Discussion Questions

1) What values and assumptions does the group have that differ from your own?


First of all, I have found that Chinese families value education, rather than socialization, to a much higher degree than American families. The parents usually make their child study for hours every day as well as participate in playing a musical instrument. They also do not take part in after school activities, sleepovers, play dates, and other things that American children do regularly.


The second thing that stuck out to me that is different is their way of respect. For example, it is normal for them to not look you directly in the eye during conversation. To us, that would be rude, but to them it is showing respect. Also, Chinese children have a different type of respect for their parents and elders. They are taught to not talk back and would never challenge an adult. On the other hand, Americans argue constantly and children often talk back to their parents. It is even common to see American students correct a teacher when they are wrong. This is something you would not see happen in a school in China.


Other differences include their types of food, their religions, their holidays and celebrations, and their parenting styles.




2)What can we learn that will help us provide relevant, motivating, and effective instruction for the students? 


It is best to start by learning about the culture in general. Having a good understanding of their expectation, traditions, and everyday life will be a good insight as to what to expect from the student and their family.


Next, would be to get to know the student and their family. When they get to know you and feel comfortable with you then they are more likely to open up and tell you what they are expecting, what needs to be worked on, and will be more willing to come to you for help.


Also, it is important to help the families understand that their child's learning is a process. I know that since Chinese families value education so much and are tough on their child that they will be expecting their child to catch on right away. This more than likely will not be the case, so the parent will have to understand that there are many differences between Chinese education and American education and that it might take a little while before their child catches on. I would do everything possible to make the child feel comfortable and make sure that they know that it is okay to ask questions at any time and that I am willing to work with them on everything and help them understand what is going on. I never want my students to feel like they cannot come to me and ask questions.

About the Chinese Culture

Religion

·         Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4%

Government

·         Communist

Nonverbal Communication:

·         I learned that people in the Chinese culture strive for harmony and are group dependent. They also rely a lot on facial expression, tone of voice, and posture.

·         Also, when in conversations, they try to keep an impassive expression because frowning during conversation is interpreted as a sign of disagreement.

·         One thing that stuck out to me is that in the Chinese culture it is considered disrespectful to stare into another person’s eyes. This would be very difficult for someone who comes to America from China since eye contact is a big deal in America. We see it as disrespectful when you do not look someone in their eyes when you are having a conversation with them.

Alphabet

·         Unlike the English language, Chinese is made up of characters rather than letters. Here is an example of the Chinese alphabet compared to our alphabet.

Education

·         90 percent of China’s populated area has 9 year compulsory education. Also, illiteracy in the young and mid-aged population has fallen from over 80 percent down to just five percent. The majority of students get a three-level education which consists of elementary, junior high, and high school.

·         There is also an increase in online education for adult in China. This gives them a chance to catch up and become educated.

·         One thing that I thought was interesting was that if they want to continue their education after middle school, they have to take an entrance exam. I found that the passing rate to get into their equivalent of high school is less than 60%

Number System

·         Here is when the Chinese number system looks like for numbers one through ten:

Marriage

·         I found that marriage is valued in Chinese cultures and that it is something that is taken very seriously. The male’s parents are the ones who decide who their son will marry, and then the chosen female’s parents have to agree with the decision in order for the marriage to happen. The daughter does not really have a say in it. Their wedding process involves a lot of presents and money being given to the bride’s family.

·         Another thing that I found interesting was how people in the Chinese culture handle divorce. The majority of the time the husband declares divorce and him and his family gain benefits from it. One example of how their divorce works is if one of the following seven occurs:

o   The wife lacks filial piety towards her parents-in-law.

o   She fails to bear a son.

o   She is vulgar or lewd/adulterous.

o   She is jealous. (This includes objecting to her husband taking an additional wife or concubine.)

o   She has a vile disease.

o   She is gossipy.

o   She commits theft.

Dress

·         Sticking with tradition, Chinese dress has a lot of gowns with many accessories, silk, and include things like hair ornaments, and pockets and belts. Although this is the case most of the time, they have become more Westernized and are starting to wear business suits and jeans more often.

Arts and Crafts

·         Art is a strong and important factor in Chinese culture. The most common types of art include: Bronze Vessels, Folk Toys, Embroidery, Calligraphy, Music, Opera, Painting, Cloisonne, Jade, Kites, Lacquer Ware, Paper-Cuttings, Porcelain, Pottery, Seals, and Silk.

Language

·         There are many different variations of Chinese languages that are spoken. The variation really depends on what the person was taught as a first language, as well as the location of the person. The official standard language, however, is Mandarin.

Festivals

·         The most common festivals that are celebrated in China are: Spring Festival, Double Ninth Festival, Winter Solstice Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Double Seventh Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Lantern Festival, and Qingming Festival.

Holidays

·         The legal holidays that are celebrated in China are:

o    New Year- a national one-day holiday

o   Spring Festival - a national three-day holiday

o   International Working Women's Day

o   Tree Planting Day

o   International Labor Day- a national one-day holiday

o   Chinese Youth Festival

o   International Children's Day

o   Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA)

o   Teacher's Day

o   National Day- a national two-day holiday.

Geography
·         According to the U.S. Census for 2010, in some of the larger states like California, Texas, New Jersey and Illinois, the Asian population growth is outpacing Hispanic growth. In fact, Texas saw an increase of nearly half-a-million Asians. Three Texas cities that have a high Chinese population are Houston, Dallas, and Plano.


Other
·         I also found that the average Chinese household for families living in America is about 30% higher than the national average.
·         According to the US Census, in 2008 there were 3.62 million Chinese people living in the United States. There were more Chinese than any other Asian culture.