Assumption of complementary educational advantages between China and the United States
snow grains
Chen Qiang, the blogger of "Father-Daughter Blog" and my old classmate, gave me a "big topic": "What kind of people should we cultivate?" Want to hear my opinion. Although the task is very big, I'm afraid I can't do it, but I'm still willing to do my best.
First of all, I want to declare that my comments on domestic education are based on my impressions before going abroad and the online information I have now. Please correct me and forgive me.
My idea is to combine the education of China and the United States in the following aspects and learn from each other's strengths. I was born in a teacher's family, studied in China and the United States, and was a parent in both countries. Today, I will talk about my thoughts from the perspective of students and parents.
The combination of team spirit and individual struggle
American education pays more attention to cultivating team spirit. From primary school to university, the content of teachers' homework is inseparable from one thing: "teamwork". Ask students to work together in groups of 3-5 to complete a project, such as writing a script, performing according to what they have learned, debating and speaking, or building a house. The project is very interesting and complicated, so we must work together in Qi Xin. The score of this item accounts for a large proportion of each student's total score.
Team spirit is very important for a child's growth, and also lays a good social foundation for going to society in the future. When looking for a job in the United States, you often need to emphasize that you have a good cooperative attitude. In the long run, this kind of education is also conducive to cultivating United and harmonious national successors.
Schools in China pay more attention to encouraging students' personal performance. Students are used to pursuing their own high scores, and there is great pressure on students to compare their scores with each other.
Quality education and academic performance develop together.
My son Jie attended physical education class and music classes almost every day from junior high school to senior high school, went out to participate in band performances every weekend, and practiced long-distance running all summer. I am very busy because I have to pick up and drop off. In senior three, his first class every morning is a band, and he has long-distance running in the afternoon. I think he spends a lot of time and energy in these two classes a day. Although his arrangement is related to the requirements of applying for universities, it can also show that American high schools attach great importance to quality education.
Doing more homework and playing freely have their own advantages.
In primary and junior high schools, American children have little homework. They go to school at 7 am, finish school at 2-3 pm and close classes at noon. I remember Jay sometimes goes home to watch TV and play computer because he has little homework. Teachers may assign less homework to give children time to explore their hobbies freely. But I think children of this age have poor self-control, especially boys, who are playful and do not know how to cultivate hobbies. It's no good letting go of freedom. Besides, we are all at work after school and can't take care of him. We might as well ask him to do more homework.
Therefore, it is not a bad thing for children in China to do more homework, which is conducive to consolidating the learning content and concentrating on their studies. They only need to master a degree, and they can also arrange some alternative and creative homework.
Professional quality and teachers' quality are indispensable.
Teachers in the United States have received higher education, university teachers have doctoral degrees, and teachers in the first grade of primary school also have master's degrees. Formal teachers require a teacher qualification certificate, which should be said that the quality of teachers is good.
But I always feel that their professionalism is not as good as that of Mr. China, and their homework is less, which also makes their burden of correcting homework lighter. I usually ask them how their children are and always say "fine". I think they have less trouble. Parent-teacher conferences are all good words, and our parents don't have too many questions to ask.
But the teachers in China are very dedicated and have a strong sense of responsibility. They didn't get extra pay, but they worked hard for their students. They will take care of each student's academic performance and thoughts and emotions, find something wrong, and communicate with parents in time, especially the class teacher.
My parents are both teachers, and my father has been a physics teacher and head teacher in senior high school for more than 20 years. Busy preparing lessons, correcting homework, marking papers and asking students questions every day. In the morning and evening, there are always his students in our crowded little room, and my father never gets bored until the students leave with satisfaction.
I also have great respect for my teacher, China. Although they don't have high academic qualifications, they can study hard, strive to improve their professional level, teach meticulously, and give sincere and close attention to every student.
In our region, if we want to get the care of Mr. China, we can only send our children to private schools. The annual cost per person is about $65,438+0,000, plus various sponsorship fees.
Finally, I give two suggestions to the education authorities in China.
College entrance examination 2-4 times
It is good to give children more opportunities, even one more chance.
I've been there before, and I know that the pressure is terrible, which will make people's exam-taking state disorder. It's a pity that I was too nervous the night before the college entrance examination and suffered from heatstroke and headache.
The "College Entrance Examination" SAT in the United States has seven chances a year, and students can also take exams of any grade.
Teenagers should not put them under such absolute pressure: this is their chance!
Now the transportation is convenient, the information is developed, and the resource organization is not very difficult, unlike the ancient imperial examination, which can only be held once a year. If it is necessary to increase the cost, I believe parents are willing to share it. In the United States, both SAT and ACT have to be handed in, which parent is unwilling to bear it?
Shorten the teaching time of specialized courses
As Chen Qiang said, we learned a lot of useless knowledge and wasted children's time and energy. I think this problem is easier to solve.
Everyone may be naturally good at some subjects but not others. For example, some people are reasonable and some people love literature. It is enough to give students one semester, at most one year, so that they can find out whether they like it or not and whether they can develop in this field. For example, after only one academic year in chemistry, Jay found that he didn't like this course and would not continue to take it in the future.
The teaching time of many majors can be shortened, such as physics, chemistry, English and geography. If children are interested and have expertise, let them focus on elective courses.
Of course, the implementation of this proposal must be coordinated with the college entrance examination. If the college entrance examination makes physical chemistry a compulsory subject, and the proportion is equivalent, it will not work. The United States provides students with "SAT II" exams, and students choose exam subjects according to their own specialties, such as mathematics, science, chemistry and foreign languages. "SAT I" only tests the most basic subjects such as mathematics, Chinese and writing.