A Comparative Study on Family Education in China and America

Qiao Xiao’qian

Abstract：Education can reflect the cultural connotation of a country. The giant cultural diversity between China and America leads to the great difference in the philosophy of education， especially the concept of family education. Family is the main place for children’s pre-school education， which plays an important role in their future habits and intellectual development. The family education is the rock-solid precondition and basis of school education and social education. There are huge differences which run through various parts in family education between China and America， which are reflected in the purpose， content and method of education. Certainly，it can be explained by more than one reason for the variances in family education between our country and America： the economic situation， historical background， thinking style and so on. By picking the essence of the American family education， the author trys to improve the concept and methods of Chinese family education.

Key words： education; the concept of family education; China; America

The Brief Introduction to Family Education

An Overview on Family Education in China

There are many excellent cultural heritages in traditional family education in China， which have played a positive role in talent training and social development and progress. In early times， traditional parents in China would delivered their behavior habits and moral education to their kids no matter if they like it. Teach a child to be honest， kind， conscientious and independent is always the first lesson of family education.What’s more， the so-called family education that imposed by elderly almost covered up the whole parts of a family. Even through elders have the responsible to model the family manner， but it should not be overstated. However， it would be the right thing for parents that they set examples by their actual deeds other than empty talks. Only in this way can elder people build a more solid foundation for their kids.

An Overview on Family Education in America

In order to make kid to an independent person， family education in America use the pioneering spirit and competitive ability.These families focus on encouraging their children to be enterprising， cultivating their children’s independent ability and the spirit of being responsible for themselves. At the same time， American family education advocates democracy， and they educate their child in an open way. With no doubt， a generation of young American with strong independence are raise by the democratic atmosphere of American family. Correspondingly， extreme democracy brings shorting sometimes， which makes the American family education too connivance. Parents in America focus on helping their children establish a clear economic concept and independence.Youth in American make a living by their selves in a real early time， because of the early economic concept of family education.

Similarities in Family Education between China and America

The Role Distribution of Parents in Family Education

No matter in America or in China， mothers， the main caregivers of a family， are responsible for their children’s daily life， mental education and material security. On the contrary， fathers do work to intellectual education of their children， and emotional communication nearly no-exist between papa and kids， which alienates children from each other to a large extent and affects children’s growth.

Parents are children’s role models. What’s more useful than tens of thousands of teachings is a parent’s behavior. The same point between our country and the US in family education is： parents always say more in the process of model building， but no deeds.

Common Ground of Training Content

It was almost same for parents in our country and America， attaching great attention on the growth of children’s reading ability. In the early time of ancient China， kids were guided by their parents to learn ancient Chinese poetry， so as to stimulate the desire for knowledge. Family reading was put much notice by American parents as well. It’s a good custom for foreign child to listen the story that recited by their family every night， which is the content of family education.

Not only in the US but also China， the cultivation of children’s moral development is focuses by parents. From primary school， kids were taught to use polite languages. In the same time， they were asked to keep order and line up in public. Moral education in American also receive great attention. Kids in America are taught to be honest， dependable and accountable.

Differences in Family Education between China and America

Differences in Purpose

As the concept of America family education， kids are hoped to raise to a “social people” who can adapt to various environments and survive independently. They will not force their kids to pursue some more utilitarian goals such as high education and good career.

Family education in China is devoted to train kids to be “genius”， which are reflected in a good future， a good career， and a lifetime of prosperity.The only demand for their kids is study hard on book， thus the natural and creativity are ignored.

Differences in Content

The American family education has various content. They lay emphasis on quality education， as kids’ harmonious development in physical strength， cognition， sociality and so on. Refer to physical strength， it’s sure more time and energy should be spend on children’s outdoor activities and physical exercises. On the side of cognitive development， it’s important to cultivate the senses in multi-sides of kids. On the other hand， these parents will put much time on teaching their children to cooperate with others.

Chinese family education is formed by four parts ， as moral， intellectual， physical and aesthetic.As soon as our kid is old enough to go to school， the intelligence education is often poured into kids in an overwhelming position， there is no doubt that the education content is out of balance.The importance of “one skill” is cognizant by more and more parents in the education of aesthetic， thus these parents cultivate children special artistic talents with no destination in mind.This urgent approach ignores the interests of children. Conversely， all these aesthetic classes are high-cost and time-consuming， which increases burden to family as well as to kids.

Differences in Approach

Family education in China almost shares the same mode， and there’s barely right for kids to negotiation. It’s supposed by some parents that housework is business for elder people， correspondingly， what kid should do is to submit to family rules and comply with their parents’ wishes.

Open education is advocated by American family. It allowed Children to voice their own opinions to elder people and participate in family affairs. Kids are encouraged by their parents to stick to their opinions and allow them to keep their understanding without accepting what their parents say. Moreover， parents are expected to learn things from their children. The ego and privacy of children are fully protected by their parents.

The Enlightenments to Chinese Family Education

The Cultivation of Self-confidence

The first key to success is confidence. Self confidence plays a fundamental role in intelligence or physical strength， as well as in the ability to communicate with others and deal with things. A confident， optimistic and enterprising child can do great things.

As parents， respect and understanding of children are the soil for self-confidence. Encouraging and guiding children is the best nutrition for self-confidence.The cultivation of self-confidence is conducive to the formation of good self-awareness， and has a catalytic effect on all aspects of children.

The Cultivation of Comprehensive Quality

While Chinese parents encourage their children’s all-round development， they often fail to grasp it in real life. They emphasize their children’s academic achievements， but ignore the development of morality， intelligence， physique and beauty. It is worth mentioning that Chinese parents can accept the opinions modestly and actively adopt such suggestions. The basic feature of all-round development of human is the combination of physical labor and mental labor. In the days that followed， children’s all-round development should be encouraged by China’s family education system when it carry on the reformation. Chinese parents must accept this idea.

Conclusion

In recent times， the bilateral economic exchanges between China and America have become more regular under the context of globalization. Education is endowed with more importance as the frequent exchanges and cooperation in global economy and culture.

In general， it’s needed for China to draw lessons from the democratic and scientific concept of Western family education， for the reason of carrying forward the fine tradition and splendid civilization of China. In the meantime， it’s necessary to improve the old education mode， and tried hard to label Chinese characteristic to our country’s family education. In an attempt to convert examination oriented education into quality-oriented education basically.

References

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[3]Li， Yin. 2005. “Inspiration from American Family Education.” Educational Practice and Research， no.12：123–145.

[4]Yan， Xuemei. 2005. “Family School： the Eeturn of the Subject Consciousness of Family Education.” Contemporary Education Forum， no. 20： 132.