According to a study by the Russian job platform Rabota.ru, the most important school subjects, as named by survey participants, are Russian language (61%), math (59%), and foreign languages (38%). The survey included about 4,500 Russians over the age of 18. But why are these subjects seen as the most important? And which one is harder — Russian or math? Some say Russian, because of all the rules. Others point to math, because of the formulas.
We’ve already written a lot about the importance of learning your native language, math, and foreign languages. Today, let’s focus on two key subjects.
The Russian Language
Russian is essential because it teaches children to speak, write, and read. The goal of language is communication — to express ideas clearly, understand others, and achieve your goals. A solid grasp of Russian helps kids choose the right tone in different situations: respectful, friendly, or neutral. They learn when it’s okay to joke and when it’s better to speak formally. And that ability helps them adapt to the world around them.
The Nuances of Russian
Many believe Russian is one of the hardest languages because of its many rules, exceptions, and subtle details. It’s true — punctuation, spelling, and stylistics can be complex.
Children who learn the language well will navigate tricky word pairs like “задело – за дело” (“offended – on business”) or “вы женаты – вы же на ты” (“you’re married – but you’re on first-name terms”), and grasp double meanings like “несуразные вещи – несу разные вещи” (“nonsense – I’m carrying different things”). They'll confidently pronounce words like transcendental and explain why тыкаешь can mean both “to poke” and “to use informal speech.” - for the cause," "you're married - you're on a first-name basis," "ridiculous things. - carrying different things." They will have no trouble pronouncing the word "transcendent" or explaining the meaning of the verb "poke" (Why are you poking me?).
Ever wonder what the hardest word in Russian is? Many linguists name “контрреволюционствующий” (“counterrevolutionizing”) as one of the longest and trickiest.
Now ask yourself — how much can someone achieve in a country if they don’t speak the language at all? Your child will learn English or French from the environment around them. But if you don’t teach them Russian, it’s unlikely anyone else will.
Math
Math is not only useful in everyday life — calculating change, volume, taxes, and more — it also trains the brain. Solving complex problems teaches kids to think critically, analyze, explore options, and build arguments. This kind of mental development influences every other area of life. There’s a reason math is called the queen of sciences.
One of the most difficult math problems ever? The Collatz conjecture — a puzzle that has challenged mathematicians for decades. Who knows — maybe your child will be the one to solve it!
By studying math, kids improve memory, imagination, logic, and attention. These core mental skills support learning in every subject.
At our school, we offer online lessons in both Russian and math. And here’s the best part — our math classes are taught in Russian, helping students improve language skills while mastering numbers.
To help you decide what to start with, we offer free trial lessons. Just leave your contact info in the form below — our manager will get in touch with you!
