In recent years, studying abroad in the United States has shown an upward trend. It is not just university students who want to catch the wave of studying in the U.S.; many parents of primary school students are also preparing their children for overseas education. Why do parents of primary school children want to send them abroad? And how exactly does education in the U.S. differ from that in China?
I. Examination Systems: Examinations in the U.S. are often open-book, with students given up to a week to submit their work, whereas exams in China are treated like a major battle, with single desks and rows, and strict supervision by invigilators. In China, the primary purpose of examinations is to filter students, whereas in the U.S., the purpose is to identify one's own shortcomings and bridge knowledge gaps to facilitate future development.
II. Class Size: Although China explicitly stipulates that each class should not exceed 45 students, rural and county-level schools often have an average of 60 students per class, as laws are often ineffective in enforcement. In the U.S., a class size does not exceed 30 students; having 31 students would be a violation of education law. The difference lies in the fact that Americans value integrity—personal credibility—and therefore do not dare to cross the line.
III. Time: Over the course of a year, Chinese middle school students spend about 8 months in school, with approximately 11 hours per day on campus. American students spend only about 1,000 hours per year in school. Shorter school hours and a lighter academic burden allow children to pursue their interests, providing them with more freedom to organize their time and helping them learn how to manage it.
IV. Report Cards: Study-abroad experts believe that grades in the U.S. are considered "private." When teachers show report cards to parents, they only show the grades of their own child and will not publish the results of the entire class. In China, administrative departments try every possible way to publish school rankings. Teacher evaluations are also linked to students' graduation rates and high-achievement rates. Students endure such mechanisms for up to 12 years, starting from first grade, and the resulting psychological pressure is evident.
V. Textbooks: American textbooks are relatively simple and do not impose strict requirements on children, especially in mathematics. This leads to many adults losing their grasp of numbers once they step away from a computer, making even daily calculations difficult, which may seem ridiculous. However, they prioritize the cultivation of practical and innovative skills. China’s textbooks obsessively emphasize consolidating the basics, which results in piles of repetitive mechanical homework, ultimately producing batch after batch of talent that scores high but performs low.
VI. Who We Learn For: American education teaches students that learning is a personal matter, encouraging them to think for themselves about what they want to learn; consequently, students generally learn proactively, flexibly, and happily. In contrast, Chinese education always imposes detailed and tedious regulations on students regarding what to learn, how much to learn, when to learn, and how to learn. Chinese students treat learning as utilitarian and are accustomed to just "getting by." Learning is seen as a task for parents and teachers, done for the sake of career advancement or finding a job, resulting in learning that is passive, dogmatic, and forced.
VII. Educational Objectives: American education does not place much emphasis on learning "foundational knowledge," but instead places extreme value on the cultivation of students' "creativity." This is why it may seem "ridiculous" that American white-collar workers might struggle to calculate 10 minus 6; they believe that creative thinking must be fostered early on. Chinese education places special emphasis on so-called "fundamental knowledge and basic skills," focusing on training "foundations" while neglecting the development of students' creativity and thinking abilities. American students are characterized by low scores but high abilities, while Chinese students are characterized by high scores but low abilities. Consequently, Fortune 500 companies are generally reluctant to hire Chinese students; in their view, Chinese education cultivates "servants of knowledge" rather than "nurturing people."
VIII. The Classroom: Chinese education excels at providing children with summaries, teaching students until they have no more questions; American education excels at providing inspiration, teaching students to continuously ask new questions. In Chinese classrooms, one must raise a hand to speak; in American classrooms, free expression is encouraged. In a Chinese classroom, disagreeing with a teacher's conclusion results in criticism, whereas in an American classroom, it is praised. Chinese classrooms emphasize discipline, while American classrooms emphasize human rights.
IX. Teacher-Student Relationships: In China, the proverb "a teacher for a day is a father for life" reflects how children enter school knowing the teacher is always in a position of authority, whereas in the U.S., professors have little authority to speak of. Americans do not acknowledge authority. Chinese children blindly worship teachers, believing they are always right. Chinese teachers like to maintain dignity and are serious, while American teachers enjoy chatting with children and act as good friends.
X. Extracurricular Life: In China, children are generally not allowed to participate in true social activities. However, in the U.S., once elementary students enter school, they begin to participate in real-world social activities. Extracurricular activities in the U.S. are spontaneously participated in by students, and funds are raised collectively through sponsorships. For example, an 8-year-old might help someone wash a laundry machine for $8, or perform music for others, using the earned money to fund activities. Of course, not all activities are for profit; many involve volunteering. The ways in which the U.S. allows children to engage with the social environment are numerous, as they believe that education is life.
