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Chinese mom: My son isn't just a test score in a US school
By Zong Lei |
July 11, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WAN Lixin's article "Cruel Rating Mindset Calls for Shunning Kids with Low Scores" dated July 4 again reminded us of the problems that our existing educational system is creating.
If our kids are evaluated by the ratings of their scores only, and are treated and treat each other differently as a result, then when they enter society in the future, society cannot be harmonious.
My son's first year in a private school in New York was a stark contrast with the experience of his peers in China. Kids in my son's school are evaluated in all aspects, with their academic performances being only part of the evaluation.
Kids in America start formal schooling at the age of 5. My son has just finished Junior A, the year before Grade One. During the past year, there was never a single rating on any academic performance.
In the report cards written by teachers of all subjects, only broad categories such as very good, good and satisfactory are used in certain areas along with very thorough and detailed comments on the child's performance. For example, personal and social skills, such as demonstrating awareness, empathy and respect for his peers - and work and study habits - are equally emphasized.
Even the PE and science teachers comment on whether a child cooperates with peers and weather he shares equipment with his fellows.
My husband and I - with the Chinese mentality of comparing our child with his classmates in order to know how well he is doing - once asked about his rank in his ESL (English as a Second Language) class.
Progress
To our surprise, his teacher refused to rate the kids and emphasized that each child was different. She said what was more important was the child's progress compared to how he or she did previously.
Moreover, there are semi-annual one-to-one parent-teacher conferences, where parents sign up for 15-minute slots to talk to teachers of all subjects about their child's progress.
Communications through such meetings enable parents and teachers, both of whom know the kids very well, to work together in order for the kids to make the best of the school year and develop.
Obviously, in such a system, kids are treated as unique individuals, whose development is evaluated against their own past instead of against their rank in the class. Teachers love every child. My son, the youngest in his class, was not mature and did not behave properly at the beginning of the school year.
For example, he would speak in a very high tone and interrupt others while they were talking; he would go and say hello to his Chinese friend in the neighbouring classroom after he used bathroom in the middle of a class.
As a result, I was invited a couple of times by his homeroom teacher, the Chinese equivalent of class teacher, to talk about what we could do to help him improve. At one point, I was worried that my son's frequent misconduct would cause the teacher to dislike him, but these worries were completely unnecessary, as my son loves his teachers and they love him.
This explains why he looks forward to being a first-grader in September.
Moreover, to cultivate children's self-confidence is a very important part of the teachers' work. My son's homeroom teacher never makes a cross in their exercise books. Instead, if the kids give a wrong answer, only a sign is made.
Confidence
She explained to me that normally she would ask the kids to explain why they made that choice, and she would then ask them to rethink about it and guide them through the thinking. Self-confidence is also built through such activities as reading stories to the class and writing one's own stories and sharing them with the class.
I believe the biggest motivation for a child to study hard is his feeling of being loved by his teachers.
That a child with a bad score is mocked by his teacher in Wan Lixin's article is most unfortunate. If this happened in my son's school, it would probably lead to the teacher's dismissal. The educational system in China only values those who are academically excellent. However, a person who can't be a scientist will make other indispensable contributions to the society.
The system that seems to grant those who are academically better the right to look down upon their peers is simply flawed. Our society would definitely be healthier if the citizens were confident and respectful of each other.
This, needless to say, starts in schools.
(The author is a freelancer based in New York and Shanghai. Her email: jessie_zong@yahoo.com)
If our kids are evaluated by the ratings of their scores only, and are treated and treat each other differently as a result, then when they enter society in the future, society cannot be harmonious.
My son's first year in a private school in New York was a stark contrast with the experience of his peers in China. Kids in my son's school are evaluated in all aspects, with their academic performances being only part of the evaluation.
Kids in America start formal schooling at the age of 5. My son has just finished Junior A, the year before Grade One. During the past year, there was never a single rating on any academic performance.
In the report cards written by teachers of all subjects, only broad categories such as very good, good and satisfactory are used in certain areas along with very thorough and detailed comments on the child's performance. For example, personal and social skills, such as demonstrating awareness, empathy and respect for his peers - and work and study habits - are equally emphasized.
Even the PE and science teachers comment on whether a child cooperates with peers and weather he shares equipment with his fellows.
My husband and I - with the Chinese mentality of comparing our child with his classmates in order to know how well he is doing - once asked about his rank in his ESL (English as a Second Language) class.
Progress
To our surprise, his teacher refused to rate the kids and emphasized that each child was different. She said what was more important was the child's progress compared to how he or she did previously.
Moreover, there are semi-annual one-to-one parent-teacher conferences, where parents sign up for 15-minute slots to talk to teachers of all subjects about their child's progress.
Communications through such meetings enable parents and teachers, both of whom know the kids very well, to work together in order for the kids to make the best of the school year and develop.
Obviously, in such a system, kids are treated as unique individuals, whose development is evaluated against their own past instead of against their rank in the class. Teachers love every child. My son, the youngest in his class, was not mature and did not behave properly at the beginning of the school year.
For example, he would speak in a very high tone and interrupt others while they were talking; he would go and say hello to his Chinese friend in the neighbouring classroom after he used bathroom in the middle of a class.
As a result, I was invited a couple of times by his homeroom teacher, the Chinese equivalent of class teacher, to talk about what we could do to help him improve. At one point, I was worried that my son's frequent misconduct would cause the teacher to dislike him, but these worries were completely unnecessary, as my son loves his teachers and they love him.
This explains why he looks forward to being a first-grader in September.
Moreover, to cultivate children's self-confidence is a very important part of the teachers' work. My son's homeroom teacher never makes a cross in their exercise books. Instead, if the kids give a wrong answer, only a sign is made.
Confidence
She explained to me that normally she would ask the kids to explain why they made that choice, and she would then ask them to rethink about it and guide them through the thinking. Self-confidence is also built through such activities as reading stories to the class and writing one's own stories and sharing them with the class.
I believe the biggest motivation for a child to study hard is his feeling of being loved by his teachers.
That a child with a bad score is mocked by his teacher in Wan Lixin's article is most unfortunate. If this happened in my son's school, it would probably lead to the teacher's dismissal. The educational system in China only values those who are academically excellent. However, a person who can't be a scientist will make other indispensable contributions to the society.
The system that seems to grant those who are academically better the right to look down upon their peers is simply flawed. Our society would definitely be healthier if the citizens were confident and respectful of each other.
This, needless to say, starts in schools.
(The author is a freelancer based in New York and Shanghai. Her email: jessie_zong@yahoo.com)
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