Summary of the Video
Leslie Grant and James Strong are education experts. They had the chance to observe award-winning Chinese and American teachers. They discovered that American and Chinese teachers shared the same passion for excellence. Grant and Stronge also found that these two educational systems were similar in many areas. However, they also noted differences due to the impact of culture and history. Thus, their presentation was entitled: Connecting the Cultural Divide: What Do Great Teachers in the United States and China Do?
The main difference is in the context of the delivery system. In the United States, the schools are accountable to the Federal Government. However, each state enjoys a great degree of autonomy, especially on designing their respective system of education. In other words, there are more than 50 different sets of teaching standards. Each state enjoys a certain level of autonomy, and it explains the diversity in the U.S. public school system.
China uses a curriculum that was created to serve the whole country. This is an essential insight in order to understand the struggle to implement creative teaching strategies. In the case of the United States, national leaders are pushing for an educational system that will improve the literacy rates of millions of underprivileged and less fortunate children. However, the programs in the U.S. are usually state-driven. Thus, education experts like Grant and Strong were compelled to point out the high degree of variability. It is difficult to enforce a program geared towards improving the public education system at a national level when teachers are using policies developed at the state level. It is difficult to achieve a high degree of standardization when the local school board is very influential in crafting and implementing procedures. The Chinese government, on the other hand, wanted more creativity, individuality, and self-expression. However, it is challenging to accomplish these goals in a country characterized by the need to conform to national standards. Chinese public school systems are under the direct control of a central government.
A typical Chinese classroom is more extensive than its U.S. counterpart. It is normal to see 40 to 60 students inside a large Chinese classroom. It is a different scenario in the U.S. mainland. Since the 1940s, U.S. classrooms saw a significant reduction in size. It is common to see 20 students inside a typical American public school classroom.
Researchers also discovered similarities in instructional planning strategies. Similarities were identified through the use of the curriculum and textbooks. Moreover, they also noted similarities in the desire for more flexibility inside the classroom.
There were significant differences when it comes to learning strategies. Chinese teachers prefer giving lectures. The propensity to use classes is directly related to national standardization protocols. Thus, Chinese teachers were compelled to follow the reference books and textbooks developed by the Ministry of Education. On the other hand, American teachers did not feel obligated to use textbooks and reference books as the primary source of teaching materials. Moreover, U.S. teachers enjoy more autonomy and creativity in planning.
Primary Focus of the Video
The main focus of the video is to compare the public education systems between China and the United States. It was an attempt to reach these two systems in the context of the K-12 education program. Chinese and American public school systems were examined on the basis of how policymakers attempted to create a balance between standardization and autonomy.
How Insights Gleaned from the Video May Affect Education Systems in the Future
Researchers discovered the need for creativity and individuality in Chinese classrooms. This is a reaction to the inherent weakness of an education system compelled to adhere to specific national standards. On the other hand, U.S. teachers are required to come under a stricter accountability framework. In the context of the No Child Left Behind initiative, it has been made clear that there are several gaps in the current U.S. public school system. Literacy rates are falling, and the policymakers responded with a program that will enhance the monitoring process. Insights gleaned from the comparative study of Chinese and American public school systems revealed the importance of balancing the need for flexibility and the need for standardization. It is prudent to espouse flexibility and creativity in terms of knowledge transfer. However, it is unwise to use the same attitude when it comes to accountability standards. American teachers must realize the value of standardization, especially in the context of performance evaluation.
Conclusion
There are a lot of similarities between the American and Chinese education systems. However, significant differences were identified. These differences stem from cultural differences and national policies. China’s education system is under the control of the central government, and it is managed closely by the Ministry of Education. Their U.S. counterparts are accountable to the Federal Government. However, the schools in the U.S. are state-driven. It allows for greater autonomy and flexibility. American policymakers must learn from the Chinese in terms of adhering to national standards. In other words, Americans must learn to balance the power of autonomy and the wisdom of accountability. On the other hand, Chinese policymakers must allow creativity and flexibility in order to improve the performance of individual students.