Introduction
The momentum of China’s development as one of the universe’s exceptionally dominant nations in worldwide education has been nothing short of extraordinary. China’s education is fundamentally governed by the state-controlled communal education system, classified as the Ministry of education (Sargent, 2015). Every citizen is required to attend school for a minimum of nine years. This system is called the nine-year mandatory education, which the administration finances. Mandatory education incorporates 3 years of nursery school, 6 years of primary education, and 3 years of college preparatory academy. China has a substantial education system in the universe. No country in the universe focuses attention on education more than China.
The education system in modern China is a crucial medium for instilling values in and educating required expertise in its citizens. The system has a considerable reputation, yet it is extremely demanding and aggressive. There are primarily three categories of China’s early childhood education and care organizations. Nurseries were established for children under three, while kindergartens were developed for kids ranging from 3 to 6 years old. This essay will focus on the childhood education system in modern China (Sargent, 2015). It will draw upon relevant sources and documentaries to profile the differences between the Chinese educational system and Western in modern society while highlighting examples to illustrate the points.
Body
Chinese childhood education system has concurrently undergone an unmatched progression and innovation after obtaining the idea of kindergarten from Japan. The two nations have similar cultures and traditions, making it easy for China to implement the strategy for childhood education. The documentary Childhood Elsewhere reveals how the Japanese made childhood education a success. China used its ideologies to establish kindergartens of the same model and equipment. The documentary also revealed that China had a lot of work on parenting education since they had not established strong roots in childhood education yet. China now spends a lot more on analysis and evolution than the nations that fabricated the complete European Union incorporated and is rapidly anticipated to outdo America in analysis investments.
Like in America, kindergarten in China combines child care and education. Students are taught to read and write Chinese (Hu and Li, 2012). The children are also introduced to primary figures and the start of mathematical operations. For extracurricular activities, the children are allowed to sing and dance. These activities enable them to exhibit general performances. Children are allowed to run around and play games in the morning before the classes begin. Like in the documentary, children would gather before the gymnasium, contemplate practice, and study using armpits to generate noise. This was perceived as making children understand and have connections with their bodies. All the screaming and making noise were aimed at ensuring that the children could express their emotions and awareness.
Although substantial progress has been made in childhood education in China, numerous problems challenge educators and regulation makers in the Nation. The “one-child” regulation policy affected childhood education (Zhu, 2009). Curricula changes in the contemporary education system have incorporated the removal of Chinese models as a concern in itself and the establishment of new topics of education having a social and commercial consequences. The sovereignty of the models in contemporary schools in China has continued for a very short period, contrasted with the problem against models in the educational chronicles of other countries. The documentary a child in foreign land demonstrates the problem in Chinese childhood education and why it is not easy to manage them.
Insufficient equipment in the kindergarten encourages children’s thinking (Hu and Li, 2012). When children discover imperfections, they understand how to do things energetically and exhaustively. For example, when a window is open, the child sitting next to it will feel cold and eventually close it. This enables the children to be independent rather than take advantage of things already done for them. Sending kids to kindergarten is not all about attending nursery but also acquiring concepts of the real world. Academic and monetary constrictions are no longer the barriers they were before, so further Chinese students can efficiently satisfy their academic aspirations to learn overseas.
Differences between Chinese and Western Education Systems
Talking about the differences between these two education systems, there is no uncertainty that each system has its attributes. From the subsequent observations, we are commencing our analysis from some representative characteristics, incorporating the stressing, working method, mode of learning, extra classroom activities, and family education (He and Nie, 2019). Below are some of the differences;
- Prominence: Memorization against Modernization
Memorizing learning plays a significant role in the Chinese education system, with the extraordinary stress on remembering knowledge. For example, teachers give presentations for numerous subjects and ask students to write down their notes. Occasionally, the students have to repeat the words and texts after the lesson from memory. Talking of home assignments, duplicating new words is more frequent for Chinese and English lectures in preference to experiential projects. This is why Chinese students learn English for many years but have difficulties in verbal communication. In the case of Western education systems, critical thinking and case studies are regularly employed instead of writing notes and reciting. Western classes provide extra room for debate and implementation so that students can learn what they have studied in the real world, in preference to paperwork. Hence the Western education system is exceedingly innovative.
- Working Method: Collectively against Individually
Chinese students are best at working together because it has a lot to compare with their culture and tradition of collaboration. Under their education system, students are group-positioned and tend to dedicate themselves and deliver productive outcomes to the community in the future. For collective assignments, the group’s achievement is more essential than personal accomplishments (He and Nie, 2019). However, the Western education system extremely values individual thinking, even when it comes to collective assignments. Students are motivated to be more innovative to earn numerous opportunities to demonstrate themselves. In the meantime, Western students are anticipated to get each associated in the learning procedure and generate achievements together.
- Mode of Studying: Instructor Led against Student steered
When speaking about the mode of learning, the most common attribute of the Chinese education system must be Instructor guided learning methods amidst numerous Chinese learning institutions. For instance, it is unethical to contradict skilled teachers or oppose them. Even though the student-guided style is recommended in current years, the class is still guided by trained staff. The mode of learning in Western schools is just the opposite. Discussion is more frequent than lessons from the teachers. Students are motivated to question the teachers if they have distinguishing approaches. The class is not managed by the teachers but rather by the students.
- Evaluation: Exam Results against Assignment marks
Evaluation in Chinese schools is done through examinations. Grading is the most efficient way to evaluate a student’s performance in school. This is according to the education system of China. Examination grades are the greatest consideration for parents, teachers, and students. They believe that only good grades can allow students to acquire entry into the University. The western education system values both grades and schoolwork performance. For them, other necessities apart from grade scores are required for one to get admitted to Universities.
- Enrichment Programs: For the Test against Based on Preferences
Chinese students work extra hard for good grades. Most students take enrichment programs after classes or during holidays to boost their performance in school. Majorities begin taking these enrichment classes from primary and continue in high school. These programs assist them in comprehending the studies more and create an all-round-development. On the contrary, students who fail to perform well in their tests take extra classes to upgrade their performances in Western systems. Other students attend lessons they are interested in and forgo the rest.
- Family education: Controlled against Motivating
Family education in China is controlled. Parents usually ask their children to concentrate on their schoolwork and anticipate that their kids will generate good grades (Xi, 2021). To them, learning is an essential thing for students, whether they are at home or in school. Furthermore, some Chinese parents barely offer commendations to their children since they ascertain that they will perform better without being told. Western parents prefer motivating their children and evaluating them more often than Chinese parents. Grades are not their greatest anxieties.
Conclusion
Education is a scheme of cultural occurrence. Different education systems reflect distinct social and cultural implications. The critical differences between Chinese education and Western education in modern society are not about the corporal schools or teaching methods. There is a complete angle, different anticipations, and aspirations. The key issue of education is the kind of individuals to manage and how to manage them. Different educational system perspectives have distinct educational targets and teaching techniques for this crucial problem. The Chinese education system must be situated to China’s state demands and reflect the social and cultural implications of the Nation. Additionally, Chinese education must be embedded in their societal traditions. There are considerable differences between the modern Chinese education system and the Western system, and each has its merits and demerits. We should grab the opportunity to encourage the rejuvenation of education and globalize it. We should learn from each other to balance and progress together. To be precise, what we require is a contemporary education system that incorporates localization with globalization.
References
He, Y., & Nie, J. (2019). The differences between Chinese and Western education. Journal of Advances in Education Research, 4(3), 118-123.
Hu, B. Y., & Li, K. (2012). The quality rating system of Chinese preschool education: Prospects and challenges. Childhood Education, 88(1), 14-22.
Sargent, T. C. (2015). Professional learning communities and the diffusion of pedagogical innovation in the Chinese education system. Comparative Education Review, 59(1), 102-132.
Xi, L. (2021). Knowledge for teachers teaching Chinese in foreign countries: A proposed analysis of the family education differences between China and Western Countries. International Journal of Intelligent Information and Management Science, 10(1), 38-43.
Zhu, J. (2009). Early childhood education and relative policies in China. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 3(1), 51-60.
write