Chapter 18

When I was reading the education in Nigeria, I felt bad for students in Nigeria because of lack of supply, untrained teachers, and limited spaces. Gutek stresses the presence of the high illiteracy and serious AIDS problem. Because the country itself is not yet large and rich enough to educate students, the need for rebuilding the nation is highly urgent. Because Nigeria has multiple tribes, languages are diverse. Therefore, there are many languages that people speak, but English is the official language because of the influence from Britain. Gutek discusses “The Nigerian government identifies education as a key agency in national building, especially in achieving the goals of national integration and economic development…education is seen as an important agency for creating a political culture conducive to economic improvement (422).” I believe that these phrases focus the main point of his point. The educational system is rather weak, even though secondary and higher education were supposed to prepare the technically skilled people who might need for the modernization of the country. The primary school is designed for child development, the parents responsibilities, and training for care to others. Moreover, it is compulsory but free for everyone. However, as the education level goes higher, the enrollment gets fewer. This is because there are few spots for the university, and the admission is highly competitive and selective. In order to improve the quality of the country itself, I believe that students should be educated more, and the education should be more available for Nigerians. In addition, rather than focusing on one individual group or tribe, they should integrate and selectively borrow other nations’ core elements in education.

Gutek Chap. 18

I have to be honest in saying that this chapter somewhat bored me, but only because the person I interviewed was from Nigeria and his account was much more exciting! Fortunately there were a few new things that I learned or that caught my attention. One is the distributions of age in Nigeria: only 2.8% over 65 and a median age of 18. For one, I did not know that a median age of 18 was possible. This demonstrates a huge population boom or a huge increase of early deaths. The huge population boom seems likely since Gutek mentioned that there was a government idea for a 4-child per family policy (compare this to the 1-child rule in China!) However, I also believe there must be a rapid increase in early deaths due to AIDS, malaria, and other diseases (potentially even from dirty water/air because of Nigeria's lax environmental protection). Interesting enough, my interviewee said that a few of his great grandparents are still alive. In his family and surrounding village, most people live to their 100s or at least 90s because they eat locally grown healthy food and stay very active. However, in other regions or nowadays this may be drastically affected by viruses/diseases.

Another interesting piece was the effort of Nigerian planners to include study of Nigerian history and culture as a way for nation building/unity. As Gutek states, "The problem, however, has been to create a shared national history where none existed." This statement could not be more true. If someone asks us what happened in the 1800s in the U.S., we would be able to tell them about a few key aspects pretty easily. However, my interviewee was not able to tell me much about Nigerian history past his own mother's and father's experience and the oral tradition of his Yoruba village. This is because Nigeria did not exist until the 1800-1900s when it was colonized by the British. How can you teach history when there was no history? How can you teach "Nigerian culture" when it is really 250 different cultures?

One last note is that I thought it was interesting that the political structure of Nigeria mimics the U.S. with a president/chief of state and elected by popular vote for 4-year terms, when it was a nation colonized by the British. However, this system seems to be working out pretty well for Nigeria since the successful term of Obasanjo. But in the recent election as expected there were many issues with counting the votes and corruption.

Nationalism and Diversity

We often discuss in our class the subject of diversity in education. Many students often assume that diversity is the goal in education, but the beginning of chapter eighteen on education in Nigeria makes evident some of the cons of diversity in education. Nigeria has about 250 ethnic groups, but there are dominant groups that other groups fall under. According to this article, people tend to be more ethnocentric than nationalistic, which makes nationalism relatively uncommon or non-existent. The article mentions how in some European countries, having a common learning language as well as a national language fosters nationalism as well as a more unified country. The issue that arrises in very diverse places with large groups is the question of which languge to standardize, which culture to emphasize over another because that is generally how it would take place, especially if a party is in power that is identified primarily by the ethnicity of the members.
By emphasizing one languae a different group may see that as an imposition of another cultuer onto their own--especially in a place where people identify more with their ethnic makeup than they do with the nation state.
Nigeria had another difficult issue in addition to these being that there was no common link between the 250 languages and dialects in the country nor did that have common historical links to unify them except for Brittish occupation of the country. The one link for the nation is English which not only carries with it the memories of past oppression as well as cultural ideas and theories that the language caries.
I think that the Nigerian government made a respectable decision in making English the primary language in education and then requiring that the students learn three local languages.

Nigeria (Ch 18)

Nigerian education suffers due to a lack in government. Systems of education in other countries we’ve studied have a decided balance between centralized and disperse factors. The United States, for example, has federal guidelines that are then refined and carried out by individual states. France and Japan, however, have highly centralized educational standards and Germany, in contrast, has a dispersed model of education. Nigeria is faced with a dilemma; the country contains a vast range of distinct groups spread through separate urban and rural area, and there is no true precedent of a strong, accessible, nationalized education system. Nigeria is suffering the classic symptoms of other LTDCs; there are economic difficulties, although the country has natural resources such as petroleum; there is a colonial history that has resulted in internal fractions of diverse groups, now under the jurisdiction of a single government; there is very little funding for education and educators and consequently, the country experiences “brain drain.” Continued education in Nigeria is correlated with certain typical factors, similar to those we’ve seen in South America. First, there are religious schools that present an agenda separate to that of a typical public school. Second, the students cannot afford the “free” education because it often requires boarding and for parents to pay other expenses during their son’s education; also, it is typical for male students to have greater opportunities than female students because of the roles men and women often take in society.

Gutek Chapter 18

Gutek stresses the three stages of Nigerian history as the main influence on its' economy, politics and education: indigenous early history, British colonial rule, and post-independance. Because of British rule, the political, judicial, and educational systems are somewhat western in ideology, although there has been an attempt to move away from those policies and create a unique Nigerian national identity since independance in 1960. Nigeria is a divided and fragmented nation composed of many different states, ethnicities, language, and religions, and this has impeded national development. In 1966, these tensions boiled over when a millitary coup inflamed rivalries and caused the president to flee the country. A civil war ensued when the Igbo area of eastern Nigeria seceded from the nation and the millitary leaders of Nigeria attempted, succesfully, to stop them. The war ended in 1970, and the hard feelings still linger today. The nation signed a new constitution in 1999 with a bicameral congress and a multi-party system, and the new government is striving to integrate the nation and diversify and stabilize the economy, which is dependant on the petroleum industry. Nigeria faces problems such as AIDS, illiteracy and internal tensions, but the new emphasis on national education is an attempt to remedy these problems.

Nigeria Chapter 18

Before reading Chapter 18, I was unaware that Nigeria was once a British colony.  Since this is true, their education system is set up very similarly to Britain's and, in turn, ours.  There is primary school from ages six to twelve followed by secondary education which is from ages twelve to eighteen.  Nigeria has also made many strides in higher education since their independence in 1960.  By the 1990's, there were 29 universities.

A major difference with education in Nigeria and education in the U.S. is that they have many Muslim Koranic schools.  The problem with these schools is that the teachers are not necessarily qualified, but they have a strong understanding of the Koran.  Also, many teachers in rural areas only have primary education, as well.

Nigeria Chapter 18

What I found most interesting about this chapter on Nigeria was the complicated issue revolving around the great diversity of language, religion, and culture.  It is very apparent that this aspect of Nigerian society makes it extremely difficult to educate its large young population and to create a strong sense of national identity among its citizens.  Although it appears to be a much larger issue in Nigeria, this problem also occurs in European countries such as Spain and Italy, where a nation was created from a number of different regions, each with their own culture, variety of language, and history.  When Franco came into power in Spain, he sought to create unity among the different regions.  One way he attempted to do this was by limiting language to only Castillian, which was the only language to be taught and used in schools.  This created many issues because people of different regions felt like their culture was being compromised and still today there are problems with regions that desire to secede from the nation, such as the Basque region.  Ultimately, the resolution in Spain was to teach Castillian and the regional language in schools, which is similar to how in Nigeria the students study English as well as one of the three main languages.  It does seem to be problematic though, because so many other languages are learned and used in informal and nonformal settings.  Who is to say which languages are more important or "more educated" than others and therefore should be taught in formal settings.

Nigeria - Ch. 18

What I found interesting about the reading was the distinct difference between secondary schooling in Nigeria and that of the United States. While we start high school at about age 14, students in Nigeria start at age 12 and remain in secondary school for 6 years as opposed to our standard four year program. In the United states, aside from private institutions, we are not required to wear uniforms and do not pay tuition because it is included in our taxes. In Nigeria, secondary schooling is still expensive in that many secondary schools charge tuition fees, and require school uniforms. These requirements are often times what keep students out of schools in Nigeria; this results in a low enrollment. In American schools, inability to pay is not what keeps students out of schools. It is academic performance and lack of ambition and desire to learn which keeps them out.

Another significant difference between Nigeria and the United states in that the Nigerian educational system stems from the British pattern. Nigerian students must pass the entrance exam which his administered and graded by the West African Examination Council. In the United States, a student attends their county elementary school, then move on to the high school in their district; there are no entrance exams or committees that determine which students move onto secondary schooling and which don’t.

Gutek Ch. 18- Nigeria

It is hard to deny the strong influence that the UK has had on Nigeria in social, political, and educational contexts. While some of these influences have and may be helpful, others are detrimental. With regards to secondary schooling, Gutek writes that only about one-third of the appropriate age group is enrolled in Nigeria's 6000 secondary schools. This statistic is outrageous. With more than two-thirds of the nation's population not being educated beyond the age of 12, clearly the educational structure is robbing its nation of educated members. 

One contributor to this fact is that the country continues to be influenced by the British model of education where admission to these schools is highly selective (through exams) and elitist. With such a strong emphasis on the exam, certain children are put at a disadvantage. Those who cannot afford extra schooling, who don't have the support of their parents, need to work while attending school, etc... will have a harder time succeeding at the test as opposed to the privileged students who are wealthy and have the ability to climb the social ladder. While I realize that the use of strict and stringent standardized tests for admission to secondary school is used in a number of other countries, it is something that I personally do not agree with.

I like how in the US, if a child wants to or can, they have the opportunity and access to complete a secondary level education. There are no tests that dictate that the smartest kids go to certain schools and that others go to less 'smart' schools. While there is a difference between the types of school, like private or public, if a child wants an education, then they can have it. This is one of the most powerful and successful aspects of the US school system. We value education in the sense that we find it necessary to try and make sure that everyone who wants, has access to it. 

An Enclave of Brazilians - New York Times Article

Norimitsu Onishi’s New York Times Article An Enclave of Brazilians Is Testing Insular Japan described the status of Japanese-Brazilians living in Japan. It explained how despite the similar appearance of these immigrants to the Japanese nationals they are still on a separate level. I was shocked to read that it is not mandatory for foreigners to go to school in Japan. This makes it even more clear that the Japanese are really only looking for labor workers and are not interested in integrating the foreigners in to their society. Onishi concedes that indeed, “Children who do not attend Japanese schools tend to become isolated for Japanese society.” It is therefore not surprising that even though the Japanese-Brazilians were given permission to re-locate to Japan two decades ago, they are still very excluded from Japanese society.

Although Americas policies on immigrants has it’s flaws I think that it is much better at integrating foreigners into our society. We have restrictions for refugees and immigrants but also have a distinct sent of rules and a process for people to gain citizenship. Japan could stand to have schools like the INS rather than separate schools for people who speak different languages or have different backgrounds. Foreigners need to be able to become accepted in Japan, especially if the country wants more people to move there in order to work its booming industry, and I think a good place to start is with the school systems. 

Gutek-Japan

As I read the chapter, I found it interesting how Japan places an emphasis on harmony and the promotion of a group-based society within its school systems. From an American perspective it is easy to spot the negatives in this type of mentality. To sacrifice our individualism is to ignore our individual self-interests and ideas. Meanwhile, our consciousness – usually a product of our own individual thinking - is transformed into a tool molded by an outside source. Gutek brings up the point that this inhibits creative thinking and therefore stalls any type of progress and growth within a country.
On the other hand, I did notice that there could be a positive to a collective mentality. With an individualist mindset, you only have yourself to worry about. In school, if any of your actions are not carried out in the best way, there is only yourself to disappoint. Whereas with the group-driven mindset, your entire classmates becomes a part of the equation. With such a large group dependent upon you, it encourages you to do better and promotes higher achievement. Also, Gutek mentioned how there is equal funding across all schools in Japan. This equal distribution of resources gives students in both rural and urban areas access to the same education. In the US we have the opposite situation. There are obvious differences in our rural and urban school systems which cause students to receive varying qualities of education.

Japan developed a very interesting education system in the late 1800’s. Their approach was somewhat unique in that they took different aspects from varies countries to try and create the best centralized educational system. They divided the country into eight collegiate divisions, which was taken from the French. They also borrowed the approach to inspect schools and teachers by setting up a bureau. The primaries schools were mandatory for children 6-14 years old, modeled after the American system. Finally, they borrowed the majority of their system from the Germans. This included German research universities and German educated professors. This was inspired by the desire to “catch up” to other countries.
The concept of borrowing educational systems is an important aspect of globalization. As countries become more connected, it is important to continue to try to model and adapt education systems to other countries. Japan modeled Germany because they had similar goals of gaining power. Currently, all countries should have similar goals of creating the best educational system possible, and this will only happen if we keep borrowing from one another.

Gutek 15

Growing up in Korea, I knew that Chinese and Japanese school systems were completely different, but I did not know the specific details that made up those differences.

From the Gutek reading, I was surprised to learn that unlike China, Japan had education as a national priority. China also had education as a priority, but I think they focused on the quantity of education rather than quality, whereas Japan was able to have a true respect and commitment to education, known as "gakureki shakai" or "educational path society" and kogkureki shakai" or "a society of long educational rouths."

However, I don't like the fact that schools in Japan encourage conformity because then the school gets to decide what is acceptable behavior and what is not. Students get no individualism or freedom to express what they may think is right or wrong. Although I can see how Japanese people may think that teachers could help students uphold values of honor, respect, and responsibility to the home and family, which "mirror the larger society and economy," I think that they should only serve as mentors and guides, not people who tell them what to think and how to act.

Gutek Japan

What I found interesting about the reading was that Japan has taken other countries ideas and implemented it into their way of living. The reason why I found this interesting is because America wants to copy Japan’s educational system even though part of Japan’s educational system comes from America. As the reading stated the reason why America or most other places cannot mimic Japan is due to the fact that it is very homogeneous. Everyone in Japan is group oriented and they avoid individualism which is not how America functions.
Something I do not like about their educational system is the testing. I do not like the idea of taking one test that can determine what class you will be in for the rest of your life and not having the opportunity to retake it. I do not think that their testing is fair and it only creates social inequality in a society that is supposed to be group based.

Gutek Japan

I originally thought that the Japanese system of education would be extremely similar to the Chinese system.  Both had a strong belief in Confucianism and both hold strong beliefs about honor and respect.  It was a surprise to find out how different they two systems were, and how easily Japan seemed to make the change into a modern country whereas China had so many problems with doing so.  I especially liked learning about education early on in Japan’s history and how they combined Confucianism with learning “military arts”. I guess that was a given since the first schools were meant to teach samurai how to function under the government.  What surprised me though was the fact that, later on, the government also supported school where commoners could attend, and how this influenced how the Japanese people saw and understood education. 

The reading also mentioned how the country of Japan is made up almost exclusively of natives of Japan, the text said 99 %, and how Confucianism has had a large influence on their country.  If that is the case why go outside of Japan for alternate and new forms of education? According to the text it was because they (the Japanese government) wanted to modernize Japan while keeping Japanese morals and beliefs as the core of any renovation/ revision it made in regards to education and other areas as well.  It is amazing how well they accomplished this.  I still want to know why this occurred. The text says that the reason the Japanese government pushed so hard to become modern was because of pressure from the Japanese merchant class, but could there have been another reason?

Gutek Chap. 16

Histories of other countries always seem so much more ancient than history of the U.S. -- perhaps because the U.S. has only been around for a few hundred years, as opposed to China, which had been under imperial rule for over 2,000 years before 1911. For example, I was astonished to read that "intellectual activity was prized over applied and manual work" (363) in Imperial China. Contrasted with my own life, being brought up as an American means you always strive for the best, which can vary considerably, but generally means finding a good job. In the U.S., going to school and college is extremely important; not for the "intellectual activity," but for the competitive advantage of being able to find a decent, steady job after graduation. Also, we are always encouraged to "think outside of the box" to come up with our own ideas and solutions. This is why it surprised me when I read that state examinations in Imperial China were studied for by memorizing ancient Chinese literature (emphasizing cultural preservation). In fact, the examiners cared more about this ability of recalling texts than the ability to solve problems.

When thinking back to Gutek's chapter on the U.S., I believe that this may have also been the case in early colonial America. The best male students went into Harvard and studied art, philosophy, and history, just as the ancient imperial Chinese did. However, young adults in early America were not as constrained as the Chinese. They had the freedom to express their own views, and thus were able to expand to science and technology. In Imperial China, this was limited by the Confucian ethical code, which created a hierarchial ladder of subordination. Since sons had to obey everything their fathers said, and fathers had to obey everything the emperor said, then there was not much room for the freedom of thinking on one's own. As Gutek states, historical views still linger and are evident in modern China, as currently students must often still recall masses of information for university entrance exams.

Gutek Ch. 16 - China

Within this summary of China's educational system, the reading mentions the importance of student rankings and the maintenance of one's public persona, or "face," within China's secondary school institutions. One such way these rankings and public personas are developed is through various school leadership elections. Once students are organized into groups, called ban, they have the opportunity to elect leaders to whom they give specific responsibilities, such as the study monitor, propaganda representative, arts and entertainment leader, and the supervisor for cleaning. I found this particular point interesting because it reminded me of a documentary I've seen called, "Please Vote for Me." It follows the election of class monitor in a primary school located in central China. The focus is on three students as they prepare for speeches, debates, and musical performances - three events upon which their fellow classmates will base their votes. Along the way you see just how important these positions are to these students, all only 8 years old. As they go home to their parents, who act as political advisors throughout this process, the students face constant criticism as they're taught strategy against their opponents, and coached to memorize their speeches. The campaign begins to take its toll on these children as seen through the recurring tears and outbursts. I think the obvious emotional impact the election takes on the students is evidence of the importance that the school systems place on high rankings, which the reading suggests. As the schools encourage a system of rankings, based on a Confucianist hierarchical model, students are taught to constantly keep their public persona in mind and to be at the top. While failing their university admission examinations basically leaves them with no future, to be anything less than the best is simply not an option for these students.

Gutek, Chapter 16

My previous knowledge of Chinese history and politics was scarce before reading Chapter 16 in Gutek. It is interesting to compare the changes and revolutions that occurred in China to what I learned in my class last semester on the Cuban Revolution. Despite the dramatic progress that generally occurred at the beginning of these revolutions a continued focus on being revolutionary without a shift to productivity generally leads to destruction and falling behind as was experienced with the Mao administration with the “Great Leap Forward” movement. A generation of people that could have propelled the country forward economically and thereby politically never came into being. It is evident in studying these two revolutions that ideals and practicality have to find some sort of balance when it comes to ruling a nation. Similarly, in Cuba, Castro experienced a similar problem. After the excitement of the revolution died down, it became apparent that in order to preserve the nation, leaders had to slacken the restraints of their social and political ideals. It seems that extremes are excellent for enacting social and political change but not for sustainability.

Gutek Ch.16

Though China’s educational system is different from the United States I find that it has many things similar to our system that exist many years ago. One thing I noticed was that women were not educated until Christian missionaries stepped in. This was something that happened in America, and I believe that it is unfair to have such double standards when it comes to educating youth. Another similarity that I noticed was the type of education that is provided for children. In China, the children in urban areas seem to get more privileges in school because they have better resources, whereas the children in the rural areas do not receive quality education. In the American education system things are not exactly the same but there are many inequalities that exist. After reading the education in the People’s Republic of China I realized that educational inequalities not only exist in America but everywhere else in the world. I believe that something needs to be done to fix these equalities especially when it comes to equalizing education no matter where the child lives.

Gutek Chapter 16

The inconsistencies within the Chinese educational system are immense. The variety within Chinese education somewhat reminds me of the US healthcare system: there are variables based on where you live, a mixed historical precedent, and constant change due to economics and politics. The US healthcare system is also referred to a “nonsystem” because it lacks a degree of uniformly consistent elements; Chinese education appears to share that theme. Gutek describes the varied history of Chinese education, including the shifting principles behind educational thought; the ideological values of Communism and classless culture, but also the embedded discriminations based on socioeconomics, particularly location. It is difficult for me to believe that there are so many possibilities for primary education (five-year, part-time, and full-time six-year) and that the educational options afterwards are limited to so few students, a number that decreases along each step of the way, with so few opportunities for the students reach an upper, but not the uppermost, level. The goals of the Ministry of Education do not seem to be concerned about this problem, which is also an element of the larger problem of mass unemployment, as we discussed in class as an element of the Chinese news.

Gutek Ch. 16 - China

The first thing I found surprising in Gutek’s chapter on education in China was the stark differences between rural and urban education. I found this striking because from what I know the opposite holds true in the united states. Inner city schools struggle because there are too many students and not enough resources whereas school whereas schools in more rural areas are able to cater more towards the needs of individual students. In china the rural schools don’t have access to the same things the urban ones do and consequently students outside the cities have a distinct disadvantage. Being a country with such a large population, however, it is not surprising that the Chinese flourish at catering to bigger crowds. Consequently, it makes more sense that the government is advocating an increase in professor-student ratios in order to reduce costs.
The system of education in China is extremely different from my own, and I feel that a lot of this has to do with the fact that I grew up in an extremely small town. An average class size in secondary schools in china is 60 whereas our classes maxed out at fifteen. From my reading I found that ranking was extremely important to Chinese students. They are constantly in competition against one another and are compared to each other publicly. I’ve never experienced a situation where my grades or schoolwork was available for others to see. It’s always been an extremely private matter. I was also struck by the lack of importance of grades from teachers. Gutek made it clear that examinations were what mattered the most. I’m certainly glad that this has not been the case in my education.

Gutek Chapter 16

      Analysis of China's educational system is not possible without considering the historical and cultural context of the country. Confucianism is the dominant traditional ideology of the Chinese and tends to have a conservative influence on education and transmission of ideas. However, this thought-based approach was replaced by a much more action-based policy when Mao Zedong took control of the PRC during the 1950's and 60's. During his "Great Leap Forward" and the Cultural Revolution, Mao eliminated entrance exams for schools, relegated formerly respected teachers to menial labor, abolished non-maoist literature, and eliminated all intellectualism and outside influence at the threat of persecution and even death. As a result of this and the lingering PRC influence today, many people were deprived of the education they deserved and the system is still feeling the consequences. Also, similar to India, China's sheer size and distribution of resources combined with a top-down rather than grassroots approach leaves many people deprived. 

Personally, having taken a course on Chinese History, I was exposed to the horrors of the Cultural Revolution and how many honorable academics were forced to undergo physical and mental suffering. Thankfully, those times are over now and China is heading towards economic capitalism. The potential for growth and improvement economically and educationally is immense, and we will see if China is able to overcome its' traditional struggle with modernization and realize their national potential.

Chapter 16

When I was reading Education in the People’s Republic of China in American Education in a Global Society, written by Gutek, I found many interesting facts about Chinese education. Based on my previous knowledge, I thought that Chinese students would probably spend most of hours to study like Korean students. In addition, I thought that they would take many academic subjects, instead of involving in PE classes or extracurricular activities. Some of my previous knowledge was correct; however I was not completely right. When reading chapter 16, I found myself comparing the Chinese education to the American education. In China, there are about fifty to sixty students in one classroom, and there are many classrooms, while there are relatively small numbers of students in one classroom in the United States. Moreover, Gutek comments that the secondary schooling in China is based on the official ideological shifts.

The big difference between American education and Chinese education is the number of opportunities for students to enter colleges. In order to enter college, Chinese students should take an exam called “Gaokao,” which is similar to SAT. Since “gaokao” is the most fundamental and important factor to enter a college, teacher-determined grades and recommendations from teachers are not considered important. However, in the United States, the teachers’ recommendations are significant. Gutek mentions that “passing or failing the examination has serious lifelong consequences. Those earning hifh scores have a better chance to enter prestigious universities. Those who fail are unlikely to find appropriate employment and may even be unemployed (381)”. After I read this portion, I felt that American education gives more chances to the students, because Chinese students can take only one exam in a year, while students in the States have multiple chances to take SAT. Then, I realized that this was why Chinese students spend more time to study academic matters, instead of involving in extracurricular activities, which were not considered important to the college admission.

Gutek Chapter 16

What strikes me most about the educational system in China is the act of direct ideological indoctrination in formal schooling that seems to take place regardless of shifts in educational focus and political changes. In contrast to my formal schooling experience, it appears that China explicitly teaches and forces certain ideological beliefs upon its students. In my experience, ideas of nationalism and belief in American ideologies and values were psychologically ingrained in a more implicit manner. Though we engaged in certain activities that clearly demonstrated American patriotism and values in public schooling such as standing and reciting the pledge of allegiance daily, many students did not take this act seriously and others just stood for respect but did not speak the words. I learned many American values and customs during my formal schooling, especially in regards to educational values like individualism; however, I never felt that educators and administrators directly pressured me to believe in political ideologies. In fact, because politics in general can be a highly debated topic, I feel it was left out of my public school experience. My political identity in terms of my American citizenship was something that I believe developed as a result of my family values and other forms of non-formal education rather than as a result of my formal schooling.

Gutek- Chapter 16

The two-track system in China is something that I found interesting yet not surprising when reading the chapter. While it is true that the PRC is dedicated to establishing universal primary education, government resource allocation has caused a rift between schooling in urban versus rural areas. In rural areas, primary school improvement has been happening more slowly and relies more heavily on local resources. With resources more readily available in urban areas, the government funds these schools more heavily (ie. with a full-time six year school program). However, only 25% of the school-age population live in urban areas and thus attend these schools, leaving the remaining 75% to attend under financed schools. 

This dual system is only going to reinforce class differences and make it harder for those who live in rural areas to improve their lives. In a country that is officially a 'classless society', the institution of this dual system is creating just the opposite. But, I can see where the PRC would think that this practice is a good one. In many developing countries, governments favor urban areas as hubs for potential growth and advancement so they focus more of their resources on those areas. But, they don't realize that by ostracizing the rural areas, they are actually stunting socioeconomic growth. While this may seem unreasonable and too idealistic, I think China needs to spread the allocation of their resources more evenly throughout the whole population. By under educating those in rural areas, they are effectively loosing a huge chunk of their population in terms of productivity because they aren't as educated as those from urban areas. 

This scenario reminded me of  Three Cups of Tea and what Greg Mortenson is doing in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The places where he is building schools are those extremely closed off and rural areas that are denied government funding. His work is trying to reverse the effects of poor government decision making by trying to offer universal education regardless of location, which is what should be done in China. 

Chapter 16

After reading about education in the People's Republic of China in Gutek Chapter 16, my views of the Chinese school system have changed.  I was under the impression that students in China would spend more hours per week in school compared to the United States; however, they are about even at 25 hours per week.  A major difference though is that in China there are sixty-student classes and all classes are lectures.  It is a more rigid system than we have here.

The PRC has exams called "gaokao" which are college entrance exams similar to the SAT and ACT.  These exams focus on language and math just like the SAT's.  The only difference is that in the United States students can take the SAT's multiple times.  Also, if a student does not gain admission to any university, there are junior colleges and other routes that he can take to eventually find a career.  In the PRC, students who fail the "gaokao" often do not find their desired career and can end up unemployed.  I feel that there are more safety nets here in the United States that help students who have failed the SAT to eventually succeed in life.

Chapter 16

It was very interesting to see how different China’s education system is from that of the US.  It is so complex and is still developing in many ways.  True all education systems should evolve over time to better prepare students for entering the work force, but china’s seems to develop in short bursts interspaced with times of stagnation and even regression.  What I found the most interesting is how ideology affected the education system.  I was really interested in the whole Confucianism aspect.  To me it seems counterproductive to perpetuate the past to the degree that the Chinese did and that it would have n adverse effect on the education system.  In reality the system that the Chinese had at the time was truly remarkable.  They used the Confucianism belief to create a severely structuralizes government and education system. It is, at least to me, very impressive how long this system lasted and how aspects of Confucianism still influence the Chinese government (and education system) today. 

            The aspect of the Chinese education system that interested me the most is how competitive it is.  Throughout China’s history competition has played a large role in the education system.  There have been some times where this was not true, Mao’s Cultural Revolution of 1966, on a whole the Chinese have been and still are extremely competitive when it comes to education.  I don’t think I could handle the stress of being in a Chinese school. They are far too competitive for me.

 

Gutek, Chapter 16

One thing that really caught my attention in this chapter was that I have to be careful with the statistics that are given in the readings. For example, The "Great Leap Forward" talks about how there were significant increases in the number of students enrolled in schools. I took it for granted that it was a positive thing until it stated that this only masked a serious problem with the quality of education.

Because China is such a populous and vast country, it had many problems with not only making primary schooling available to everyone, but with allocating its resources efficiently. Although China was able to implement certain policies and laws regarding education, there were many tradeoffs involved because China had to prioritize what policies were more important than others. Its "geographical vastness, its immense school-age population, its limited financial and educational resources, and its uneven pace of national development" were just some of the other major problems that China faced during this time.

I am studying China for news each week, and it has been very interesting for me to keep up with its economy, politics, and other general news. I am also interviewing a student from China for my educational autobiography. I look forward to learning more about through the news, through interviewing for my educational autobiography, and through the speaker on Monday.

Gutek Chapter 16

Gutek describes PRC’s strong ideologies in education, media and entertainment that helps drive the nation toward a unified viewpoint.  They combine reality and mythology to create heroism in historical figures.  The example that Gutek uses is of Chairman Mao, “who led his followers on a long march of five thousand miles to escape annihilation by his Nationalist foes.” This combination of formal and informal education can have a strong impact on the citizens because it creates a constant, reinforced ideology.

I personally find this aspect of education interesting because it is not unique to China and is often used in times of war to unite a country quickly.  For example, during World War II, the United State's government took over Hollywood and put it in their war department.  They controlled the content of all films to rally American’s behind the war by portraying the same theme in all movies.  In essence, films were used as propaganda.  This non-formal education helped propel America to war.

Italy had similar tactics and made movies about a glorified ancient Rome. They, like the Chinese, created unity throughout the country by continuously showing historic mythological stories in films.  This lasted through World War II until 1946 when neo realism took over. The profound impact of such tactics is seen throughout history. 

Gutek Ch. 16 - China

In China, the world’s most populous nation, their educational system has distinctive qualities, that when compared to the United States, set it apart from our schooling foundation. It all starts with their primary schooling; their objectives are different. While we begin to teach students the basics of learning such as reading, writing, counting, spelling, and pattern sequences, Chinese primary school objectives focus on promoting nationalism and developing good living and labor habits. They teach children as young as six to be self reliant and self sufficient. Having been to China, the first observation I made was the strong presence of culture among the Chinese people. I feel that this is due to the fundamental backbone developed at a young age, and if students in the US were taught using some of the Chinese educational objectives along with their current learning fundamentals, we would be better off as a nation.

While our primary education is different, Chinese and American secondary school systems have many similarities. These include homeroom or “ban”, and the core subjects such as Math, History, Biology etc.; they even have an SAT-like test called the “gaokao.“ Gutek states that, “students’ primary goal at academic secondary schools is University admission.” In the United States, high school students are in school for one purpose, to get into a good college. Grades become more important that learning; most students would rather get an A on a test by chance than actually study and learn the material for a B. From my high school experience and that of my peers, this theory holds true. I find it interesting that although our primary education system and our cultures are so different, the goal of the higher education is generally the same; we all are seeking admission to a prestigious university.

Gutek Chapters 7 and 9

      Gutek discusses the idea of a nation-state and how nation-states utilize education to construct and maintain a national identity. The impact of the use of education as a nation-building force is a hot topic of debate, because it can be used as a destructive force that threatens world peace and security if the motives of the people in charge of the government are not honorable. However, education in nation states can foster shared ideals, patriotism and unity. In France for example, le Marseillaise (the national anthem), the three-colored flag, and the enforcement of French as the national language are designed to bring people together behind a common identity. However, this process can cause strife, such as when educators physically and verbally abuse children for speaking in dialects or other languages. Also, a law that was passed in 2004 banning the wearing of religious symbols in state schools has caused emotions to flare on both sides over whether Muslim women should be allowed to wear the traditional veil to cover their neck and hair. Muslims say that it is against their creed for women to go without it, and the French government says that it violates one of the pillars of their constitution, the idea of separation of church and state. So, we can see how education in nation-states is controlled by the government and how this can lead to some arguably skewed or unfair institutions.

Gutek Chaps. 7 & 9

In Chapter 7, Gutek emphasizes the effect that nationalism has on education and the impact education has on building a national identity. It seems to me that nationalism exists only in a comparative approach (similar to the Kohn quote on page 121-122). Up until a few years ago, if anyone asked me where I was from, I would respond "New Hampshire" without thinking. Unfortunately I made the mistake of doing this while in a Spanish chat room for a Spanish 202 assignment. "New Hampshire" and even "outside of Boston" meant nothing to the teenagers and 20-somethings I was talking to. Many of them were from Spain and it was only when I said I was American that they understood. I had never really thought of myself as "American" because that word had always seemed too vague to me (perhaps due to my lack of international traveling).

I believe that U.S. education is very regionalized and thus has created such regional identities. My dad was in the Air Force so we moved around a bit. As a child, it was annoying having to relearn multiple state's geographies, histories, famous figures, etc. I remember getting confused because in New Hampshire we spent quite a lot of time learning about mills and made multiple field trips to the nearby historic mill sites. In Ohio we had never talked about mills, but more about agriculture. Even now at Emory, I took a course called "The New South" and it seemed that 90% of the material had never been mentioned in my education in the North.

Interestingly, this claim can be supported by Gutek's explanation of U.S. schools being locally controlled and financed (this concept coming from the New England "town school"), as opposed to other countries' centralized national educational systems. Since each state has control over its own curriculum (other than meeting national testing standards), students are going to learn different material. There is lingering nationalism in the background, such as the pledge to the American flag and celebrating Thanksgiving, but overall I find American schools to be regionalistic, unfortunately fracturing the national identity. It is only during times like 9/11 or the election of Obama when we all "come together" and call ourselves Americans. National and international contexts should definitely be emphasized more in public schools.

Gutek Chapter Seven: Cultural Artifacts

One of the sections in Gutek chapter seven is titled “Cultural Artifacts.” The section discusses the influence of expressed nationalism; nationalism is embedded through living history, things such as art, music, literature and architecture. The section gives numerous examples, internationally from China to France to India to the United States, and across the span of history, of cultural artifacts; things such as the Eiffel Tower, Yankee Doodle, the Great Wall, and Wagner’s operas. These items, which are either tangible or can be experienced in a physical manner, are treasured by a culture; they are preserved by the government, but they are also found in schools.

Personally, I know that my education was incredibly influenced by the culture around me. From elementary school to college, I have learned about my town and the surrounding area, to the state level and country, as well as foreign language classes through embodiment of culture. For example, my fifth grade class went to Sandy Hook, where we saw the historical lighthouse, and to a local house with a museum about colonial life in New Jersey. In middle school, we went to see a Broadway show and explored Central Park; we also went to Washington D.C. and explored the national monuments. We experienced national history through multiple vehicles and the tangible elements around us.

Additionally, in my language classes we learn about these cultural artifacts and, if possible, we experienced them. It requires more resources to go to experience these other cultures, but I learned about travel destinations, musical works, art, and such through research and projects. When I was abroad, I took a theater class and we visited theaters across the region. Even here at Emory I went to see an opera to experience national sentiment of a particular era.  These elements are about nationalism, students who are being educated in a particular school do not have a choice whether or not to learn about them, regardless of their own nationality or personal background. They are elements of the school system and a means by which students learn history, language, and other school subjects.

Gutek Ch. 7

In chapter 7, Gutek stresses the significance of language in the American identity. He states that “A person’s national identity is often shaped by hearing and speaking the same language; by learning to respect the same national symbols; by celebrating commemorative events that generate a feeling of patriotism; by being member of the same religion; and by being acculturated in the same culture.” (118) He highlights language as the most important saying that a person’s language can determine their national identity. I agree simply because our society quickly recognizes those who fail to speak or understand English as outsiders. Language is important and although they may not be seen as “American” by solely learning the language, it will help them live more freely in our country.
Gutek also highlights religion as important in many different countries; this holds true in areas such as the Middle East. However, America sees religion through a broader lens for there are many different religions that make up the “American religion. “ There may be a higher number of some than others, but overall, a person is not looked at as an outsider because of their religious beliefs. There are many different factors that determine how someone is viewed in American because of the diverse population and the diverse lifestyles our citizens posses.

Chapter 9

Gutek discusses the evolution of American education since the Colonial period in American Education in a Global Society. While focusing on the importance of language, such as classical, Latin-scientific, modern language, and English, Gutek explores the presence of the inclusive and complete education in the United States. He comments that “the American high school became a comprehensive institution that aimed at social integration while providing some curricular differentiation (171)”. This sentence reflects the summary of what he has discussed in a way that the American education incorporates all cultural diversity, academic achievements, and extracurricular activities.
Moreover, when I was reading the phrase “concerted efforts were made to bring equality of educational opportunity,” I thought of my high school experiences at Andrews. At Andrews, we had a club that promotes equal opportunities for everyone, and people volunteer to tutor students who need help around the community. After I read this chapter, I realized the significant development and of the American education and its efforts to lead the outcome.

Gutek Ch. 7- Language

Gutek discusses the importance language plays in the creation of national identity. He states that a common language unites people and helps create a sense of identity in terms of how we relate to others. When there are multiple languages in a nation, it becomes harder to create that sense of national identity (ie. India). In these situations, there are large political implications because of opposing ideas of which language should be taught. He talks about how as the world becomes more interconnected, the language issues we face today will inevitably become more complex. Lastly, he points out the relationship between how strong a persons language skills are to their opportunities to employment and economic success. Language is something that is highly valued in all cultures and is perhaps the strongest tool to creating national identity.

Because I had two working parents growing up, they were never able to take the time to teach me Hindi. I can understand to a certain degree, but my written/speaking skills are not what they should be considering I am a first generation Indian American. Because of my lack of language skills, when I go back to India I feel a little out of place and can't connect to people on the level I wish I could. This shows how important language is in creating an understanding between people. Because I cannot effectively communicate with even some of my own family members, it disconnects me from my own culture and heritage, which only further helps support Guteks point. 

Gutek Chapter 7 and 9

Gutek discusses how religion in schools can create a sense of national identity. He delves into the historical importance of the church in countries like Italy and Spain and the importance of Judaism in Israel.  When the government sponsors a religion and teaches it in school, it can have a profound impact on national identity.  It, like language and cultural artifacts, can unite a country by creating a bond between citizens and state.  In America and Western Europe, church and state are separate and religion does not create the same national identity.  This is especially true when there is not a recognized national religion.

As a Jew, I attended a Catholic high school, where religion is a strong part of the school.  We had a go to church twice a week, take four years of Christian doctrine and some classes were taught by monks.  After experiences this, I feel that Gutek is correct in saying that religion does not create a sense of national identity in school.  Religion is reserved for private schools instead of public schools.  Because of this, most students do not have any religion in school and do not feel that religion is a part of having a strong national identity. 

Gutek Chapter 7 to p. 122 and 9

In American Education in a Global Society, Gutek disscusses the development and evolution of high schools in the United States. The National Education Association's Committee of Ten decided that a high school education should be comprised of four subjects: classical, Latin-scientific, modern language, and English. At first, high school served as a secondary education that would come after primary school and before college. As the education system evolved, high school adapted to be for students between ages 14 and 18.
Originally, I thought that the education system in the United States grew from primary school to middle school followed by high school. I was not aware until I read this passage that originally there were six-year high schools without junior high or middle schools. Recently, I realized that not all public education systems throughout the country were like mine. I met a girl who would have gone to a six-year junior/senior high school if she was one year ahead in school. In her town, they just recently built a four-year middle school that she attended.

Gutek Chapter 9

As a Navajo, I have always felt very strongly about the missionary education that my great-grandfathers endured. Our traditional Navajo family name was lost forever as we were forced to choose a more "American" surname at the Indian Boarding School. Subsequently my great- great- grandfather chose the name Ben, not knowing it is usually a first name. This form of assimilation education can be seen today in conquered nations.

Even in the days of the fight against communism, the communist schools were seen as inferior in light of democracy. Today there has been talk to educate the Afgani children with a western education. Often much of a culture can be lost in an effort to civilize and educate.

Language in Nationalism