Education in China - Essay Example

Education in China The success of Chinese education since 1949 has been unequalledamong developing nations. Prevalence of illiteracy in China has been declining rapidly. The number of enrolees in primary and secondary schools is continuously increasing. The availability of teachers has in many regards been satisfactory and academic performance of students is relatively high (Wang 18). However, quite little is known about the education system of China. Nevertheless, because of a major transition toward a skills- and service-based economy and an ever more open business environment, the education system has become a top priority of the Chinese government. And because of the rapidly growing economic sector and global presence of China, it is imperative to understand how the education system works in the country. This essay discusses education in China and the similarities and differences between the Chinese and American education system. Education in China is categorised into elementary school, middle school, and high school. Similar to the United States, twelve years are spent in elementary school and high school, though in China, it is divided quite differently. In China, six years are spent in elementary school, then three years in middle school, and three years in high school, with the initial nine years spent in compulsory education (Peterson, Hayhoe, and Lu 22). One should successfully pass a competitive exam in order to be admitted into high school. High school is offering vocational education and general education. Parents pay for their children’s high school education, and scholarships are granted to those from low-income families. High school students are required to stay in school from 8:00 am to 5:15 pm. Generally, a particular school in every city is authorised to offer special education for pupils with impairments (Wang 73). Home schooling is not practised in China, not like in the United States. There are hardly any non-academic extracurricular and sports activities. Nevertheless, numerous students take part in after-school activities to review for examinations, particularly for university admission exams, which they can take once, not like the ACT and SAT Reasoning Test which can be taken several times in the U.S. (Liu 62). In China, a large number of students in elementary school are taught mathematics by a professional math teacher. The math teacher is also allowed to teach Chinese literacy in grades 1 and 2. In several areas, math teachers may also teach science, but science is not a major subject in the elementary school curriculum (Peterson et al. 44). In schools in far-flung or rural places, elementary teachers are also allowed to teach all subject areas, just like in the United States. However, math teachers in elementary schools are usual in China and less usual in the U.S. Moreover, Chinese pupils use a single classroom for their primary classes whilst in the United States students use different rooms for different subjects or classes (Guo and Lamb 75). The major difference between the education system of China and the U.S. is that in the former, the system in general is far stricter with more rules and in the latter there are considerably fewer limitations and greater freedom (Liu 38). For instance, a pupil having the liberty to choose his/her own classes is not common in China. Every class that a student in China should take is fixed. According to Peterson and colleagues, this lack of freedom in China may be attributed to the huge population of students and giving every student the freedom to choose his/her own classes is clearly problematic. Another important difference between the Chinese and American education system is the notion of head teacher. The head teacher in China performs an extra responsibility in overseeing their particular classes, providing instruction, and knowing and communicating with the students and their families. The Chinese head teacher will not merely teach his/her particular class that she or he is assigned to but will also observe other classes so she or he can check his/her students’ progress, guide them, and communicate with the parents if needed (Liu 24). In the United States, every teacher is required to communicate with parents when a student behaves badly or is performing poorly. In American secondary schools, a guidance counsellor helps with parent communication (Liu 24–25). Those who want to teach in mainland China should be graduates with certification from a specialised institution. On the other hand, to become a teacher in the U.S., it is compulsory for every teacher to complete a specialised higher education course. An aspiring teacher has to pass a teaching certification test in order to become a teacher in the area or state that they want to teach in (Liu 33). Several teaching methods are used in China as compared to the U.S. If a Chinese student is experiencing difficulties understanding a particular idea in a particular subject, the teacher may encourage the student to recite or demonstrate in class so that the teacher and other pupils can assist the student in understanding the idea (Wang 84). If the student requires further guidance or assistance, she or he will be asked to attend a one-on-one session with the teacher. The parents of the student will also take part and will help him or her with his or her task (Wang 84–85). On the other hand, in the U.S., being asked to recite or demonstrate in front of a class and being assessed or criticised by the teacher and other students could be absolutely detrimental to a pupil’s self-confidence. In the American education system, teachers are student-oriented, and respecting the self-confidence of students is regarded crucial (Guo and Lamb 52). Moreover, according to Liu, in the U.S., if a student is having difficulties in his or her studies, the tendency is to attribute the poor academic performance of the student to his or her poor intelligence. In conclusion, the education system in China is quite similar to the U.S. one. Schools and classrooms in China vary in sizes and forms. Teachers and examinations in China clearly focus on quality education. Even though a number of differences between the American and Chinese education system were identified, when more profoundly examining the two education systems in general, they are unexpectedly the same for two very different cultures. Works Cited Guo, Zhenyi, and Stephen Lamb. International Comparison of China’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training System. New York: Springer, 2010. Print. Liu, Kejing. A Comparison of American and Chinese Teacher Education Candidates: Reasons for Becoming Teachers and Teaching Self-Efficacy Beliefs. New York: Lightning Source Incorporated, 2009. Print. Peterson, Glen, Ruth Hayhoe, and Yongling Lu. Education, Culture, and Identity in Twentieth Century China. Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 2001. Print. Wang, Xiufang. Education in China since 1976. North Carolina: McFarland, 2003. Print. Read More