Immigrating for children's education: A comparison between education in China and Western countries. In China, I can already foresee my child's future path, lifestyle, and trajectory. I hope he can experience a different living environment, broaden his horizons, and develop a more open and inclusive outlook on life and values. I want him to live with ease and freedom, and to live a truly human life. This is the sentiment of most parents who choose to "immigrate for their children."
What are the differences between education in China and Western countries?
1. Learning Objectives. Western education helps students understand that learning is their own responsibility, encouraging them to think for themselves and decide what they want to learn; consequently, students generally learn actively, flexibly, and happily. In contrast, Chinese education always imposes detailed and cumbersome regulations on students in advance—what to learn, how much to learn, when to learn, and how to learn it. Chinese students view learning as a utilitarian pursuit, leading to a habit of just "getting by." Learning is seen as the business of parents and teachers, done for the sake of career advancement or finding a job, which makes the process passive, dogmatic, and frustrating.
2. Ability Development. Western education places less emphasis on "foundational knowledge" and attaches extreme importance to the cultivation of "creativity." This is why it may seem "ridiculous" that some Western white-collar workers cannot calculate 10 minus 6; they believe in seizing the opportunity to cultivate creative thinking while children are young. Conversely, Chinese education places special emphasis on the so-called "double basics" (basic knowledge and basic skills), focusing on "drilling fundamentals" while neglecting the development of students' creativity and critical thinking. Students in Western education systems often have lower test scores but higher practical abilities, while Chinese students have high scores but low practical abilities. As a result, Fortune 500 companies are generally reluctant to hire Chinese graduates; in their view, Chinese education cultivates "servants of knowledge" rather than "nurturing people."
3. Teacher-Student Relationship. In China, the saying "a teacher for a day is a father for life" prevails; children know from the moment they enter school that teachers are always in a position of authority. In Western education, however, professors have no inherent authority to speak of, as Western culture does not recognize authority in the same way. Chinese children blindly worship their teachers, believing they are always right, and Chinese teachers prefer to maintain a stern, humorless demeanor. Western teachers enjoy chatting with children and maintain a friendly, peer-like relationship.
4. Examinations. Western exams are often open-book, allowing students a week to submit their work, whereas exams in China are treated like a major crisis, with single-desk seating and strict supervision by primary and secondary proctors. In China, the main purpose of exams is to eliminate candidates, while in Western education, the purpose is to identify one's own shortcomings and fill knowledge gaps to facilitate future development.
5. Class Size. Although China has explicit regulations stating that each class should not exceed 45 students, rural and county-level schools often have classes of 60 or more, as the law is not effectively enforced. In Western education, class sizes do not exceed 30; having 31 students would be considered a violation of education law. The difference is that Westerners value integrity and personal reputation, so they dare not cross the line.
6. Time Management. In a year, Chinese middle school students spend 8 months in school, totaling about 11 hours per day, or approximately 2,600 hours annually. Western students spend only about 1,000 hours in school per year. Shorter school hours and less academic burden allow children to pursue their own interests, giving them more freedom to manage their time and teaching them how to organize their own schedules.
7. Student Grades. In Western education, grades are considered "private." When teachers show report cards to parents, they only show the individual child's grades and do not publish the entire class's results. In China, administrative departments go to great lengths to publish school rankings. Teacher evaluations are also tied to student advancement rates and excellence rates. Students live under this mechanism for 12 years starting from the first grade, and the psychological pressure is self-evident.
8. Textbooks. Western textbooks are simple and do not impose strict requirements on children, especially in mathematics, which leads many adults to lack a conceptual grasp of numbers once they are away from a computer, making even daily calculations a challenge—which seems quite ridiculous. However, they focus on cultivating hands-on and innovative abilities. Chinese textbooks blindly emphasize consolidating foundations, which leads to piles of repetitive mechanical homework, ultimately producing batches of high-scoring but low-ability individuals.
9. Extracurricular Activities. China generally does not allow children to participate in real social activities. However, in Western education, elementary students begin participating in social activities as soon as they enter school. Extracurricular activities in Western education are student-led, with funding raised collectively or through sponsorships. For example, an 8-year-old might help someone wash a washing machine for $8, or perform music for others, using the money earned to fund activities. Of course, not all activities are for profit; many are volunteer-based. Western education provides many ways for children to engage with the social environment, as they believe that education is life itself.
Many people fear the word "immigration," thinking it means being unpatriotic or that one must abandon their life and career in China—this is a misconception. Currently, many immigrants are actually "immigrating without relocating." By securing an overseas identity for the development of themselves and their families, they gain an additional choice for a better life. In the event of a crisis, they also have a fallback option.