Teaching in China

Yesterday we visited the Beijing Normal University.  This is the top teacher preparation college in China.  Attached is a laboratory school, where people who are studying to become teachers work with students.  Professor Wang Yingijie (pictured) spoke to our group for about an hour and a half about the challenges teachers face and the direction China is trying to go with educational reform at all levels.  Many issues are being debated as China strives to address this fundamental reality:  “2 million engineers graduate annually, but only 10% are functional.”  This problem is not just one of engineers.  As our tour guide elaborated – “We have a lot of college graduates that are good for nothing…”  Students are very good at taking “The Test,” but are not good at all in applying their knowledge.

The Chinese national tests, which occur at the end of elementary, junior high, and high school determine what choices (if any) a student has at the next level.  And with the family planning policy (1 child per family), a child has a tremendous amount of pressure put on him/her from two parents and four grandparents.  This one child is the hope of the entire family.  Pressure also wears heavily on teachers.  Depression is the most serious problem Chinese teachers face.  Yesterday’s China Daily newspaper spoke to the concern.

See:  http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2010-09/10/content_11282714.htm

And also: www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2011-04/15/content_12329942.htm