Why Can’t Chinese Schools Copy American Education?

There may be several essays and books about American education, but there are also scholars and families making comparisons between Chinese and American education. Sad to say, but no matter how anyone tries, all this comparison is nothing but idle theorizing. The indisputable reality is that China has absolutely no way of copying American education. Why do I say this? As the saying goes, facts speak louder than words. I will use a few simple facts to explain.

For example, we all feel that the American elementary and middle school curriculum is flexible, whereas the Chinese curriculum is rather rigid. America’s flexible education is strongly tied with its curricular setup. In American elementary and middle schools, every classroom has about 25 students. And how many students are in a Chinese classroom? About double that number. With such few students in an American classroom, a teacher has more opportunities to interact with individual students, allowing a flexible agenda. In China, when you give a teacher more than 50 students, there will be no time to teach if that teacher tries to interact with every student in the little time allotted. The curricular setup of Chinese schools is such that Chinese elementary and intermediate education is nothing but force-feeding, and America’s flexible education simply does not work in China.

Another example is that American elementary and middle schools have no fixed class materials or textbooks. Homework prepared by American teachers frequently requires students to find resources in a library book. The “hands-off approach” of American schools is thanks to the vast American library [system]. According to statistics by the American Library Association, there are about 120,000 American libraries, and every library serves an average of 2,500 people. These include 8,956 public libraries, 3,793 college libraries, 98,460 school libraries, 7,616 special libraries (including company, medical, religious, law and financial libraries), 265 military libraries and 1,006 government libraries. In America, every kind of library has an endless amount of materials and encyclopedias for American students. Even though American teachers use different teaching materials from one another, American students find all the answers in libraries. Please take note of this statistic: On average, there are 2,500 Americans per library. In China, this number is no more realistic than the “Arabian Nights” stories. Chinese public libraries are not as diverse, and elementary and intermediate school libraries have too limited a selection to provide all students with the books they need. This is why all Chinese schools must teach with the same materials.

Yet another example is that many American children like sports, whereas Chinese children have limited time for extracurricular activities. The differences between Chinese and American children in terms of sports mainly come from two things. Compared to American elementary and middle school students, Chinese children have more homework, which is why their free time at school is mainly spent on homework; in other words, Chinese children have no time for sports.

From another angle, American children love sports, and this is related to American community parks. In America, parks are not only places to let loose, take walks and smell the roses, but at least where my family lives, in a year of four seasons, our community parks have every kind of extracurricular sport available for children. For example, my children played tennis, soccer and did canoeing, all at the park. These activities are close to home and affordable (since residents pay taxes), and registration is convenient. Every park activity is announced every season. Throughout registration, brochures are sent promptly to every house, giving parents and children several activities from which to choose. What is noteworthy is that these kinds of community parks are not patentable in big American cities. In the small town where we live, children are able to enjoy a variety of park activities. In China, how many parks like this that provide children nearby and affordable recreational activities can there be?

One more example is that American moral education in children is possible through extracurricular activities. Churches, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts can pass on every sense of self-conduct to children. Even if American schools do not teach political classes or [review] White House documents, American children can still find their direction in these activities. Tolerance, sincerity, love, respect and parental obedience are qualities frequently found in religious education. Endurance, manners, happiness in helping others and teamwork are skills that Scouts must practice. With extracurricular ethical education, American children can at least gain something through day-to-day immersion. Anyone would know that churches and Scout troops have absolutely no market in China, and China has no way at all to copy American extracurricular activities.

Through these simple comparisons, we realize a basic reality: In terms of moral, intellectual and physical training, Chinese and American children take different paths. The different styles and results of Chinese and American education have raised children with different external and internal qualities. For example, some Chinese children learn early on to grow up rich and live in a fancy home, whereas some American children hope to grow up to help people in Africa. American children have a lot of time for sports, have active personalities and smile a lot. Chinese children, under heavy pressure from homework, are nervous and find it difficult to smile. Under different educational systems, Chinese and American children also have different views of the world, thereby shaping their different attitudes toward life. For example, there is almost no American child who would commit suicide for not getting into a good college; even a community college student would not be so self-abased.

Just as these examples show, Chinese schools have no way of copying American education, so we cannot hope to mold Chinese children into American children on Chinese land. All news about American education can only serve as something to consider for Chinese families and educators. Education will always be an important part of society; as long as society remains the same, China’s educational system will have a hard time making breakthroughs. Maintaining a foothold in our [national] education by emulating the positive aspects of American education is the most realistic solution. To make Chinese schools copy American education is a completely impossible dream.