If you ask any American High School student what’s the highest priority, you may hear some unsettling responses. In America, though education is still cherished, some worry that students are becoming less interested in the learning part of high-school and more interested in the social aspects. Now as people are seeking better ways to educate and encourage students, many are starting to look to other countries for new concepts. One country in particular that values education in a more serious way than most is China. The differences between the Chinese and American education systems are so grand that it is hard to compare. Though it is not comparable, we can discover certain aspects of each education system and how they affect the students.
In China’s school system, students face the inevitable competition for the spot in the higher grade. The only way to move up in the secondary education level, a student must take hard examinations. Ultimately, students who fail the examination will not be allowed to continue additional schooling (Van Schaack). Though, it seems harsh, the Chinese education system is directly contrived from the cultures rich values on “human malleability and self-cultivation” (Uttal). With a strong focus on the student’s ability to adapt to new information and devotion of time spent on learning, China may arguably have one of the strongest educational systems according to test scores alone.
To the people of China, the teacher is a respected official that deserves extraordinary acknowledgement and high compensation, similar to a Doctor (Coughlan). Many argue that the respect the public shows for the teachers directly correlates to students’ superior learning. With the teachers being so highly thought of, the idea o...
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...hildren 's independent awareness, rather than the outcome of a grade. While the American students are increasingly more adaptive in social context, they are deprived the capability to function in a mostly intellectual environment. In China, however, the lack of individualism allegedly encourages a nation that supports the government and does not fight against the original social norms and values. Instead of trying to create a well-rounded student, the Chinese education system focused more on the intellectual ability of the student. With an overwhelming focus on the academic skills, the Chinese students may be lacking in the ability to speak and think for themselves. These two education systems are polar opposites, yet it is hard to decide whether one is better than the other. The verdict on which education system works more successfully, depends on the student alone.
In “Père du Halde: The Chinese Educational System”, (Document 3), Pere du Halde talks about the Chinese Education system. In the document, he says, “That boys should not learn is an improper thing; for if they do not learn in youth, what will they do when old?” This shows that the educational system in China was very hard and strict and the students learned a lot. Since the boys that were going to school were one day going to be men, those men were going to have to make many decisions for China. In order to make sure China was on the right path to great rulers and government workers, the schooling system was very prestigious and difficult. This is an example that China needed a good educational system so they would have strong, future rulers. In my opinion, the Chinese learning system was hard because everyone wanted to have great leaders and they knew that the students who were going to school were going to be future leaders. As it says in “Matteo Ricci: On Chinese Government”, (Document 5), “It may be said in praise of the Chinese that ordinarily they would prefer to die an honorable death rather than swear allegiance to a usurping monarch.” This is an example that the people of China wanted a strong ruler/rulers and would rather die than be ruled by a weak leader. The statement shows that all of China, not just government officers,...
As the evidence shows that, "The Chinese value education as a stepping stone to success, and children - especially only children - are under a lot of pressure to excel in school. There is also an unspoken code of conformity, and there is a lot of pressure to fit in, for to be singled out is the penultimate in humiliation, causing students to 'lose face' in front of their peers. In addition to academics, parents also try and enroll their children in a wide variety of after-school activities to enhance their overall development."("History of Chinese Education, Five Necessities of Chinese Culture", Paragraph 2) This evidence shows not only teachers but also parents or students from China are still keeping the traditional mind to study. Thousands years ago in ancient China, schools are competitive, students needs to have high quality of studying and good relations with the school as well. Even they might feel stressful on learning when they are in elementary school. Nowadays, parents still think their kid must have the best education, more strong points. Childrens are learning lots of skills and knowledge when they are extremely young. In Canada, it's totally different. Students like team-work, they don't have bias on any schools. They study breezily without any pressure. So, more traditional makes Chinese education different from Canadian
Chua believes that Chinese parents force their children to be academically successful in order to reach “higher” goals in life. She emphasizes this when she states “…Chinese parents have … higher dreams for their children…” (Chua 8). Although Amy set higher s...
My mom would always say, “American born Chinese students have it easy in America.” One key difference between the American education system and Chinese education system is the way they are taught. Being raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I went to school to understand the idea of analyzing and understanding concepts. After reading Only Hope, I realized that their education is based on more memorizations. To Chinese students, understand the concept and apply it is not the most important, you must just memorize it for the exam. Many parents in China would say that going on vacation and relaxing is a waste of time because they need to focus on learning. In Greenspan’s article, it mentions that a student in China is the top of her class and is fluent in English, yet she cannot go on vacation because her mother wants her to spend time learning, many students in China
Although both philosophies demonstrate awareness of self, education, and interaction with one another, their goals for the future remain distinctly different, as their methods of carrying out those goals are opposite in nature. In studying both philosophies it only seems logical that the society in which China has created must be one of fluidity and constant understanding in order to possess traits of each philosophy. The virtues set forth by both philosophies have no doubt molded a society able to withstand much criticism, both internally and externally. In America’s future, filled with successes and failures, one can only hope that we are able to withstand as much in order to create a cultural legacy of our
Amy Chua (2011) names off three reasons that support her argument in why Chinese children are more successful. First, she mentions that Westerners worry too much on how their child will accept failure, whereas Chinese parents assume only strength in their child and nothing less. For example, if a Western child comes home with a B on a test, some parents will praise the child on their success and some may be upset, while a Chinese parent would convince their child they are “worthless” and “a disgrace.” The Western parents hope to spare their children’s feelings and to be careful not to make their child feel insecure or inadequate, while Chinese parents demand perfect grades because they believe their children can get them (Chua, 2011). Secondly, Chinese parents believe their chil...
In this paper, it will be looking at the culture and education practices of Finland, Canada, and China. Education varies from country to country as well as does one's culture, lifestyle of the people who live there. In doing so will review their culture and the role of their education policies that are used to motivate schools and teachers to improve student learning along with how their culture plays into learning. Furthermore, children should be taught with respect to their culture. However, we can also learn from one another. In addition, we have similar and different educational practices from one another. Such as when it comes to the Finnish, Canadians, to the Chinese as, we all learn in different environments because of our culture. Furthermore, and most importantly, thus educational practices vary from culture to culture. For instance, these counties are considered some of the best when it comes to education, Finland, Canada, China and it is because of their educational practices along with their culture government.
Chinese-Americans authors Amy Tan and Gish Jen have both grappled with the idea of mixed identity in America. For them, a generational problem develops over time, and cultural displacement occurs as family lines expand. While this is not the problem in and of itself, indeed, it is natural for current culture to gain foothold over distant culture, it serves as the backdrop for the disorientation that occurs between generations. In their novels, Tan and Jen pinpoint the cause of this unbalance in the active dismissal of Chinese mothers by their Chinese-American children.
Margaret Mead said, “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” In our society we value education over everything else. If one has a high education, then they will be able to make a better living for themselves. No school system is alike, some are better than others. The American education system used to be known as one of the leaders in education, having the highest graduation rate, and being innovative when it came to teaching styles. Now, it seems that it’s changing and other countries have taken it’s places as the best. This makes sense since the statistics show that most American students are losing to foreign countries. According to Paul Zoch in Doomed to Fail, Japan’s high school graduation was 90% whereas, the United
When I came to the United State in 1995, I got surprised after my children entered to their public schools. Why? It is not only because we didn’t pay their tuitions, textbooks fees, breakfast and lunch fee, but also the school schedule, students/teachers relationship, and a lot of things are different with my country in Taiwan. Even both of countries’ education is compulsory now, parents in Taiwan still have to pay some fees such as registration fee and supplements fee (including textbooks) for their child to use in school.
Chinese education is depend on the population of China and National Higher Education Entrance Examination. Compare to China, where students have no choice but well perform well on test to be attend to college. American students have more choice to college such as community college or going to four year college after high school. Even though, American education is not doing well now, but there still has some good advantages. Therefore, America can keep their good advantages and creative new way to improve their education system. It better than emulate other countries education
Comparison of American and Chinese Cultures Cultural differences are apparent from one group of people to another. Culture is based on many things that are passed on from one generation to the next. Most of the time, people take for granted their language, beliefs, and values. When it comes to the cultural differences of people, there is no right or wrong. People should be aware of others culture and respect the differences that exist between them.
There is no more critical role in our current society than that of a teacher’s. Teachers help shape the minds of the future. Tomorrow's engineers, scientists, politicians, and educators are all greatly influenced by today's instructors. Without teachers society would not be anywhere near where it is now, and only a select few would have access to learning. Sadly however important teachers are in human civilization, they are still drastically understated, unrecognized and under paid.
The very first important development for a successful country is to have a respectable education system for those who need it from the first day they are born into the world. We have to instill what we want in our people to reflect how we want our to development to appear. In china their school system has more of a strict structure for example, at Harbin Number One High School; students begin school at 7:00 a.m., and remain until 8:20 p.m. The seniors, preparing for their final examinations, stay later, even until 10:00 at night.(Rybak) In a Chinese school the day are much longer than an American school day. This means that Chinese student spend a lot more time in school which bring us to conclusion that Chinese are more advantaged then the American student in long run. This prepares them for college or even the young adult can be bio-lingual. Most American student usually attends school for seven hours each weekday and may forget what they have learned because it in instilled into the young adults’ heads like the Chinese do with their students.
In today’s society, the fixed model for ordinary Chinese student is working hard on their study since very young to be admitted by better primary school, middle school and high school and then, they would get high marks in Gaokao, which is a kind of exam like ACT, to enter some best universities to get a well-paid job in the future. As the fierce competition in China, parents ask their children to put 100% energy in study and they usually think working part-time would decrease school success because of less study time. Gwen (2012) notes most of Chinese parents are more strict in study than American parents. They push their children to study, practice more and get achievement and give children enough financial support. Furthermore, many Chinese students think doing extra part-time job would make them feel more stressful because most of them are forced to go institutions to have extra classes at the weekend. As a result, many Chinese people do not have positive attitudes toward students working