A comparative study on family education in America and China
Thesis statement: This paper is intended to make a comparison between American and Chinese family education to see the differences and similarities, and a detail explanation in given to the differences of family education from the aspect of culture to see the influence, also this paper could see the differences in different aspects and we should think what we should learn from other culture.
Outline:
1. Introduction 2. Comparison between Chinese and American family education 1. Similarities 2. Differences 2.21 Traditional educations are different 2.22 The aim of family education are different 2.23 The concepts of family education are different 2.24 The methods between America and China are different 3. Cultural connotation of Chinese and American family education 3.1 The different economic from 3.2 The different historical background 3.3 The different social conditions 4. Conclusion and suggestions Works cited
1. Introduction In twenty-first century, economy develops rapidly and everything is renewed, also countries are competing with each other, so the education is important, just as the proverb says “ science is the first productivity”, and the education is the source of science, in education system, family education is very important. Family, as the cell of society, is the first place that children receive education and the first unit that the children get in touch with the society. That’s to say, in a person’s life, family is the first school and parents is child’s first teacher and as the time goes on, the family education is becoming more and more important. Children are the hopes of a nation, and family education is the indispensable one for children, it is necessary to spare no efforts to improve the family education because the important role it plays in the children’s future. As we all know, for many reasons, different countries has different kinds of family education and they all have their own features, we should find a satisfied family education method to improve the abilities of children. And in this paper, I'd like to make a comparison between Chinese and American family education systems to see their differences and similarities, and then I'll try to give a tentative explanation to the differences of these two systems from the aspect of culture．From the comparison, maybe we can know the shortage we have in family education.
2. Comparison between Chinese and American family education Just as we know, between Chinese and American family education, there are many differences and some similarities, American, as the only superpower in the world, of course has its unique advantages in family education, there are something that we can learn and make a full use of them. Also China, as a country with a long history and bright culture, has its special dominance too. So, in my opinion, through comparing the family education between China and American, it is good to our nation and maybe good to our traditional education system.
2.1 Similarities As a proverb says “children are flowers of a country” and a country’s future is hold on their hands. First, this two countries’ family education both are in order to the good future of children, hope children could adapt to the society, make a full use of their own ability to produce fortune to make a great contribution to the world and realize their dreams. Just like that all parents wants their children have a great life. Second, they both have a long history, although competed to Chinese history, American history is short, American also has a bright culture and its some aspects are reflected on the family education, that’s to say, family education is influence by culture and we could see the shadow of culture from family education, that is clear. Third, they both take a good attention to family education, which is one of the reasons why children are more noticed in this world and family education is becoming more and more important.
2.2 Differences Different places have different culture, and different culture could train different people, every culture has its own features. So it is clear that China and American have many differences in family education.
2.21 Traditional educations are different In China, the attention is on the knowledge and indoctrination. All students learn the same thing, sometimes they just remember and have no ideas, and the society want to train the person who could carry out appoint primly, so it is difficult to combine them with innovation, students are submerged in the prim knowledge and they just have the same frame of reference, theoretic and are poor in practice. However, in American, the attention is on the practice. People think much of the independent and not care much about the grade, which train students to be a person who has good habits, they courage new ideas and students would be prized for their special ability. We can see the two different educations both have their own special.
2.22 The aim of family education are different In American, the aim is to train children to be a person who could adapt the society and has the independent ability to survive. So children would have less pressure and could prove their value in this world, children have their own space when they are young. However, in China, the aim is to train children to be a people who is special and would get a good job, has a good future and wish that their life would be plain sailing. Parents consider less about their individual development. So children suffer a lot, although children may have high marks, they may not adapt the society, which would disappointment their parents. Just to most Chinese parents, the aim is expecting their child to be a “dragon”, which is “wang zi cheng long” in Chinese, But American parents take hoping the child to be a man of ability as their aim. That is the difference. 2.23 The concepts of family education are different Family education between China and American in concept has a big difference. The different education concepts between America and China lead children to receive different education. In China, many parents only care about whether the children have a promising future, a good job, a good life or not. Based on these expectations, the majority of parents feel that their responsibility for their children is to create as better conditions as possible they can so that the children will not worry about anything in the future. However, in American, parents believe that children should lean to be independent and rely on themselves instead of parents, so they would have more experience and could survive better. 2.24 The methods between America and China are different As we know, different aim and different concept lead to different method and it would get different effect. In Chinese family, affected by Chinese traditional culture, parents educate children by “control” and “seal” type. Parents prepare all things for their children and are very strict with them, children are not allowed to go to the out world for the case of affected by bad things. In American family, children and parents are equal in some aspects, children are protected and have their own space, privacy. 3. Cultural connotation of Chinese and American family education We could see the differences from the culture. 3.1 The different economic from We know that American is a developed country and it has an advanced producitivity, people in American suffer less pressure, they have many choices and chances and their parents just hope them have the ability to survive in this world. While China has a large population and the economy is poor, make the result worse, most of Chinese are from countryside, education is the only way to change the family’s fortune. So it is harder to survive and parents hope their children have a good future with a strict way. That is the different. 3.2 The different historical background American is a country of different immigrants, its culture is influence by many other cultures, so it is easy for them to accept new ideas and are better at practice. With the donation of frame person and protect of department, the education system would work effectively. Faced with challenge, they have the courage. While Chinese are conservative, so they lack of the spirit of adventure and sensitive to the new things, that is the shortage. 3.3 The different social conditions As we could see, the society is poor many Chinese parents take their children as their private possession in order to receive the children’s return, which is reflected in the methods of education. And they think the high score, the better and the high score is the proud of them. While in American, with the better society condition, parents care much about the impendence of children, so sometimes it could train some great scientists. 4. Conclusion and suggestions The family education between China and American are different in many aspects because of the different of education concept, aim and methods. We can se that in many aspects. First is the ability of adapt to the environment, most American could adapt to the society more easily than most Chinese and come true their dreams more easily. Second is the ability of living independently, American children are more independent, while Chinese children get more help and care from their parents, so when faced with difficult, American children would overcome it more quickly. Here are the suggestions: (1). Chinese parents should train children to be independent, self-support. (2). Chinese parents should not just take care about the score, but also on the practice and their interest. (3). Children should learn more ability, must be responsible to the society, could adapt to the society as quickly as possible. Works Cited 黄河清.中美家庭的跨文化比较［D］.外国中小学教育，2003. 中国教育报［J］.中国教育报刊社，2003. 魏书生:《家庭教育》，沈阳出版社，2005.