelance writer for Forbes, chose the 10 most unusual schools in the world.
1. Underground school
Terraset Elementary School PTA (USA)
Address: 11411 Ridge Heights Road, Reston, Virginia
The students of the American Terraset School are almost children of the underground. The school was built in the mid-1970s, when the United States was rocked by an energy crisis. The country introduced an energy saving regime, which was used, among other things, for heating schools. In the city of Reston, they built the Terraset School: they leveled the hill, erected a building on this site, and then covered it with earth. The natural earthen covering provided warmth and saved energy.
The designers faced another difficult task: the room had to be not only heated, but also cooled. And this required new energy costs. Solar collectors solved the problem. Today, Terraset is not only the most energy-efficient school in the country, but also one of Reston's top tourist attractions.
Unlike the history of the creation of Terraset, the learning process at school can hardly be called original. This is a junior school with a traditional US set of subjects. However, from time to time the school holds events for children and parents, such as a family run through the city streets or an evening bingo.
2. School without discipline
ALPHA Alternative School (Canada)
Address: 20 Brant Street, Toronto, Ontario
ALPHA School, which opened its doors in 1972, is a perpetual celebration of disobedience. There are no grades, no strict schedule, no homework. No one will punish you for a curse written in chalk on a blackboard and no one will stand over your soul. Students decide for themselves how to spend the school day and what classes to attend. Classes are formed not by age, but by interests: along with mathematics and spelling, classes in modeling, cooking and even elementary philosophy are provided. The teachers' job is simply not to interfere.
If some kind of conflict situation arises at school, a special committee consisting of students and teachers is convened. The parties are allowed to speak out and justify their point of view, after which the commission offers options for solving the problem. The main thing is to find a solution that everyone will like.
Another ALPHA tradition is to hold meetings during which children, along with adults, have the right to speak out about the need to make changes to the subject grid and school management system.
3. Nomadic school
"Keneleken" (Russia)
Address: Oleneksky Evenki national region, Yakutia
In the past, children of nomadic reindeer herders either did not receive a systematic education at all, or were forced to stay in boarding schools and not see their relatives for months. Today this problem is being solved with the help of nomadic schools, which are becoming more and more numerous in Russia every year. There are already more than a dozen similar schools in Yakutia.
One of these nomadic schools is “Keneleken”. It is a branch of the Kharyyalakh secondary school of the Oleneksky Evenki national district. At each new nomad site, in addition to the usual structures, a school tent now appears. The number of students can be counted on one hand. However, despite their small numbers, subsequently they will be little inferior to their peers who are lucky enough to study in more stable conditions. Children study according to a specially designed schedule. Homework and tests are received via the Internet - all schools for children of reindeer herders, as part of the national project, have access to satellite Internet. After completion, they are sent back for verification.
photo courtesy of the press service of the governor of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
4. School of searching for a common language
Busan International Foreign School (South Korea)
Address: 798 Nae-ri, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan
Students at a school for foreigners in Busan, South Korea, work tirelessly all year round. Children of emigrants or those who came to Korea to work for a long period of time study here, as well as boys and girls who were transferred as exchange students to one of the Korean schools and need adaptation. An intensive regime is necessary in order to quickly adapt to new living conditions and subsequently successfully enter one of the Korean universities.
It is not easy for young emigrants to make friends with new classmates in a regular school. Ignorance of local traditions often becomes a reason for ridicule, which can cause psychological trauma to a child. Many teachers at the Busan school for foreigners are psychologists by training. They teach their students to find a common language with each other, despite the fact that many of them have never heard of the existence of the country from which their new classmate came.
Most children learn three languages at once: Korean, English, Spanish. The program also includes thematic classes that do not allow you to forget the culture of your native country.
There are multicultural schools in many countries. In Moscow, there is school No. 1650, which specifically enrolls children of different nationalities in order to instill in students a tolerant attitude towards those who are somehow different from them, as well as to help them learn more about the traditions of other peoples.
5. School of pleasant interaction with the world
Mountain Mahogany Community School (USA)
Address: 5014 4th Street NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico
To get into Mountain Mahogany School, you need to win the lottery. You need to download a special form from the school’s official website, fill it out, send it by fax or mail and wait for the drawing to take place and the list of lucky winners to be announced.
The approach to the learning process at school is no less original. The three principles on which school policy is based are pleasure, safety and emotional development. The program is based on the latest neurological research, according to which the key to good learning is a positive atmosphere and active involvement. The school has standard general education subjects, but first of all, children are taught how to interact with the outside world and everyday skills: sewing, cooking, gardening. Teachers jokingly call students “little gardeners.” And it’s not surprising: hundreds of trees are planted on the school grounds and need to be taken care of. The children eat organic fruits that they grew themselves.
6. School of learning everything through music
Choir Academy of Harlem (USA)
Address: 2005 Madison Avenue, New York
By sending their child to the Harlem Choir Academy, parents provide them with not only vocal cord training, touring, and exposure to spiritual values, but also a basic education with a humanitarian focus.
The mission of the teachers of this school is to contribute to the development of the child’s hidden talents. Therefore, the main program consists of various types of performing arts: singing, dancing, playing musical instruments. During the entrance interview, the potential student is tested for a sense of rhythm, time orientation and concentration. However, the child’s love for music remains paramount. If parents cannot afford to buy a musical instrument, the school will provide it to the child for temporary use.
The physical development of students does not go unnoticed: the school has baseball and football teams and, of course, a group of cheerleaders.
7. School for refugees and illegal immigrants
"Bialik-Rogozin" (Israel)
Address: HaAliya, Tel Aviv
In February 2011, the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject went to No Strangers Here by Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon. The forty-minute film tells about the Israeli school “Bialik-Rogozin”, where children of refugees and illegal immigrants study. They come from all over the world, come from different families and worship different gods, but each of them has had many trials in their short lives. Many have lost loved ones and are exhausted both physically and emotionally. Some children have never gone to school before.
“Bialik-Rogozin” gives children not only the necessary basic knowledge. The students are fed, watered and clothed there. And the most important thing that students receive from their mentors is sincere participation and care. Here children are not considered strangers or unnecessary, since they have all become Israelis.
More details: www.schooly.co.il
8. Floating school
Kompong Luong School (Cambodia)
Address: Tonle Sap Lake, Kompong Luong Village
Cambodia's Tonle Sap Lake, near which the famous Angkor Wat temple complex is located, is considered the largest freshwater body of water on the Indochina Peninsula. It is even called the “inland sea”. On the surface of the lake there is a famous landmark of Cambodia - the floating village of Kompong Luong: residential buildings, cafes, shops and a school.
For the students, the floating school has become a second home in the truest sense of the word - mostly orphans study there. This is where they live. The parents of many of them died while fishing: during the rainy season, the water level in the lake rises significantly and boating on it becomes quite dangerous.
Tourists help provide for the children: each new group buys all the goods from the shelves of local shops and literally inundates schoolchildren with toys, stationery and sweets.
9. School based on the open space principle
Ørestad Gymnasium (Denmark)
Address:Ørestads Boulevard 75 2300, Copenhagen
The Ørestad Gymnasium building in Copenhagen, designed by 3XN, is a true work of modern art both inside and out. In 2007, the gymnasium was named the best building in Scandinavia. This is the first educational institution opened in Denmark as part of the national educational reform.
Orestad's students are high school students who are planning to pursue higher education in the field of media. The word “communication” is heard here at every step. The school's classrooms are separated from each other quite conventionally - all classes practically study in one huge room. There is wireless Internet throughout the building, so high school students constantly interact not only in real, but also in virtual space.
The luxurious spiral staircase that connects the four levels of the gymnasium is called the heart of the building by students. During recess, they lie on bright pillows and look at the ceiling, decorated with round lamps, reminiscent of a starry sky.
10. Adventure School
Watershed School (USA)
Address: 1661 Alpine Avenue, Boulder, Colorado
The decline of farming culture in the United States worries not only farmers and the government, but also school officials. How else to explain the fact that Watershed School has introduced a Farm to Table program, in which students go to one of six local farms and learn how a farm works.
Overall, studying at Watershed feels like an epic adventure spanning several years. Of course, children also study regular subjects like mathematics and English, but these studies can be tolerated for the sake of educational expeditions, which are considered the most productive method of education here. Thus, children study architecture not in stuffy classrooms, but on the streets of the city. Instead of geography and biology lessons, they go kayaking on nearby rivers and wander through the forest.
Watershed teachers help students write songs, form rock bands, build robots and create scenarios for video games. In addition to traditional sports like football, students do yoga, mountain biking and play Frisbee.
More details: www.watershedschool.org
School years must be the most wonderful time. And the learning process should stimulate new achievements. Shouldn't the school buildings themselves contribute to this?
It turns out that beautiful schools can be found all over the world. Some are designed to withstand natural disasters, while others provide first-class education to underprivileged children. In any case, each of the buildings presented below is truly beautiful.
Japan
The kindergarten in Saitama is made from shipping containers, which ensures maximum earthquake resistance. It’s hard to imagine that everything inside is lined with wood, there’s a lot of light and children are playing. 
Clearly, the designers of the kindergarten in Tachikawa, Japan, wanted to give children as much freedom as possible to conduct their own explorations. Pupils of the institution can run on roofs and climb trees. 
Nature itself also participates in the design of the building. Real trees pierce right through it: they are located in the classrooms and reach out to the sun through special holes in the roof. 
Waseda University in Tokyo has an industrial building that is almost all gray. 
The creators stick to this color inside as well. For example, there is an auditorium whose walls are covered with gray panels, and the chairs are made in black and white. 
The nearby music school was awarded the 2015 World Architecture Festival Award in the Higher Education and Research category. 
People of different ages study here - from high school students to real masters. The interior uses glass walls and long lines to create a sense of depth in the space. 
Australia
The School of Design in the main building of the University of Melbourne has a unique tree structure. 
The interior is made in natural tones, which further emphasizes this effect. 
Niddrie Grammar School features interesting color combinations. Sloping walls create a special atmosphere. 
Smooth lines and bright colors give the building an impressive appearance. 
It seems that students are absolutely delighted with their school. 
European countries
The school in Kungsbakke (Sweden) was built in 2014. The building was designed by Kjellgren Kaminsky. From the outside, the school looks quite simple. 
But inside you can see just an explosion of color. 
There is a gymnasium in Copenhagen that many modern children would dream of studying in. The fact is that here training relies almost exclusively on tablets and computers. 
Children spend most of their school time without teachers, in large groups.
Other countries
The new American College campus in Tarsus, Turkey, looks like an office building during the day. 
But as soon as the sun drops below the horizon, the walls of the educational institution literally begin to emit a soft orange glow. 
The international school in Bangkok looks more like a mansion than a place where children are taught Thai culture. 
Sra Phu Vocational School in Cambodia looks very bright. Villagers can visit this brick building to learn math or even learn how to run a small business. 
Singapore Technological University is a true example of green architecture. Just look at the gardens on its roof! 
Inside it is a multi-level building, which also has a lot of greenery. 
Shunde Primary School, which is located in Guangdong Province (China), was built by the architectural bureau K2LD. 
Open passages between buildings, located crosswise, cast shadows on the courtyard. 
And this is the Russian Ballet School. Like many other similar establishments, from the outside it looks rather modest. 
But as soon as you step inside, you will be amazed by the wooden and glass structures (main photo). The institution was named Best Design School at the 2015 World Architecture Festival.
In Birmingham, Alabama, children can learn both inside and outside the school.
In 2016, the establishment received a design award, largely due to its landscaped paths and beautiful landscaping. On an area of almost one and a half square kilometers there is a boarding school and a day school.
All buildings blend perfectly with the natural environment. The creators of the project set a goal to create a calming environment for the harmonious development and learning of children. Obviously, they achieved their goal.
How do you imagine school? An ordinary building in which children are taught. Gray walls, offices, desks... Everything is completely ordinary and unremarkable. But there are schools in the world that can amaze and surprise with their unusualness. Let's take a look at the list of the most unusual schools in the world.
Terraset is an underground school. USA
At first it’s even hard to believe. Is the school underground? Is it possible? Oh yes, it happens. Terraset School was built quite a long time ago, in the 70s. Just at that time there was an energy crisis in the United States, so they created a project for a school that could heat itself. This project consisted of the following: the earthen hill was removed, a school building was built and the hill, so to speak, was returned to its place. The curriculum at this school is completely ordinary, but tourists often come here, and everything is the same as everyone else’s.
Floating school. Cambodia
In the floating village of Kampong Luong, no one is surprised by the floating school. But this really surprises us. There are 60 students in this school. They all study in one room, which serves both for classes and games. Children get to school in special basins. Since there is no shortage of tourists, children have all the necessary school supplies and sweets, which children need no less than their studies.
Alternative school Alpha. Canada
This school is very interesting for its education system. There is no exact lesson schedule here; classes are divided not according to the age of the children, but according to their interests; there is also no homework in this school. At Alpha School, we are guided by the belief that each child is individual and each needs its own approach. In addition, parents can also participate in the educational process by volunteering to help teachers during the school day.
Orestad is an open school. Copenhagen
This school is a modern architectural work of art. But it stands out among other schools not only because of its architecture, but also because of its educational system. In this school there is no such usual division of the premises into classes. In general, the center of the school can be called a huge spiral staircase connecting the four floors of the building. On each floor there are soft sofas on which students do their homework and relax. In addition, the Orestad school does not have textbooks; they study here using e-books and using information found on the Internet.
Kenelaken is a nomadic school. Yakutia
Children from nomadic tribes in northern Russia are forced to attend boarding schools or receive no education at all. This was the case until recently. Now there is a nomadic school there. There are only two or three teachers, and the number of students does not exceed ten, but the students of this school receive the same knowledge as children in regular schools. In addition, the school is equipped with satellite Internet, which allows you to communicate with the outside world.
Adventure school. USA
The education process at this school is like one big adventure. Of course, children study mathematics and languages here, but their architecture lessons take place on the streets of the city, and they study geography and biology not in stuffy classrooms, but in the forest. In addition, this school also offers sports and yoga. Education at this school is fun and interesting, and children's expeditions are better for learning.
Cave schools. China
Due to the poverty of the population in Guizhou Province, there was no school there for a long time. But in 1984 the first school was opened here. Since there was not enough money to build the building, the school was installed in a cave. It was designed for one class, but now there are almost two hundred children in this school.
School of searching for a common language. South Korea
Children from a wide variety of nationalities study at this school. Most often these are children of emigrants or exchange students. Three languages are taught at school: English, Korean and Spanish. In addition, here they teach the traditions of Korea and do not let them forget the traditions of their native country. At this school, most of the teachers are psychologists. They teach children to be towards each other.
School of pleasant interaction with the world. USA
To get into this unusual school, you need to win the lottery. Yes, yes, exactly the lottery. And the learning process at this school is no less original. Here children are taught not only standard educational subjects, but also often more useful everyday ones: sewing, gardening, etc. Even the children at this school eat vegetables and fruits, which they grow on their own in the garden beds.
Choral Academy. USA
This school teaches not only singing. There is a classical school curriculum and sports activities, but music is, of course, the main component of the education. At the academy, children will be taught to sing, play various musical instruments and dance. At this school, the main goal is to unleash the child's creative potential.
Most schools on the planet are similar in many ways - students go there in the morning and return home in the afternoon with an armful of homework. But it turns out that there are absolutely amazing and unique schools that are radically different from common standards. We have prepared a review of the 10 most unusual schools in the world, each of which will surprise you with something.
Cave school in China
Dongzhong Mid- an elementary school in a cave in the mountain village of Miao in the Chinese province of Guizhou. The province is one of the poorest regions in China and has received very little government subsidies. In 1984, the local community decided to build a school in a mountain cave. There was enough space there for 9 teachers and almost 200 students.
Many students spent about 6 hours traveling to school and back, but there was no other school in the vicinity. The school existed for 23 years, after which the authorities closed it, declaring that China is “not a community of cavemen.” "a community of cavemen."
School in a boat, Bangladesh
Bangladesh experiences twice-yearly floods, during which millions of residents remain cut off from mainland land, electricity and basic necessities. Naturally, it becomes impossible for children to attend school. To combat the problems caused by annual floods, non-profit organization Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha has come up with a brilliant solution - floating houses, health centers and schools.
The organization has opened about 100 boat schools, each of which receives the necessary energy from solar panels, is equipped with a laptop, Internet access and a small library. At the same time, the school itself picks up children from home in the morning and takes them home after school, like a school bus. Since the opening of such schools in 2002, 70,000 children have already received education in them.
School on a railway platform, India
In 1985, Inderjit Khurana, a schoolteacher from Orissa, India, decided it was time to fight illiteracy and founded the Ruchika School Social Service Organization (RSSO). This organization built the world's first school on the railway platform.
Thanks to this school, more than 4,000 Indian children received education. The system works very simply - street children and children from low-income families are picked up at stations, and then taught to read and write.
Abo Elementary School, USA
Abo Primary School is proud to be the first land-based school in the United States. At the height of the Cold War, when the United States was close to nuclear war with the Soviet Union, President John F. Kennedy promised to create public and private structures that could serve as nuclear shelters. Authorities in the city of Artesia in New Mexico decided to build an underground school that could also function as a shelter in case of a nuclear strike.
The school is completely underground, and a children's playground is built on its roof. The school has three different entrances, each protected by an 800 kg steel door. Behind the door there is a room with a decontamination shower. The school was reportedly able to withstand radiation and withstand a 20-megaton explosion.
At one time, it also had a morgue, an autonomous generator with a supply of fuel, an autonomous ventilation system and supplies of food and medicine. Despite all this, many students who attended the school had no idea that they were studying in a bomb shelter. Abo School was closed in 1995 due to increasing maintenance costs.
The most difficult primary school to reach, China
Gulu is a little-known village located in the Hanyuan Mountains of Sichuan Province, China. The only way to reach the village is the “Luoma Way” - a road with numerous zigzag turns, narrow passages between stone walls and rickety bridges. On one of the mountains surrounding the village is the village's primary school.
High School for Sexual Minorities
School Harvey Milk High School in New York, named after politician and activist for gay rights Harvey Milk. It was built so that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other similar students would not experience discrimination. The school claims that its doors are open to any student, regardless of their sexual orientation or other preferences.
School "Work Now"
Prostitution is legal in Spain, and there are currently between 200,000 and 400,000 prostitutes working in the country. The school called Trabajo Ya, which means “work now,” was opened in Valencia to teach prostitutes the most effective techniques for the job. The school offers "a basic course in professional prostitution with maximum efficiency" and also provides employment for its graduates of both sexes.
The training lasts for one week and includes classes in theory and practice. For 100€ (about $120) students receive lessons on the history and evolution of prostitution and business skills. They attend daily two-hour practical skills classes, during which students learn about the types and capabilities of sex toys and are introduced to the Kama Sutra.
Philadelphia School of the Future
In West Philadelphia, the School of the Future opened in 2006, where students do not need textbooks. Instead they use computers. Math, for example, is taught using the OneNote application, and teachers use computer-based interactive whiteboards instead of traditional blackboards and chalk. Students are provided with personal digital lockers that can be opened using an ID card.
The school faced a number of problems after its opening. There were problems with leadership among students, and the weak level of technical training affected. However, the school soon gained great popularity, and students began to achieve high grades in mathematics and reading. And familiarity with Microsoft Office and other programs gives students a better chance of finding a job after graduation.
Brooklyn Free School
Brooklyn Free School is divided into two parts: high school for children aged 11 to 18 and primary school for students aged 4 to 11. There is no curriculum, students can choose any class they like, they are also allowed to play truant, if they so wish.
Some students may decide to be alone and do their homework, others may decide to play, go for a walk, or just sleep. There are classes in which students watch and discuss TV shows. In others, students compare prices in city restaurants. There are no tests, homework or exams at school.
Witch school
Witch school teaches witchcraft to aspiring witches around the world. Although most of its 40,000 students are taught online, the school has a building where students can attend real-life lessons. Since its opening, the school has been located in Roseville, Chicago, and later moved to Salem, Massachusetts. The move became necessary because the school began to be persecuted by Christian communities.
Children do not always try to avoid school. In fact, some students are willing to travel long and life-threatening distances to attend classes! We have prepared a story about.