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Different teaching styles can be combined to benefit students
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The BBC documentary “Are Our Kids Tough Enough? Chinese School” has led to terrific discussions about aspects of Chinese and Western teaching here at Shanghai American School. Some of our middle school Chinese students (whose first language is Chinese) even wrote essays about how they view the two educational systems. We were particularly touched by the responses from students who had studied in Chinese schools prior to coming to SAS.
One student said, “labeling Chinese education as merely test-driven, based on wrote memory, is incorrect.”
Several others confirmed that in their experiences in Chinese schools, though a majority of time was spent on high-pressured academic work, their schools had also focused on other important areas of learning, such as physical education, collaboration and character building. Another student said, “I feel that the best form of education is to take the best aspects of Chinese and Western education to create an ideal program,” and many others nodded their heads.
We learned so much from our students’ perspectives, and it has helped us refine our thinking about creating the best education for our students. We believe that discourse about educational styles is too simplified. We couldn’t have said it better than our students: the ideal education incorporates deep academic learning of content and skills across many subjects, with a commitment to exploring ethical and social emotional development. Our students credit the Chinese system as giving them the discipline and work ethic to be able to succeed at Shanghai American School.
Our students’ experiences, as well as our conversations with peer educators in Chinese schools, have shown us that we are all thinking deeply about finding the right balance in our educational programs. One key difference that our students who have come from Chinese schools noted is that at SAS they have the freedom to explore their interests.
Another way to look at these issues is to realize that current teacher-directed academically focused learning in Chinese schools looks very similar to historical practices in Western systems. What has happened in the past generation in Western education has been a change in the understanding of cognitive development and student motivation; this has in turn, created new teaching practices that focus on allowing students to inquire, make connections, and explore.
(Suyi Wang is director of Chinese Program; and
Jennifer Weyburn is the deputy head of school of SAS.)
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