Chinese education visit

What we can learn from Chinese education
James Baker, Principal of Howard of Effingham School

So often in education, as in most walks of life, there are things we do simply because we assume that’s the only way to do them. But when we get chance to observe how another culture goes about trying to achieve the same objectives, we gain a huge sense of perspective.

This is one of the reasons why, as part of an initiative to build stronger ties between schools in Surrey and China, I was excited to visit a series of schools in China toward the end of last year. Over five-days, I saw firsthand how different models and approaches within the country seek to provide young people with the skills, knowledge and behaviours they need for the future.

The first thing that struck me was the high esteem in which the Chinese held the English education system. We continue to be seen as world leading and a beacon of best practice. Many of the students had never met Westerners before and we were greeted with hospitality and excitement wherever we went. During our visits to the schools, we were treated to traditional Chinese dance performances and Bejing opera. We encountered a butterfly museum designed by students and I even got to try my hand at playing Chinese instruments.

We visited a diverse range of schools, showing the range of education options that exist within the country. This included schools that offered a traditional Chinese education, revolving around the ‘6 Arts’: etiquette, music, driving, archery, mathematics, and calligraphy. We also visited a British school which taught the Chinese curriculum at primary and offered iGCSEs and A-Levels at secondary. We spent time at an international school which facilitated both a Chinese and international education.

During the visit I reflected on the following observations:

Education in China is highly valued: young people widely recognise that their time at school is key to their future. Their work ethic demonstrably reflects this
The focus on heritage: each school I visited made a point of emphasising the art, music and customs of the country’s culture. There is a clear belief that a deep understanding of culture is critical to success
Emphasis on physical fitness: there was a strong sense that physical health helped students maintain a sharp mind. Interestingly, though exercise was stressed, there was less of a focus on team sports. Track running was very common
More space in the school day: teachers had more space in between lessons, helping to create a calm and considered environment
Strong emphasis on nature: young people were involved with activities such as creating raised beds where they would cultivate vegetables

One overall reflection was that the Chinese schools we visited tended to emphasise the “filling the pails” approach to education, whereby great store is placed on imparting received knowledge and wisdom to young people. Most schools in Britain tend to focus on the “lighting a fire” approach which strives to draw out the talents of the individual. All education systems combine aspects of both of these to some extent, but the difference in emphasis was noticeable. It certainly gave me food for thought.

As a principal, one of the things I always encourage my own students do to is to take advantage of opportunities when they come along. So it was with that spirit that I agreed to take part in the visit to China. My hope is that this will be an opportunity to create links between my own school and those that we visited. Already, students from Howard of Effingham have written letters to Chinese young people in Mandarin. In the future, I hope that there will be opportunities for exchanges and trips.

Schools in Surrey exist in a radically different context to those in China. We are preparing children for life in very different societies. So education will always be distinct in different cultural contexts. But as this trip showed me, by stepping outside of our cultural presuppositions we gain crucial perspective on the strategies we use to give our young people the best possible start. A greater knowledge of global education can only make our local schools stronger.