The first book is called Dream School.
The writer Edward Humes won the Pulitzer Prize. This book is based on what he saw and heard in a top American middle school for one year.
This book does not talk about the characteristics of this middle school, the foundation of the school, educational ideas and so on, but presents these vivid images through real stories.
We can see the anxiety and pressure of senior three students who are facing college application. They also feel the same way about sleeping four hours a day and living on four cups of coffee. We can see that under the pressure of parents, we have no choice but to give up our hobbies and dream majors and bear the distress of those children who are the facade of the whole family; We can follow the author into the classroom and see how the teacher patiently and wisely encourages this group of graduates who have long lost their "passion" to join the lively and interesting classroom discussion; We can also see how a Muslim student who was in trouble after "9. 1 1" expressed his feelings with the help of the principal.
In addition to stories, every teacher in the book has a distinct personality, such as a kind and cured principal, such as a history teacher who stubbornly loves to oppose the principal but is deeply loved by students, and so on.
This book is to create a real imagination space for us through one vivid and concrete story after another. Reading and reading, it seems that I have returned to the middle school campus and greeted the teacher on the way to the classroom. But this is such a special campus. Following one story after another, I feel like I'm back in middle school, a completely different middle school and a completely different experience.
The Chinese version of this book has a very titled party name, which is what is the best middle school in America.
Even though our children may not go to middle school in America, reading this book has made me deeply understand the meaning of the word "education".
The second book shared is about American university education, and its title is "Excellent Sheep: Wrong Education of American Elite and the Meaningful Road to Life".
The author of this book studied at Ivy League University and taught at Yale University for ten years. Based on his observation and reflection on the whole American education system, he put forward a criticism of the elite education system.
He believes that Harvard, Yale and other famous American schools have not taken on the responsibility of "education", but only cultivated a large number of "excellent sheep" for the society. The so-called "excellent sheep" is probably equivalent to what we call "exquisite egoist" in Chinese.
It is found through reading that the situation described by the author is not unique to the United States. For example, I have participated in various interest trainings since I was a child, just for the dazzling resume when applying for a university. For example, participating in various intensive training after class is to improve SAT scores. For example, after entering the university, I am very busy but I don't know why. For example, I want to enter the financial and consulting fields that make the most money. This situation is everywhere around you and me, but most people think there is a problem. Isn't that what everyone does? Isn't life like this?
The author has mentioned a concept many times, namely liberal arts education, which is translated into Chinese as liberal arts education (quality education). He believes that these elite schools have not given students the liberal arts education they deserve, but have almost become vocational training schools.
The author's pen is very sharp. Before this book, he wrote an article entitled "The Disadvantages of Elite Education", which aroused widespread concern and discussion in the United States. This book has also received different comments from all sides.
In addition to criticizing American elite education, the author also discusses what a meaningful life is, which is not only suitable for readers who pay attention to education, but also a book suitable for college students.
When I finished reading this book, I had not found the Chinese translation. I was going to translate it in my spare time, but someone beat me to it. Last week, I learned that the Chinese version was first launched. I am glad: fortunately, I only turned over 20 pages!
Generally speaking, these two books are not only about education, but also related to the education system. In the context of China, when it comes to the education system, we will be a little depressed, because it is something that we cannot change.
As an individual, as a parent, I have a deeper understanding of the system and a clearer understanding of "education" in order not to blindly follow, panic and worry, and to grasp the balance between the individual and the system. This is my greatest gain from reading these two books.