Chinese School System: MOE briefing

1. Chinese School System: MOE briefing An overview of Oklahoma’s relationship

2. The Choice of China Converting the population pressure into huge human resources • Adopting the strategy of reinvigorating the country through science and education

3. Ministry of Education briefing • 99% of population has 9 years of school • All rural students have free education • In 2008-9 school year all tuition abolished in grades K-9 • The following year, textbooks will be free

4. Enrollment • High school 60% • 52% in academic programs • 48% in Vocational technical programs • Trying for 80% of students in high school by 2010 • 5% of education is private

5. Teachers • 10 million teachers in K-12 schools • Student teacher ratio is improving • 2006 was 17 to 1 • Teacher in the classroom 15 hours per week • Remainder of day with grading, class prep and mentoring

6. Curriculum • National curriculum • Since 2001 new innovations in curriculum based on study of 30 countries • National Curriculum is core subjects • 80 % of curriculum is national • Chinese, English, Math are most important • 10 sets of texts approved; school selects

7. Curriculum • 15% of curriculum is local • Based on needs of province • 5% of curriculum is school based • Based on needs of school • One school developed crysanthemums

8. Objectives of new curriculum • 1. to understand other countries • 2. To master basic skills • 3. Scientific understanding of environment • 4. to care for society • 5. to develop self conscious & independent personality • 6. esthetic appreciation

9. 4 challenges for China’s education • 1. Equity • Although BE in China made significant advances, the educational infrastructure is still weak and development has been quite uneven. It can neither respond well to the needs of rapid socio-economic development, nor satisfy the aspiration of the broad masses for receiving education of a high quality.

10. Challenge 2: Quality • Improved teaching can’t meet the demand by parents, especially in the one child family. Need to improve the quality of teachers • 240,000 with lower degrees • 450,000 non-registered teachers

11. Challenge 3: Relevance • 81% of all students live in the countryside; 162 million students • Curriculum is academic; if they don’t get into college, their education doesn’t apply

12. Challenge 4: exam driven system • Problems finding university seats • 10.1 million students took exam in 2007 • 1 million university seats available in China • Problems with refusers • Students driven too hard • Knowledge based system with little room for creativity

13. Teacher Education • Teacher prep & professional development called “gardeners’ project”. • Students are the flowers • Teachers are the gardeners • 6 Normal Universities provide free education to future teachers

14. Teaching & Learning innovations • Moving away from lecture, memorization, to… • Interactive teaching • Hands on projects • Project oriented study • Team work • To produce students who can serve the Mother Country economically & socially

15. “Education should be oriented towards modernization, the world and the future” ——Deng Xiaopin

16. Think global, act local • Contributing to development • Keeping abreast of the • advances of S&T • Serving the modernization • drive of the country • Learning from the other countries’ useful experience and broadening our concept of education

17. Oklahoma agencies interfacing with China • Oklahoma Institute for Teaching East Asia at The University of Oklahoma, Tulsa • The Confucius Institute at OU • Partnerships for learning about the other’s educational system in a social context

18. Sichuan Province • Chongqing: 30+ million • Chengdu: 12-14 million

19. Sichuan Province Education facts • First school established 141 BCE • 9 year compulsory education • Provincial Education Commission under Provincial government • School attendance rate is 99.14%

20. Types of Schools • Kindergarten for 3-6 yr olds • Primary: grades 1-6 • Jr. Middle school: grades 7-9 • Sr. Middle Schools: grades 10-12 • Adult education: literacy 95% among adults • Technical Vocational • 64 Special Ed schools • 43-51 Higher Education institutions in Sichuan

21. Key school Concept • Similar to magnet schools • High test scores secure a place • National Key schools • Provincial Key schools • Local Key schools

22. Funding • Government is main source 54% • 46% provided by tuition and school businesses • Print shops • Rent generated by school grounds • Market economy provides opportunities

23. Oklahoma’s Sister Schools • Since 2002 • 7 in Beijing • 4 in Chengdu • 1 in Shenyang • 7 in Chongqing

24. Oklahoma School Exchanges • OK City • Southeast HS • Casady School • Tulsa area • Holland Hall • Edison MS/HS • Byrd MS • Jenks HS/MS • Broken Arrow HS • Sapulpa HS • Carver MS • Wilson MS • Grissom Elementary • More to come…

25. Typical Chinese School campus • Large playing field • Multiple buildings • 2000-3000 enrollment

26. State of the Art • Video CD Library supplements traditional one • Students spend hours daily reading

27. Multi-media classroom • Multi-media in common use • TV studios are common • Interactive TV sites for distance learning

28. Physics lab • Science is crucial component • App. 37% of Chinese grads are engineers • App. 4% of U.S. grads are engineers

29. Faculty planning lab • Technicians help teachers create multi-media lessons • Teachers have time during day to generate innovative lessons

30. Typical sports programs • Basketball • Ping-pong • Track & field • Swimming • soccer

31. Full classrooms • Classes of 50-65 • Teachers move/students stay in place • National curriculum is used • National examinations direct students’ future

32. Friendly welcome • Tea, water, juice always offered Meeting room usually grand

33. Formal presentations • Principal will give & receive gifts • He/she will formally introduce the schoolg

34. Teacher’s office • Teach 2-3 classes daily • Plan, grade, and mentor in group offices • Nap time sanctioned at lunch break

35. Teachers are revered • National Teacher’s Day Sept 10 • Flowers, candy, gifts from students • Parties hosted by principals

36. Young English teachers • Enthusiastic/energetic • Principals want their teachers to learn more English idiom & Western teaching methods

37. English curriculum • Begins no later than 3rd grade • First grade in urban schools • Sometimes in kindergarten • Native English speakers are recruited to teach

38. Chinese curriculum in OK • We recruit native Chinese speakers to teach • OK now can certify resident Chinese language teachers • OU is the new site of a Confucius Institute • This expands OU’s capacity to deliver Chinese

39. Chinese offered in Oklahoma • Tulsa Public Schools: K-12 in 2 feeder patterns • Jenks: 5-12 & AP • 6 Parochial Prep schools; 1 AP • Norman PS, K-12 • Lawton 3 HS • Duncan MS & HS • Bartlesville mid high & high school • Skiatook MS & HS • Muskogee HS • Edmond North HS • Putnam City high schools

40. Gregarious students • Good English skills • Friendly & curious • Knowledgeable about the rest of the world

41. Morning Exercises • All students gather • Unison exercises-20 min. • READY FOR OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY!!