| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
getbehindthemule
Joined: 15 Oct 2015
Posts: 712
Location: Shanghai
|
 Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 1:34 am Post subject: How hard do Chinese kids work in Primary School? |
 |
|
The answer to the subject question is: incredibly hard!
I'm sitting in my office as my Grade 4 students in the classrooms down the corridor are taking their mid-term exams (today it's Chinese). The four classrooms are in total silence for the duration of the test, a whopping 90mins...a long time for kids so young!
The importance of these exams and the homework and study (including practice tests) that they've put in for these mid-term exams is unreal. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 7:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
Student tells me the same. 4 hours homework per night in primary. She would let her mother do the final exercise in brush calligraphy and she expects other kids did this also.
Brutal! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
getbehindthemule
Joined: 15 Oct 2015
Posts: 712
Location: Shanghai
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2016 8:12 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Non Sequitur wrote: |
Student tells me the same. 4 hours homework per night in primary. She would let her mother do the final exercise in brush calligraphy and she expects other kids did this also.
Brutal! |
Yes, it's quite brutal alright!
On top of this they all have numerous extra classes and activities at weekends and during holidays 
The culture being not to let another kid get a head start, if one does extra classes in this, that or the other, the herd tends to follow quickly! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
blueberrymango
Joined: 27 Sep 2015
Posts: 32
|
| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2016 4:44 pm Post subject: Re: How hard do Chinese kids work in Primary School? |
|
|
| getbehindthemule wrote: |
The answer to the subject question is: incredibly hard!
I'm sitting in my office as my Grade 4 students in the classrooms down the corridor are taking their mid-term exams (today it's Chinese). The four classrooms are in total silence for the duration of the test, a whopping 90mins...a long time for kids so young!
The importance of these exams and the homework and study (including practice tests) that they've put in for these mid-term exams is unreal. |
I'm curious - I teach fourth grade in the US, and taught in China previously - how do you think that this total silence is accomplished? Are the students more motivated? What would the consequences be if they were talking or making noise during the test?
My fourth graders here have a very hard time sitting silently. I have them take a test once a week and expect total silence... but after about 35 minutes many start to get restless and I have to remind them that there should be no talking. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Markness
Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 738
Location: Chengdu
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 7:00 am Post subject: Re: How hard do Chinese kids work in Primary School? |
|
|
| blueberrymango wrote: |
| getbehindthemule wrote: |
The answer to the subject question is: incredibly hard!
I'm sitting in my office as my Grade 4 students in the classrooms down the corridor are taking their mid-term exams (today it's Chinese). The four classrooms are in total silence for the duration of the test, a whopping 90mins...a long time for kids so young!
The importance of these exams and the homework and study (including practice tests) that they've put in for these mid-term exams is unreal. |
I'm curious - I teach fourth grade in the US, and taught in China previously - how do you think that this total silence is accomplished? Are the students more motivated? What would the consequences be if they were talking or making noise during the test?
My fourth graders here have a very hard time sitting silently. I have them take a test once a week and expect total silence... but after about 35 minutes many start to get restless and I have to remind them that there should be no talking. |
Consequences is what keeps them quiet. Back in the old country I never would have gotten away with the stuff that goes on here, especially at the high schools. Very noisy in class and if we pulled off those stunts we'd be booted out. The high school I work at is one where the students are wealthy, so, they can essentially get away with murder in class, but I don't put up with it. Threatening to call their parents = them not caring because they control their wimpy parents.
I do feel bad however with the astronomical amounts of homework that they have at such a young age in primary school. A better thing to do would to be exploring their creative side. More time should be spent on arts and crafts/songs/learning about their own history and culture... especially holidays. A lot of them know nothing about their own history, especially when it comes to their holidays. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
getbehindthemule
Joined: 15 Oct 2015
Posts: 712
Location: Shanghai
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 9:32 am Post subject: Re: How hard do Chinese kids work in Primary School? |
|
|
| blueberrymango wrote: |
| getbehindthemule wrote: |
The answer to the subject question is: incredibly hard!
I'm sitting in my office as my Grade 4 students in the classrooms down the corridor are taking their mid-term exams (today it's Chinese). The four classrooms are in total silence for the duration of the test, a whopping 90mins...a long time for kids so young!
The importance of these exams and the homework and study (including practice tests) that they've put in for these mid-term exams is unreal. |
I'm curious - I teach fourth grade in the US, and taught in China previously - how do you think that this total silence is accomplished? Are the students more motivated? What would the consequences be if they were talking or making noise during the test?
My fourth graders here have a very hard time sitting silently. I have them take a test once a week and expect total silence... but after about 35 minutes many start to get restless and I have to remind them that there should be no talking. |
Certainly much more motivated, they don't have a choice!
Consequences, maybe sent to the office to stand in silence, get a good old fashioned bollocking, and parents called in to meet with teacher and student (often ending up with the poor kid sobbing uncontrollably). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
