The kids looked almost indistinguishable from kids in America. Some smiled, some were shy, some boisterous, they laughed and played outside the school. Walking into the elementary school the kids spoke to the camera when questions were posed. I was surprised they replied in Chinese to Chinese questions and in English to English questions. Most students in China have some conversational ability in English by third grade.
The parent-teacher conference was crowded. I asked what percentage of Chinese parents attends parent-teacher conferences. She replied, “All of them.”
I pushed for the reasons for perfect attendance in China. “First there is strong parental concern about their children. Secondly, Chinese society informally demands parents participate. People not attending are seen as not caring about their children’s education. There is the perception in China that without parental involvement children will not do as well in school.”
The group activity was to review the major test given at the end of the semester. The teacher and the parents reviewed each question, not just the scores of the test. The teacher worked each math problem on the board while the parents took notes. This was so these parents could help their children with the material covered by the test.
The video showed some parents were writing on their children’s test the correct way to find the answer. None of the parents were sleeping or bored or looking out the window, they were all watching the teacher.
Additionally, the teacher explained why each question was asked and made sure parents understood the intent of the lessons being tested. This took a couple of hours. The video only showed part of it, but I was assured the parents participated the entire time.
Later at the individual meetings the teacher presented strategies tailored to help each student. This happens every semester throughout their public school career.
Liaoyang is a relatively nondescript city. It is representative of China’s educational programs. This parent teacher-conference was not staged; rather, it was captured because my friend’s nephew was in that class.
It seems Americans do not support their children’s education as well as other nations like China. The American support seems to be in consumer goods such as new shoes, clothes or the newest music.
This allows our children to be well-dressed illiterates but does not address their need of parental involvement. Many American children have their own televisions, video games and music systems in their rooms. They do their homework in isolation, if they do it at all. And the parents say they cannot spend time with their children because they are too busy making a living.
As a nation our public school children have more financial support and less personal time from their parents. The American per capita spending is above many other countries. Know this: I am not saying that the way China educates their children is better than ours, only that there is a significant difference.
Some American parents go to every conference though most parents have other priorities. You can draw your own conclusion. I believe the single most important factor in a child’s education is the degree to which the parents are involved.
It certainly makes for interesting questions: should parents be required to educationally support their children? Do the children have the right to sue for lack of support when they finally realize that their contemporaries have gotten a much better education?
Or do parents have the right to have children and expect schools to compensate for their lack of parental support?
Dr. Michael Swickard hosts the syndicated radio talk show News New Mexico six to nine a.m. Monday - Friday on a number of New Mexico radio stations and through streaming. Email: michael@swickard.com
