Tiger Mom Revisited

02/17/2011

You don’t have to do this. You get to do this.
Tom Kubis, Jazz Musician

Last Thursday's ExchangeEveryDay, "Tiger Mom Controversy," sparked a record number of impassioned responses. Zvia Dover pointed us to a New York Times column, "China's Winning Schools?" in which Nicholas Kristof presented another perspective on the Chinese approach to education:

"An international study published last month looked at how students in 65 countries performed in math, science, and reading. The winner was: Confucianism! At the very top of the charts, in all three fields and by a wide margin, was Shanghai. Three of the next top four performers were also societies with a Confucian legacy of reverence for education: Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea. The only non-Confucian country in the mix was Finland. The United States? We came in 15th in reading, 23rd in science, and 31st in math...

"But this is the paradox: Chinese, themselves, are far less impressed by their school system. Almost every time I try to interview a Chinese about the system here, I hear grousing rather than praise. Many Chinese complain scathingly that their system kills independent thought and creativity, and they envy the American system for nurturing self-reliance — and for trying to make learning exciting and not just a chore.

"In Xian, I visited Gaoxin Yizhong, perhaps the city’s best high school, and the students and teachers spoke wistfully of the American emphasis on clubs, arts, and independent thought. 'We need to encourage more creativity,' explained Hua Guohong, a chemistry teacher. 'We should learn from American schools.'

"...The larger issue is that the greatest strength of the Chinese system is the Confucian reverence for education that is steeped into the culture. In Chinese schools, teachers are much respected, and the most admired kid is often the brain rather than the jock or class clown. Americans think of China’s strategic challenge in terms of, say, the new Chinese stealth fighter aircraft. But the real challenge is the rise of China’s education system and the passion for learning that underlies it. We’re not going to become Confucians, but we can elevate education on our list of priorities without relinquishing creativity and independent thought."

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