Education in China

Before I continue, I want to mention that if you enjoy reading this blog, then you might also enjoy reading Guy’s blog about life in Hong Kong since he just moved there from the UK. http://guyinhk.posterous.com/

I'm still wrapping my head around education in China. I like the emphasis on education in society here. It’s definitely a priority. They also are open and and eager to learn from other countries. However, I think it's important to define "education". This past week I haven't had class or finals, but I've learned so much about business and life in China from informational interviews and casual meetings. Does this count as education? As I mentioned in a previous post, kids in China are not taught how to do things like cook because it is seen as a distraction by the parents. I also get the feeling that they learn how to study for exams, but are perhaps uncomfortable with new teaching approaches. For example, I heard from a couple of students at CEIBS who only like classes that have a specific structure. When I was in Huai’an, I watched a television program on CCTV (China Central Television) News discussing the differences between education in the US and in China. Basically each system has its pros and cons. The Chinese are stronger in math and science, and we hear that in the news in the U.S. all the time. Some suggest that Chinese parents put too much pressure on their kids. The other day there was a different news story about Chinese parents worried about their kids having too much free time during the Chinese New Year, and the story focused on a little girl taking this time to be a tour guide at a local museum. I can't imagine this type of news story shown back at home. I heard elsewhere that a significant percentage of our PhD students are international, and many of them return to their home country, including China. We must be doing something right. The television program also pointed out that American students are taught critical thinking. We are taught to, respectfully, ask questions and question what we are being told, which I hear is not the same in China.

I love that older people here are very active, both physically and mentally. One Sunday morning we saw all these couples in an area dancing in the park. Others were playing cards, flying kites, or practicing tai chi.