从父母传统价值观看中西方家庭教育差异

论文总字数：27765字

摘 要

众所周知，家庭是孩子生活的第一所学校，父母是孩子的第一任老师。更甚者，父母是孩子认识社会和世界的窗口。因此，父母的传统价值观对孩子们的成长起到了非常重要的作用。世界上有许多类型的家庭教育，它们中的每一个都展示了它们文化的不同特征以及紧密地响应了父母的不同价值观。历史背景，经济模式， 社会状况，教育体系都影响着父母的传统价值观。在这篇论文中，首先比较了两国父母传统价值观的差异并分析了形成这些差异的原因，其次是不同的价值观所产生的不同的家庭教育和当今中国家庭教育所存在的问题也被提出。与此同时，也提供了相对应的建议。

关键词：家庭教育；传统价值观；中西方差异

Contents

1.Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 1

2.1 Li Xin and the Differences of Family Education between China and America from the Perspective of Culture 1

3. Diffrences of Parents" Traditional Values between China and America 3

3.1 Different concepts of family education 3

3.2 Different aims of family education 4

3.3 Different opinions about children’s growth process 4

3.4 Different ways of developing children’s mental quality 5

3.5 Different ways of developing children’s creativity 5

4. The Reasons for the Differences of Parents’ Traditional Values between China and America 6

4.1 Different historical background 6

4.2 Different economic patterns 6

4.3 Different social conditions 6

4.4 Different education systems 6

5. The Different Results of Parents’ Traditional Values between China and America 7

5.1 Ability of adapting to the society 8

5.2 Ability of living independently 8

5.3 Interpersonal relationships 8

5.4 Responsibility of supporting the old 8

5.5 The relationship among family menbers 9

5.6 The attitudes towards money 9

5.7 The ability of creativity 9

6. Main problems in today’s Chinese family education 9

6.1 Chinese parents prepare all things for their children in daily life 9

6.2 Chinese parents overprotect their children in social activities 10

6.3 Chinese parents have a stricter attitude toward children’s study 10

6.4 Lack of communication between parents and children 10

6.5 Bringing up by elder generation show more disadvantages 11

7. Suggestions for problems mentioned above 11

8. Conclusion 11

Works Cited 13

1. Introduction

From ancient times till now, family education has been playing an important role in the national education system. What is known to us is that family, as a part of society, is the first place that children receive education and the first place that the children get in touch with the society. In this place, parents are the first teacher for their children and their traditional values have important effects on children’s growth. Education is a highly complicated process which is connected with families, schools and society throughout his whole life. Moreover, family education is not only the way that parents or grandparents educate their children in family, but all the family members educate each other. Different traditional values lead to different family education. In this thesis, we can learn the differences of family education between China and America by the different traditional values of parent.. What’s more, we can learn the differences of culture between China and America.

To begin with, in this paper, I compare the two countries’ differences of parents’ traditional values, and analyze the causes leading to the differences. Then the different results caused by different traditional values are mentioned, too. What’s more, it comes up with some problems in today’s Chinese family education. Last but not least, some suggestions to solve these problems are also provided.

2. Literature Review

2.1 Li Xin and the Differences of Family Education between China and America from the Perspective of Culture

Li Xin thinks that education is a social activity to cultivate talents, the basic approach to inherit the social culture, production experiences and social experience. Meanwhile the family education is the most important part of the whole educational system. In his paper, he finds that group awareness and individualism, compliance and independence, and the values of fame and fortune cause the different values of children rearing, different methods of training, and different results of training. What’s more, he apples to Chinese parents to use the advanced education concepts of America for reference and know the importance of cultivating the children’s self-confidence and creativity.

Firstly, Chinese think that the collective is more important than the individual and if a person leaves the group ,he would not adapt to the society. However, American emphasize that the individual is more important than the collective and the group should meet the legal requirements of the individual. Secondly, in Chinese family, the parents are regarded as the authorities and they play a dominant role in their family. They think that their children should obey their requirement and parents can arrange the children’s life without the children’s agreements. On the contrary, parents pay more attention to developing children’s independence, self-confidence and the spirit of exploration in American family. Thirdly, influenced by the traditional value that a good scholar will make an official, Chinese purse more fame than the fortune. Especially in the country, parents hope that their children can work hard to uphold honor to the family. Conversely, American think that the fortune is more important than the fame and like to pursue the best possible results.

These differences result in different family education between China and America. For example, Chinese parents regard the children’s achievements as the only standard to measure whether the children are talents and ignore developing children’s independence. But American parents respect their children and provide the chances for their children to find their own values and they encourage their children rather than criticize them. What’s more, Chinese parents are strict in their children’s study and arrange the homework after class to their children. American parents actively create the free environment for their children to develop their creativity and independence.

By comparing the different family education, Li Xin proposes that Chinese parents should develop children’s self-confidence, the ability of communicating with others and improve the overall quality of Chinese parents.

As far as I am concerned, Li Xin studies the different family education between China and America by different culture and he emphasizes that four aspects of traditional culture cause the different family education between China and America. However, as the saying goes, “the parents are the best teachers.” and parents play an important role in the family education. Therefore, I think that parents’ traditional values are the directest factors for the different family education. What’s more, parents’ traditional values are affected by many factors, such as historical background, economic patterns, social conditions, and education systems. Last but not least, we should not only use the advanced education concepts for reference but also help Chinese parents to known their influence of traditional values to their children so that they can change their values for educating their children.

3. Differences of Parents’ Traditional Values between China and America

3.1 Different concepts of family education

In the dictionary, the definition of family education explained in this way: Parents or elder generation educate the child or teenage in family. Different society needs different family education. In China, parents think that if their children don’t have high marks at school , they won’t have good future. “many Chinese children are motivated by the expectation and the dreams of their teachers and parents as well as a practical, urgent need to find a satisfactory job in the fierce competition of modern times.” (Cao Xianghong,2009:143) Therefore, in the process of children’s growth, the most important thing the parents care about is to develop their children’s intellect , and except for caring children’s daily life. Contrastively, American parents generally believe that the growth of children must rely on their own strength and experiences. Based on this concept, most American parents pay more attention to independence. Moreover, “children are encouraged to free, seek what they think is happy, and work independently.” (Cao Xianghong,2009:144) So American children have more autonomous rights because their parents emphasize on justice and freedom in the process of family education .

3.2 Different aims of family education.

As we all know that most Chinese parents’ aim is to train the child into a talent, who has a bright future. A bright future means to get a good job and to lead a wonderful life all their life time. Therefore, When a baby in born in a Chinese family, his parents often have arranged for his future, no matter whether the child likes it. That is to say, Chinese parents would enforce their children living under the arranged future instead of considering children’s feelings and abilities. Because of the aim, Chinese parents especially care about children’s study achievements. Their only requirement is that their children can concentrate all attentions on study. However, American parents’ aim is to train the child into a social man who can deal with all kinds of problems and own independent ability. American parents have a relaxed attitude to educate their children. They are good at finding out the active parts from their children’s individuality and the children can find their values from family education.

3.3 Different opinions about children’s growth process

Different parents have different opinions about children’s growth process who are affected by different traditional values. In Chinese family, “Chinese parents make admirable sacrifices in time, money and energy to ensure the distinction of their children in study. They check their children’s homework, keep close contact with teachers, send their children to weekend training centers, and hire private teachers in the hope that their children will get enrolled in the most prestigious university and have a decent job and well-off life after graduation.” (Cao Xianghong,2009:141) Chinese parents ignore the importance of practical training, instead they pay attention to preaching. On the contrary, American parents try to create chances and conditions for their children to self-exercise. American children have to work part-time for earning their pocket money because their parents are strict with it. What’s more,American parents pay more attention to children’s independence and hope that their children can adapt to the society as soon as possible when they graduate from the school.

3.4 Different ways of developing children’s mental quality

Nowadays, education for all-around development is advocated by both China and America. What is known to us is that the psychological quality education is an important part of quality-oriented education. What’s more, mental quality is to children what root is to the tree. “Self-confidence is a positive attitude, a driving force for forging ahead, and the essential mental quality to achieve success. Developing children’s self-confidence plays an important role in children’s growth. If a children lack the self-confidence, he will be afraid of difficulties and hesitate to press forward in the face of difficulties.” (Leonard 2010 : 9) In American family, parents focus on the developing the mental quality and respect their children. However, Chinese parents pay more attention to the intellectual education and ignore the mental quality. What’s worse, it causes that Chinese children have lower psychological endurance than the American children and they can’t face to the pressure and frustration in daily life.

3.5 Different ways of developing children’s creativity

Creativity means bringing into being; it involves the generation of new things or ideas or the transformation of those previously existing. It is said by Pablo Picasso that Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up. “Most people think that only the parents have high creativity can they ‘cultivate’ the creativity of children. In fact, many American parents are the average person and they are not necessary creative. However, they can shape a favorable atmosphere which is benefit to develop children’s creativity with a tolerant attitude.” (Huang Quanyu:73) In America, parents don’t give their children a rap on the knuckle although their children take down an alarm clock and can’t back it. Oppositely, they encourage their children to have the curiosity and the spirit of exploration. It is useful for parents to develop their children’s creativity. However, Chinese parents tear a strip off their children if their children take down the clock. It is harmful for children to develop their creativity.

4. The Reasons for the Differences of Parents’ Traditional Values between China and America

4.1 Different historical background

“The longest continuing civilization in the annals of mankind, China can document its history back to the Shang dynasty.” (Samovar and Potter 2004：129) Therefore China has a long history that the people are governed by the emperor which makes the people lack the spirit of adventure and innovative consciousness. However, America is a nation of immigrants with a short history, there remains so little traditional culture. “The United States was born during what is known in European history as the Age of Enlightenment. During that period, writers, philosophers and statesmen in Europe struggled to create ‘perfect societies’ based on reason and logic.”(Fan Yue,2006:128) Affected by multi-culture and multi-value, it can accept new thoughts and culture more quickly without restriction.

4.2 Different economic patterns

China is a developing country and the pressure of living is great. What’s more, Chinese would like get a good job in a large enterprise or in a government office rather than do pioneering work. Therefore China is a society of diplomas which can determine his future. Therefore, if children can’t enter into the university, they won’t have a god job and fine future. Oppositely, America is a developed country. There are lots of opportunities to get jobs. Commodity economy is changing in every minute per second, jobs are also changing. And “Small businesses still play an important role in the American economy. They account for three out of four of the new jobs created in the 1990s. Today, one out of every four new businesses fails within the first two years and half of them within the first four years. Despite this risk, many Americans are devoted to developing small businesses.”(Fan Yue,2006:181) So parents never think that their children can live a smooth life or can’t get a job.

4.3 Different social conditions

American parents never have the idea that rearing children against old age. Instead, they think that when they get old, they can go to old people’s home to live the rest of their life. So they rear the children to 18 years old, who become independent persons, and they finish their jobs without considering what the children will be in the future. They don’t care about whether the children will bring honor to them or not. By comparison, influenced by the Confucianism, Chinese parents consider that they should be responsible for their children no matter whether they are 18 years old. Moreover, they treat their children as their own property, and require children to pay back for them.

4.4 Different education systems

“Generally speaking, most cultures teach similar things like language, literature, art, mathematics, science, history, philosophy and various kinds of vocational knowledge and skills, but the emphasis and teaching manners are quite different, which has led to different outcomes.”(Cao Xianghong,2009:140) In China, “The curriculum is predetermined by the Ministry of Education with few elective courses in primary and middle school. Reading, writing, and memorizing are emphasized.”(Cao Xianghong,2009:141) What’s more, teachers play a important role in teaching students in study performance. Students are required to respect their teachers and can’t object to teachers’ opinions in class which strangles children’s initiative. However, “What is most typical of United States is its multi-cultural education as it has been a country of country of immigrants from the very beginning. Nowadays, the experiences and values of many ethic cultures are taught in schools, unlike before.” (Cao Xianghong,2009:141) It indicates that American children have more elective courses. Last but not least, American children can discuss the questions with teachers in class.

5. The Different Results of Parents’ Traditional Values between China and America

Different concepts, aims and methods cause different results of family education. After comparison, we can see that American children show distinguishing features when they are very young. By contrast, Chinese children, teenagers, even university students, who do well in their studies, show negative tendency in their characteristics.

5.1 Ability of adapting to the society

Most American children can adapt to the society more easily than Chinese children. They can face and overcome setbacks more easily. For example, American children keep calm when they run into troubles. However, when Chinese children are in trouble, they only ask their parents for help.

5.2 Ability of living independently

“American children who are 2 to 3 years old are required to dress themselves, and when they are 4 to 6 years old, they can wear socks or tie their shoes. However, Chinese children can neither tie their shoes nor put their shoes on wrong when they are 7 to 8 years old.”(Huang Quanyu:93) Compared with independent American children, Chinese children are poor in living skills. What’s more, Chinese children have particularly much requirements and strong dependence on their parents in daily life, and they always want to get others’ care.

5.3 Interpersonal relationships

As a result of parents’ overprotection, Chinese children have few abilities of personal interaction. American children are opposite at this point. For example, American children can get along well with others when they take part in the social activities. Oppositely, Chinese children lack the ability of communicating with others.

5.4 Responsibility of supporting the old

Generally speaking, many American children lack the sense of responsibility to support their parents in comparison with Chinese children. However, Chinese parents have the awareness of bringing up sons or daughters to support them in their old age.

5.5 The relationship among family members

As a whole, the relationship among Chinese family members are more harmony than that among American family. The relationship of Chinese family is very close, but in America, family members look like separate individuals.

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