Chinese and American Classroom Culture - Thesis Example

? 12 Chinese room Culture and American room Culture Teaching can be considered as one of the most instrumental forces in shaping the lives of students through effective pedagogy. However, every country has a different style teaching and learning style that differs in terms of cultures, perceptions and course materials along with way of understanding course curriculum and accordingly deriving strategies to make learning an easy and fun activity. The discussion aims to ascertain Chinese classroom culture and American classroom culture. Both China and America are different in terms of teaching and learning environment and a thorough discussion will help in comparing the classroom cultures of both these countries in a systematic manner. A classroom culture of trust and transparency is the foundation for creating an environment where students are empowered with correct and appropriate feedback helping in effective learning along with offering them a chance to learn from their mistakes resulting in the achievement of common goals and objectives in a planned manner. It is important to create a trusting environment as it helps students to learn along with offering learning to others through experiences. However, different countries take different approaches to design their classroom culture based on the goals and objectives formulated by the supervisory bodies. A trusting classroom environment embedded with transparency helps in winning the trust of students along with offering them a robust platform of learning and invaluable experiences through course books and personal learning and sharing (Chalker, Haynes, 1994). The next part of the discussion presents an insight over Chinese classroom culture in terms of ideas and methods used to enhance the learning of students. Chinese Classroom Culture The educational system is China is more of Socialist oriented where sharing of ideas and knowledge is considered as the prime element of learning. Chinese classrooms are often packed with up to fifty students and learning is driven by group activities and discussions that is an element of socialism. Chinese schooling is extremely competitive that means students have to compete at the grade school level by sitting in competitive exams and working hard to ensure high grades in order to het admission in best of schools. The Chinese education system can be considered as a stepping stone for the success of the economy in many ways. Students are compelled to succeed in order to serve the society and any sort of lagging behind may singled them out and thus creating extra amount of pressure that often affects their learning capabilities. The motivation for excellence is quite different in China compared to other countries as China emphasizes on creating productive citizens who can serve the society and nation along with creating value for the nation. In Western countries, children may have individuals’ goals and dreams to become wealthy but in China, the entire focus is on enhancing the level of productivity so that the nation can be served in a productive manner. This has created extra burden on students in order to be competitive and excel in their fields. China has a large population and often space becomes an issue especially while accommodating 50-60 students in a single class. This is why classes are very near to each other separated only by walls. On the other hand, teachers share common room that mitigates hierarchies across academia and barriers to communicate with other teachers. Hansen, Childs (1998) stated that in Chinese education system, teachers can easily meet and communicate with each other and do not feel isolated as much as American School teachers. This clearly shows that the culture of sharing ideas and beliefs is the top most priority of the Chinese education system that is taken forward in classrooms in a logical way. Redding (1980) believed that Chinese students are often considered as more reverential and memory oriented. They are also very obedient and passive seldom asking questions or arguing with teachers. They are also considered as more diligent and possess amazing amount of concentration that helps in learning in an effective manner. Edmund (2000) believed that Chinese students are feared of challenging or discussing issues that can offend teachers and or prejudice their advantages to excel well in the curriculum. The cultural sense of “Face” meaning a desire not get embarrassed or to make others embarrassed in the public space is another reason why students do not cross questions in classrooms. They will share their views and opinions only when they are sure of its authenticity and acceptance. This often curtails sharing of knowledge to an extent as the fear of not getting embarrassed stops them to be wrong and learn from their mistakes. In the traditional Chinese learning and education environment; teachers are expected to know everything. Teachers are the sole authorities deciding the correct and incorrect information. Chinese teachers are the ultimate authoritative voice suggesting that students need to follow them rather questioning their knowledge and mode of teaching and sharing. Chinese learning style is based on the format of lecturing and students are supposed to take notes. It is believed that writing down whatever teachers say and memorizing it later helps in building and developing knowledge. China has a centralized education system and majority of schools are structured institutions. Classes are conducted using one way communication through lecturing and questioning selected students to test their learning and knowledge. The Chinese pedagogy system believes that it is important to grasp early knowledge and equally important to hone basic skills and knowledge to build the foundation for the future. This often helps in strengthening their learning along with making them good enough to support advanced skills with the use of basic skills. The next part of the discussion presents an understanding over American Classroom culture. American Classroom Culture The education system in the United States is centralized and decentralized considering the different private and public schools and high schools. The US education institutes require certain standards and behaviours to accomplish safe, fair and productive learning environment. The classroom setup in America is based on openness and transparency where students are allowed to participate in the class discussion. At the same time, they can ask questions to teachers that help in sharing ideas and knowledge. The relationship between teachers and students based on friendly terms and students are motivated and encouraged to brainstorm on various ideas with teachers. American students seek privacy and personal freedom and it is not necessary to be a part of any group. Though, group activities and tasks are assigned to students to facilitate group sharing and understanding of each other but at the end of the day, every student is an individual driven by the sense of individuality and freedom (Ian, 2002) American classroom culture is based on sharing of individual ideas and beliefs without the feeling of being rejected or rebuked by teachers or fellow students. This creates great amount of confidence along with encouraging them to deal with different issues through the formation of wide arrays of ideas and beliefs. In the United States, students are motivated to form a mindset that will help them in understanding the value of a research. From an early age, students are encouraged to conduct researchers that help them to know different phenomena in an effective manner. On the other hand, lecturing is not considered as an ideal way of teaching students as students are motivated to participate in different discussions making them share their views and opinions even by contradicting the views and opinions of others. This helps in gaining multiple insights over a particular subject and topic that further helps in building and developing knowledge in a systematic manner. Moreover, the openness leads to the formation of confidence that helps in strengthening the knowledge base. Mainly because of the centralized education system in the United States, even the more restrictive curriculum are more flexible compared to the educational curriculum of other countries. The American educational curriculum is designed in such a manner that students get ample amount of time to indulge in social activities. Students have every opportunity to become financially independent by engaging themselves in part time jobs. The environment of classrooms in America is quite open and transparent where the real focus in on not memorizing books and facts but to understand them in a logical manner. The relationship of teachers with students is based on trust and companionship and students can communicate with teachers freely without thinking twice. There is very little space for ego in the American educational setup as everyone is free and allowed to voice their opinions in order to strengthen their learning. American classrooms are very flexible and creative in nature lacking traditional educational inputs based on the idea of respecting the opinions of teachers without any contradiction. There is no sense of fear among American students in terms of sharing their doubts with teachers and fellow students. Moreover, classrooms timings are quite flexible allowing students to devote much time in sports and extra curriculum activities. The educational curriculum does not compel students to be a productive citizen but to enhance one’s worth and abilities to become an exemplary figure. Moreover, there are a number of role models for American students and these role models often compel them to take pride in becoming an individual creating value for oneself and also for the society and nation. Overall, it can be believed that the American classroom culture is based on the idea of facilitating sharing and learning by creating a flexible and creative environment based on openness and transparency leading to students’ welfare in the long run. The next part of the discussion presents an understanding over the differences in the American and Chinese classroom culture in a succinct manner. Difference in American and Chinese Classroom Culture The arrangement of both classrooms and teachers’ offices in China and the United States is quite different. China is a highly populated nation and space becomes an issue. Majority of schools have large numbers of students in one class that is separated by a wall from other classes. On the other hand, the schools in the United States are quite open and large though the number of students in a class is dependent on the course and level of education. Teachers in China sit in the same room that helps in mitigating the scope for hierarchical divisions and conflicts. In the United States, teachers have different cubicles where students can come and communicate with them. Teachers in American schools meet during recess that affects the level of communication between teachers. However, with an open platform, the same is not a problem with Chinese teachers. In terms of students’ behaviour, Chinese students are considered as more passive and obedient compared to American students (Jane, 2001) Chinese students seldom open their mouth in front of their teachers for the purpose of contradiction but American students are driven by the sense of individuality and openness that allows them to speak in from of teachers just to get rid of their doubts through a friendly argument or conversation that helps in creating a positive learning environment. It can be believed that the American classrooms are more creative and flexible as traditional and orthodox modes of teachings are not preferred by teachers as well as students. This helps in creating a friendly environment where sharing of ideas and beliefs becomes fun and useful. In the traditional Chinese classroom settings, teachers are supposed to be knowing everything while in the American classroom settings, teachers may be contradicted by students with due respect in a friendly yet in a respectful manner. This helps in building great bond between teachers and students along with facilitating mutual sharing of ideas and knowledge in a positive way (Zhang, 1999) Note taking is another typical Chinese learning style as majority of students believe in taking lecture notes and later memorizing them to strengthen their learning. However, American students believe in sharing ideas and opinions to strengthen their knowledge and learning rather being dependent on noting lectures notes. Moreover, Chinese students spend good amount of time in classrooms compared to American students and thus form bonds and relationships with fellow students. Chinese classrooms are based on the idea of gaining knowledge that will help students to become productive citizens while American classrooms are based on the idea of becoming an individual and thus conducting researches from an early age is often supported by teachers. In China, teachers are offered the responsibility to take care of every student and students are not supposed to address their teachers with their names. On the other hand, teachers are not supposed to take the entire responsibility of American students and students can address their teachers with their names with due respect. This helps in creating a sense of friendliness that often helps in sharing and learning in a logical and systematic manner. Chinese students daily behaviour is more self-controlled driven by peer coordination while American students daily behavior is driven by personal values and understanding that is shaped by the sharing and learning with others including teachers in classrooms. Chinese classrooms are based on the idea of strengthening the basic knowledge of students that will help them to form the foundation for a chosen career. On the other hand, American classrooms offer ample opportunities to conduct researches so that students can learn on their own and thus gaining practical knowledge (Jane, 2001). Chinese students often become note-taking machines where personal understanding takes the back seat while American students are driven by the understanding of facts with little reliance on notes. Overall, it can be believed that both Chinese and American classroom cultures are different in certain ways with only similarity of strengthening the learning and knowledge of students in a planned manner. CONCLUSION Based on the discussion, it was found that both Chinese and American classroom cultures are quite different from each other. The sense of individuality prevails in American classrooms while sense of respect and following the words of teachers prevails in Chinese classrooms. However, both nations can learn from each other in order to strengthen their classroom cultures. American classrooms need to learn the traditional merits of Chinese classroom cultures that support developing peer relationship and basic skills to strengthen future knowledge building process. On the other hand, Chinese classrooms can learn the flexibility and creativity aspects from American classroom cultures that will help in motivating students along with creating a sense of individuality leading to become a productive citizen and individual in the long run. There is no doubt that education shapes the image of nations and designing effective classroom cultures often helps in building the foundation of learning and sharing for students. However, it is important to design strategies that will help in the growth and development of students and for that, it is important to eliminate the scope of fear that prevails in Chinese classrooms on the ground of getting embarrassed in terms of possessing insufficient knowledge and skills. This will not only empower students but also the educational system. Works Cited Chalker, D. M., & Haynes, R. M. World class schools: New standards for education. Lancaster, PA: Technomic Publishing. 1994. Print Edmund, R. Thompson. Are Teaching Cases Appropriate in a Mainland Chinese Context? Evidence from Beijing MBA Students. Journal of Education for Business 76 no2 108-12 N/D. 2000. Print Hansen, J. M. & Childs, J. Creating a school where people like to be. Educational Leadership, 1990. 56(1), 62-64. Ian, Winchester. On the Applicability of Western Models to China. Journal of Educational 36, no2, 105-10, 2002. Print Jane, Liu. A Comparison of Student Management and Secondary School. 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