A comparative study on compulsory education between the US and China

A comparative study on compulsory education

between the US and China

A comparative study on compulsory education between the US

and China

As is generally understood, compulsory education is set to guarantee the rights of children and adolescents for receiving education, which lays an important foundation for their further studies or future careers, and helps shape their personalities and develop their interests and abilities. Therefore, this article is aimed at identifying the teaching practices in compulsory educational system of the US which are different from that of China, so that we can learn from the useful teaching practices of the US, thus improving China’s compulsory education system and quality.

Of course, there exist some similarities between the two countries’ compulsory education system. The follows are just a few examples. With respect to curricula, students in both countries are required to learn a broad variety of courses without emphasis of any particular subject; elementary schools tend to pay more attention to writing, reading and mathematics and less on science and social studies. As regards testing, students both have to take various kinds of exams during their academic year, including classroom tests, school tests and district tests. Besides, compulsory education in both countries is not only about academic knowledge, but social morals as well.

Since this article is focused on the differences between the two countries compulsory education system which we may learn something from, there are several aspects that I consider deserve our notice.

One of the most obvious distinctions is the required duration of compulsory education. While American students are required to receive twelve years of education, Chinese students should be given a nine-year compulsory education. Compulsory education in the US may be divided three phases, namely elementary school (it may include kindergarten), junior high school and high school. Although Chinese students must attend elementary and junior high school, high school courses are not part of Chinese compulsory education. Thus, China may consider prolonging the time of compulsory education, by including general high school and even technical school into the system so that Chinese students can have more chances to get better educated and better equipped for their future jobs.

Another difference is the arrangement of classrooms. Classrooms in China always follow a certain kind of format—a desk for teachers placed at the front of the classroom and several rows of desks and chairs neatly forming a large rectangle where students are seated. Walls of the classroom in most cases are printed white, and decoration is limited to a few plants and paintings. This kind of environment creates an atmosphere of formality and seriousness, subconsciously making students feel that what is right to do is to listen carefully to the teacher, to take notes and to think in a “reasonable” way. However, on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, desks and chairs in a classroom may be arranged in circles to make it easier for students to work in groups and classroom walls can be colorful. In kindergarten or elementary school, children may casually sit on carpets on the floor. The studying environment in the US helps students to think more freely and creatively, and to be more ready and courageous to answer the teacher’s questions, as all those seem to be consistent with the environment that makes one more lively.

American students in junior high school have elective courses while Chinese students don’t.

Elective courses may include computer science, economics, languages, arts and so on. Compared with Chinese students, American students have the opportunities to be exposed to some other fields of knowledge in an earlier age, so they can cultivate their interests and develop their potentials. This kind of teaching practice can not only broaden students’ horizons, but help students find what they are fond of and what may be worth pursuing as a career. With the early basic knowledge of some fields, students may feel less puzzled when it is time for them to choose their majors or courses for further education.

“A major characteristic of American schools is the high priority given to sports, clubs and activities by the community, the parents, the schools and the students themselves. “ Although there are some sports events or other activities arranged by the schools in China, and in some schools students can join students’ societies and work voluntarily for social service, all these are simply a supplementary and secondary part of students’ school life, with the priority always given to academic studies. As a result, Chinese students may have a much more solid foundation of basic theoretical knowledge of different subjects, they may be less competitive as to analyzing practical problems and putting forward original and constructive solutions. They may lack the experience of working cooperatively as a team, helping others as a habit and actually living in a real society where they can learn what they cannot learn within school. Given the opportunities to experience different things apart from studying in classrooms, students may learn how to make a compromise, how to be caring and considerate, how to control their own changeable emotions, how to take up responsibility, how to keep a promise, and so on. Students should first learn to be a loving family member, a helpful schoolmate, a thoughtful friend, a responsible citizen and an independent individual who is able to solve simple life problems so they can study further with a healthy personality.

Admittedly, a lot of complex elements may lead to the differences in compulsory education between the two countries, but I think higher education may be an important contributory factor. An important target of compulsory education is to get students qualified to enter better high

schools, and high schools strive to send more students to better colleges. And the college entrance examination seems to be the ultimate goal, resulting in the fact that students who receive

compulsory education study merely for exams. As far as I am concerned, the suggestions listed above cannot be carried out in an effective way by Chinese schools without their courage to overcome the overwhelming impact of the crucial exams and to attach considerable value to quality education.

Compulsory education should not just teach students about knowledge of different subjects, but help them to think creatively, to know themselves, to develop their interests, to form a healthy personality, and to learn to be a person. By studying the differences in compulsory education between the US and China, we Chinese can learn from the advantages of the American system so that we can expect progress to better educate our next generations.

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