LittleSoldiers

In the spirit of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Bringing up Bébé, and The Smartest Kids in the World, this is a hard-hitting exploration of China’s widely acclaimed yet insular education system. China’s education system is held up as a model of academic and behavioral excellence, which raises important questions for the future of American parenting and education.

When students in Shanghai rose to the top of international rankings, surpassing American students in math, reading, and science, it caused a sensation. However, this did not happen by chance. Through a rigorous education system, students are trained to become high achievers with discipline, hard work, and respect for authority.

This book examines the pressures and expectations placed on Chinese students, parents, and educators, while also acknowledging the flaws and limitations of the education system. The lessons learned from China’s education system may provide insight on how American educators and parents can improve their education system to better prepare students for the changing world.

作者简介

InthespiritofBattleHymnoftheTigerMother,BringingupBébé,andTheSmartestKidsintheWorld,ahard-hittingexplorationofChina’swidelyacclaimedyetinsulareducationsystem—heldupasamodelofacademicandbehavioralexcellence—thatraisesimportantquestionsforthefutureofAmericanparentingandeducation.WhenstudentsinShanghairosetothetopofinternationalrankingsin2009,Americansfearedthattheywerebeing"out-educated"bytherisingsuperpower.AnAmericanjournalistofChinesedescentraisingayoungfamilyinShanghai,LenoraChunoticedhowwell-behavedChinesechildrenwerecomparedtoherboisteroustoddler.HowdidtheChinesecreatetheiracademicsuper-achievers?WouldtheirlittleboybenefitfromChineseschool?Chuandherhusbanddecidedtoenrollthree-year-oldRainerinChina’sstate-runpublicschoolsystem.Theresultswerepositive—hersonquicklysettleddown,becamefluentinMandarin,andenjoyedhisfriends—butshealsobegantonoticetroublingnewbehaviors.Wonderingwhatwashappeningbehindclosedclassroomdoors,sheembarkedonanexploratoryjourney,interviewingChineseparents,teachersandeducationprofessors,andfollowingstudentsatallstagesoftheireducation.Whatshediscoveredisamilitary-likeeducationsystemdrivenbyhigh-stakestesting,withteacherspostingrankingsinpublic,usingbribestorewardstudentswhocomply,andshamingtoisolatethosewhodonot.Atthesametime,sheuncoveredayears-longdesirebygovernmenttoalleviateitsstudents’crushingacademicburdenandmakeeducationfriendlierforall.Themoreshelearns,themoreshewonders:AreChinesechildren—andherson—payingtoohighapricefortheirobedienceandthepromiseoffutureacademicprowess?Isthereawaytoappropriatetheexcellenceofthesystembutdispensewiththebad?What,ifanything,couldWesternerslearnfromChina’seducationjourney?Chu’seye-openinginvestigationchallengesourassumptionsandasksustoconsiderthetruevalueandpurposeofeducation.