What innovations await Russian schools in 2023

They will learn a new history, plan and create cells

They say that school education is the most conservative area. But it, nevertheless, is constantly shaken by reforms. Either the deputies will offer something new to the schools, or the president. Either a sports club and a theater will be “opened” in every school, or they will “call” to play bast shoes. They promise that chess will be included in the school curriculum. Or, on the contrary, music, physical education and art will disappear from the schedule … “MK” has collected innovations that will really appear in the school over the next year.

2023 has been declared the Year of the Teacher and Mentor in the country. Although not from the very beginning for some reason – the grand opening of the year of all teachers will take place in February on the mountain …, that is, in the Mashuk knowledge center in Pyatigorsk.

So, what exactly will change at school from September 1, and what will happen in the current academic year? First, there will be more history. “Today we are developing a new textbook under the leadership of Vladimir Rostislavovich Medinsky, Anatoly Vasilyevich Torkunov, and a number of prominent historians,” the Minister of Education said. “There will be a fairly balanced textbook.” The manual will contain chapters on the Northern Military District, the Crimean Spring, and the block on the Great Patriotic War will also be expanded.

By the way, Rosobrnadzor also managed to scare the public by saying that questions on the new textbook will be included in the exam. And the textbook itself was promised in March 2023, and immediately to schools. Fortunately, later it turned out that first it is necessary to make changes to the federal standard. This is a long time, so the new textbook does not get into this year’s unified exam, except that they can be asked orally on these topics – already at additional tests at the university.

Basic military training is also likely to appear in schools, but not before the 2024-25 school year. And from September 1, the program, which is now being hastily drawn up, is being rolled out in individual educational institutions or regions. The organization of NVP centers on the basis of the local branch of DOSAAF was described in detail, for example, in Yekaterinburg.

In addition, a course has been taken on career guidance and mentoring. More and more schools are returning to the old format of “works”, when sewing, baking or carpentry are sewn, baked or carpentry in these lessons. The difference of the new time was only that almost nowhere there is a gender division of classes, boys and girls cook and cut pieces of wood together. In order to revise the content of the subject “Technology”, there is no need for changes in educational standards, this can be decided at the school level, therefore they are changed promptly. Therefore, alas, there are fewer technology lessons on the PC and the basics of programming due to this trend. But until recently, not only computer science as a technology was announced in schools, but also lessons on AI – artificial intelligence. As for vocational guidance, the Moscow experiment on separation after the 5th grade was recognized as successful, it will also be extended to the whole country in the near future.

To the introduction of the position of deputy director for educational work in each school, a deputy or head teacher for mentoring will be added. What this position will be called is still unknown. But such a methodologist is needed, because the qualification “teacher-mentor” was introduced back in 2021. But in fact, there are no mentors in schools or there are few of them. 2023, even based on the name, should correct this situation. At a meeting with the president, the head of the educational department spoke about the award for teacher mentors. “The new Russian award aims to cover all regions of the country and evaluate the activities of navigators, career guidance corporate practices, the author’s methods of individual experts, scientific work in this area, individual projects in schools, information coverage and much more.”

As early as September 1, 2023, unified programs will be launched in schools, known as the “gold standard” with the light hand of the ministry, and unified textbooks will be introduced on it. Uniformity will reign in several “spiritual-forming” subjects: the Russian language, literature, history, social studies, geography and life safety. The latter, most likely, will add an extended military training course for grades 9-11.