China here I come
For twelve days in December, 2010, I will be traveling in China with a group of educational technology professionals. We will be meeting educators there and –I hope– seeing schools along with the usual tourist fascinations. I would LOVE to meet some kids, but am not sure if that will happen. I will be blogging the trip here. Please plan to follow the trip and ask questions or make comments at will. As a teacher, I am sure I will not be able to resist asking a few questions myself. Maybe you and your class would like to stop by once a day to learn something new about China through the eyes of an American teacher!
Hi Candace,
My husband and I went to a presentation today The presentation was presented by three Asian-American college students at a local museum. They were very enthusiastic about presenting the audience with their view of China.
They said that their parents had all emigrated to the United States to provide their children with the chance for a better education. They said that education in China emphasizes rote learning and memorization. Students in China need to take a test after nine years of education in order to get a place in a college.
In addition to education, the students gave us an overview of Chinese cultural norms. I was struck by the comments of all three about how important family and food are in China and how the concept of community is so important. I think this is one lesson I would like to spread here. have a wonderful trip. I can’t wait to read about it.
Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for your wonderful resources.
Stephanie Ryall
Comment by Stephanie Ryall — November 21, 2010 @ 8:20 pm
Stephanie,
Thanks for the comments. I recently talked with a teacher here in the U.S. who grew up in China. She said many of the same things about rote learning. I can’t wait to see Chinese schools and meet with teachers. I am sure it will be hard to gather in the subtleties in a short visit, but I will do my best!
Comment by Candace Hackett Shively — November 23, 2010 @ 1:28 pm
You might try to contact some of the American ESL teachers in China to get a true perspective on the educational system in China…don’t rely on the truth from the officials and party members. If you rely on them, you will just get what they want you to see and nothing else.
Comment by Edward Darlow — December 5, 2010 @ 4:18 am
Candace,
I can’t wait to read about your journeys throughout China. What an adventure! If you hear or see anything intriguing about literacy, please share. They rank ahead of us, so I’m sure we can learn from them.
My husband has been there many times. It *is* an adventure of a lifetime! Someday I’d love to go, so I travel vicariously through you!
Enjoy the journey!
Comment by Rhonda Lane Phillips — December 5, 2010 @ 9:11 am
I am curious about how the Chinese textbooks deal with the American Revolution and the Civil War. I also would like to know about if they deal with different learning styles at all.
Have a great trip. My daughter studies in China two years ago at the University in Beijing. However, education is not her field of study.
Thanks,
Noreen
Comment by Noreen Dempsey — December 5, 2010 @ 10:59 am
@ Edward I am sure we are being taken to see “select” schools. I have had long conversations with a Chinese woman who was educated entirely there and came to the U.S. a few years ago. She teaches Chinese in a U.S. high school and has told me some about the schools she experienced. Of course, things are changing rapidly there, so her experience, while relatively recent, may not be typical of today. I think the best way to get a true picture is to combine multiple snapshots and voices to form a montage closer to reality. This trip can only be one part of that montage. ESL teachers would certainly be an interesting group to talk with.
Comment by Candace Hackett Shively — December 5, 2010 @ 1:37 pm
@Noreen. I don’t know how specifically I can find out about what U.S. history they teach, since I do not read Chinese. I will definitely see if I can find out about views of teaching re learning styles. We are meeting with folks at a teacher ed institution, so that would be an interesting question. I wonder in general what pedagogy they emphasize in preparing teachers. Yet another W for my KWL!
Comment by Candace Hackett Shively — December 5, 2010 @ 1:39 pm
To what extent is it true that schools in China are not heated during Winter months and the children wear coats and mittens in classrooms with the windows open. Or, was that just in the “olden” times?
Comment by Dr Mike — December 5, 2010 @ 8:59 pm
Candy,
Great posts so far. I can’t wait to read them every day. Looking at your KWL chart, you have your work cut out for you. Don’t forget to have fun while you observe!
Donna
Comment by Donna Benson — December 8, 2010 @ 8:41 am
I would love to skype a classroom in China that is learning English. Would the time difference make this impossible?
Comment by Angela — December 9, 2010 @ 7:41 am
Angela,
I kow some American teachers who have tried to do this. The time zone difference for Eastern time zone U.S. is 13 hours, so you have to Skype in the early evening/early morning with one class getting together again in the evening to make the call (perhaps as part of an International night of parent event?). Pacific time is 16 hours apart, but that could work for California kids to talk at 3:30 or 4 pm with China at 7:30 or 8 am. Some people use asynchronous tools instead, such as Voicethread.EDU and comment back and forth to each other about pictures they have uploaded. You can read a review/explanation of VoicethreadEDU on TeachersFirst at http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=8315
Comment by Candace Hackett Shively — December 9, 2010 @ 9:11 am