Soviet Classroom Caught on Film — What They Taught Kids Will Surprise You

Description:

We slowed this down so you can understand the English being spoken. What does "duty" mean to a child in the Soviet Union? This rare classroom film has the answer — and it's a lot more human than you might expect.
Watch as real students and their teacher clash, defend themselves, point fingers, and ultimately arrive somewhere surprisingly genuine: a conversation about why education matters, who built their school, and what they owe each other as a community.
It starts as a lesson about classroom readiness. It turns into something much more interesting.
This is a fascinating time capsule of Soviet-era education — not propaganda posters, not marching children, but actual messy classroom dynamics that feel strangely familiar no matter where you grew up. The film ends with students making sentences about their school... and then everyone sings a song. Because of course they do.
📽️ Scanned from the original film and preserved for history. Like and subscribe to support our archival work.

Complete Record: We slowed this down so you can understand the English being spoken. What does "duty" mean to a child in the Soviet Union? This rare classroom film has the answer — and it's a lot more human than you might expect. Watch as real students and their teacher clash, defend themselves, point fingers, and ultimately arrive somewhere surprisingly genuine: a conversation about why education matters, who built their school, and what they owe each other as a community. It starts as a lesson about classroom readiness. It turns into something much more interesting. This is a fascinating time capsule of Soviet-era education — not propaganda posters, not marching children, but actual messy classroom dynamics that feel strangely familiar no matter where you grew up. The film ends with students making sentences about their school... and then everyone sings a song. Because of course they do. 📽️ Scanned from the original film and preserved for history. Like and subscribe to support our archival work.

Transcription

Do you speak English? Yes, we do. Good afternoon. Sit down. Let's begin our lesson. So, who is on duty today? I'm on duty today. I am Squad Leader Bikov. It's my turn to be on duty. Here I am, the one who has a diary. Here I am. Here I am, Tanya. We are on duty long time. Don't you know who is that? I think I know. Who is that? Tanya is absent. What's the matter with you? I don't like the weather, but you tell me she is ill. And it's no wonder because the weather is bad today. The sky is gray. The sun is not shining brightly. It is cold. But if it is, has got cold bowels. Is the classroom ready for the lesson? Exactly. I know why there because the books, the copybooks, the daybooks are on the desks, the chalk and the duster are on the blackboard, and that's why I have come to the conclusion that the classroom is ready for the lesson. I have no remark. So, good day. You're welcome. YOU HAVE NO REMARKS. DREAM COME TRUE. OH, YOU can say that you have no remarks. I don't agree with you. You are mistaken. Don't deceive. You are on duty, but you neglect your duties. As regards me, I'm not satisfied with the pupils on duty. I am Squad Leader Bikov. You have said that the chalk is on the blackboard. Look, the chalk is not on the blackboard. You have said that the duster is on the blackboard. Look, the duster is not on the blackboard. By the way, have you washed the floor? Have you watered the flowers? From my point of view, you I have not washed the floor. You have not watered THE FLOWERS. AND THAT'S WHY I'M NOT satisfied with the pupils on duty at all. So, good day. Good day. You're welcome, Kuzmenko. But as for me, I don't want to say about the pupils on duty. I want to say a few words about She is always creating disturbances in the classroom. Girls, don't be offended at me, but the irrefutable facts say themselves. Boy, you have said that my behavior is very bad. I don't agree with you. You are mistaken. What's wrong with you? Good. You're all right. Good. Good. So, you're welcome, Nina. I have listened to my classmates. I know why there because boys touch me all the time, but I fight with them. I know why there because as for me, I can manage with the boys myself, and that's why I fight with them. But as for my character, from my point of view, my character is not so bad. But as far as I know, it's not polite to praise myself. My problem with boys where are too ready to see other people's faults and forget our own. Look at yourself. All right. Good. Sasha, you're welcome. My classmates, I have come to the conclusion that some of the pupils are not satisfied with their criticism, and they want to vindicate themselves at all costs. As regards me, I have been listening to them approximately for 10 minutes, and I vindicate neither boys nor girls. Both of them are good. As far as we know, each person is endowed with a positive and negative features, and that's why it's no wonder that sometimes girls' behavior is very bad, but sometimes boys' behavior is very bad. Finally, girls and boys, look at yourself. All right. Good. How is it necessary to combine criticism with our school? Who? Who do you like? Here is the assimilated material. All people are I just want to say that I just want to say AT ALL COSTS. AS FOR ME, I SHOULD COMBINE SOCIALLY. I HAVE come to the conclusion that Sasha And that's why I want to say a few words about education because education plays an important role in your life today. Our country is building our economy. But in order to build the economy, it's necessary to be educated. That's why you should study. You should know that you should study. It's necessary to go to school. The fact is that our children have opportunity to study because our constitution guarantees the right to study, and that's why education in the Soviet Union is free of charge. Our government and the Communist Party do much to our children. And that's why at the 25th Congress, it was held to build many schools. And our school, I don't know how to say it, but it was built. Was built. Good. Good and you? Good. Where is your Was built. Good. Make sentences. Let's make sentences. YOU'RE WELCOME. YOU'RE WELCOME, SIR. THE PLAN was built. GOOD. VERY NICE. VERY NICE. TANYA. THE BOOK WAS BUILT. GOOD. VERY NICE. YOU. A cinema was built. Good. Very nice. YOU. GOOD. NINA. A KITCHEN, I THINK it was built. IT'S VERY NICE. IT'S VERY NICE. GOOD. POTATOES. POTATOES. A PLANT WAS BUILT. GOOD. VERY NICE. LET'S WRITE down the sentences. LET'S WRITE DOWN THE SENTENCES. AND WHO IS READY? WHO? YOU'RE WELCOME. Let's write down the sentences. Tomorrow, you're welcome. Was built in 1975. GOOD. VERY NICE. VERY NICE. WHO ELSE? WHO? You're welcome. Our school was built in 1975 in honor of the 25th Congress of the CPSU. Very nice. Very nice. It's very nice. GOOD. GOOD. WHO ELSE? WHO? You're welcome. Our school was built in 1975 in honor of the 25th Congress in Almazny District. Good. In Almazny District. In Almazny District. Who else? Who? Who? Uh Timchenko. Our school was built in 1975 in honor of the 25th Congress of the CPSU. In Almazny District. In order to teach our children and to give THEM GOOD KNOWLEDGE. VERY NICE. TO GIVE THEM GOOD KNOWLEDGE. VERY NICE. GOOD. WHAT ELSE? WHAT ELSE? UH you you Our school was built in 1975 in honor of the 25th Congress in Almazny District. There are many classrooms in our school. >> [singing] >> Thank you.


1 user has this film:
AV Geeks Archive


No related films.