At the coffee shop I have had some interesting conversations about educational views in China. One student shared her conviction that very small children should be encouraged to memorize information, because if they do when they get older they will have better memories and will be able to remember more facts and as a result they will get a higher score on exams, which will enable them to enter a better university, leading to a better job paying and higher salary. Forcing a child to memorize is more important than allowing a child to enjoy life as a child and play and discover various aspects of life in a natural way.
Every student I have asked about education tells me Americans have it so easy in school. They have so much free time to do other things they want to do. Here, even as young students, we go to school seven days each week and our days are so long.
High school is either three or four years. If you are headed to college you study for four years, but the last year is not new material. It is one full year of just memory and practice work in preparation for the college entrance exam. At six months there is an exam at which time you may chose a university based on your score. If you are satisfied and make a choice, it is final. You cannot go on and take the final college entrance exam to try to do better. If you are not satisfied you continue for six more months of memory work and take the exam. Emmy took the six month exam, but did not choose a university. She chose not to continue, but instead decided she would go to Australia for her college time. I believe my entering her life caused her to rethink this because she decided to continue on for another six months of memory work, take the exams and choose a Chinese university as a backup plan if she failed in getting a visa to the US for study.
I asked Emmy what her schedule was like. She told me that her school had about 1000 students, most of which lived in dorms located at the school. They got up each morning at 6 and were expected to be in class by 7. Except for time out for meals and other essentials, classes continued until 10 at night. 10 to 11 was used for personal things. It was lights out at 11. This was the schedule seven days each week. This time in class was simply memorizing questions and answers from a test book. It is obvious that those with the best memory do best. I wonder whatever happened to the idea of applying what you learn to practical life. I have met no one at the coffee shop who has anything good to say about their school experience. You are told what to learn and you don’t ask questions. You learn to accept the direction of your teachers. When I tell them there is more to life than that, they look at me with amazement with minds that can’t seem to comprehend. Those who begin to understand, become very hungry for more.
Every student I have asked about education tells me Americans have it so easy in school. They have so much free time to do other things they want to do. Here, even as young students, we go to school seven days each week and our days are so long.
High school is either three or four years. If you are headed to college you study for four years, but the last year is not new material. It is one full year of just memory and practice work in preparation for the college entrance exam. At six months there is an exam at which time you may chose a university based on your score. If you are satisfied and make a choice, it is final. You cannot go on and take the final college entrance exam to try to do better. If you are not satisfied you continue for six more months of memory work and take the exam. Emmy took the six month exam, but did not choose a university. She chose not to continue, but instead decided she would go to Australia for her college time. I believe my entering her life caused her to rethink this because she decided to continue on for another six months of memory work, take the exams and choose a Chinese university as a backup plan if she failed in getting a visa to the US for study.
I asked Emmy what her schedule was like. She told me that her school had about 1000 students, most of which lived in dorms located at the school. They got up each morning at 6 and were expected to be in class by 7. Except for time out for meals and other essentials, classes continued until 10 at night. 10 to 11 was used for personal things. It was lights out at 11. This was the schedule seven days each week. This time in class was simply memorizing questions and answers from a test book. It is obvious that those with the best memory do best. I wonder whatever happened to the idea of applying what you learn to practical life. I have met no one at the coffee shop who has anything good to say about their school experience. You are told what to learn and you don’t ask questions. You learn to accept the direction of your teachers. When I tell them there is more to life than that, they look at me with amazement with minds that can’t seem to comprehend. Those who begin to understand, become very hungry for more.
