Why Japanese and Chinese Kids Outperform American Children (Research Article)

[nee1]

The article was cited in 'What's going on in there: How the brain and mind develops in the first five years of life' by Lise Eliot, so I decided to chase it up.
The article is titled: 'Mathematics Achievement of Chinese, Japanese, and American Children' and was published in the journal Science in 1986. Granted, the research is dated, but its message is even more relevant now than when it was first published. Here is the link: http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/homepage/class/Psy333N/Legare%20Fall%202008/Articles/Stevenson%20et.%20al.%20Mathematics%20Achievement.pdf.

The researchers tried to find out why Chinese and Japanese kids outperform American kids in math and language standardised tests. They showed that the differences in academic achievements within these 3 nations are due to students' lifestyles in school, homework requirements, mothers' evaluation of their children's academic performance, parental beliefs on the roles of innate ability versus persistence and effort, outside work after school, and teacher quality. A very, very interesting read.

For example, American mums are more likely to attribute school success/failure to innate ability (or innate intelligence) while the Asian mums attributed school success to hard work and persistence (a very good example of how different mindsets generate different results in children). Consequently the Asian mums believed that if their kids were not doing well in school, it was mostly because they were not working hard enough. They would make the kid work harder, and the child would improve.

I quote directly from his subsection on Parental Beliefs:
"Experiences that parents provide their children may be strongly influenced by their general beliefs about the components of success. For example, parents who emphasize ability as the most important requisite for success may be less disposed to stress the need to work hard than would parents who believe success is largely dependent on effort.

In exploring cultural differences in beliefs about the relative importance of factors leading to success in school, we asked the mothers to rank effort, natural ability, difficulty of the schoolwork, and luck or chance by importance in determining a child's performance in school. They were then asked to assign a total of ten points to the four factors. Japanese mothers assigned the most points to effort, and American mothers gave the largest number of points to ability (Fig. 6). The willingness of Japanese and Chinese children to work so hard in school may be due, in part, to the stronger belief on the part of their mothers in the value of hard work.''

And I found that the authors published a book titled 'The Learning Gap: Why Our Schools Are Failing and What We Can Learn from Japanese and Chinese Education' (http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Gap-Schools-Japanese-Education/dp/0671880764). 

[Tieri]

I live in Japan and work in public elementary schools as an English teacher. Maybe the students you are talking about are the ones who go to private schools or cram a lot to enter good schools.

Personnally, if I had the means, I would rather send my son to an international school. Succeeding and passing examinations is not a mark of success, but rather how you use that knowledge practically, not such random knowledge that you will soon forget, once the examination is finish.

Teaching students to think by themselves, to be more confident in expressing themselves in speaking and writing, etc is something that we need here in Japan.
 

[DadDude]

I suspect the root cause of the difference is that Japanese and Chinese societies highly value academic knowledge. Someone who is good at school is not looked down upon as a "nerd." The urban black idea of doing well in school as "acting white" is truly a poisonous one. Even among white Americans--even among liberal, college-educated white Americans--there are plenty of anti-intellectual attitudes, with many people rarely reading books, and buying into the (to me) awful idea that the only legitimate purpose of going to college is to get qualified for a good job. Many such people become U.S. school teachers and end up reinforcing, rather than counteracting, the anti-intellectual attitudes that children have picked up from their parents.

[PokerDad]

Regarding thinking for one's self, I believe much of that has to do with culture. The Japanese culture and social mores aren't very helpful in fostering critical thought and adopting any sort of dissident view due to their collectivist mentality. Perhaps I'm wrong, and freely admit that I'm basing this opinion on a very limited knowledge of the culture.

As for the article, my first two observations were: They're already ahead by the time they enter KINDERGARTEN and therefore the gap is going to be solely from environment and not the school system. In the USA, we have a similar disparity between the urban poor and the upper middle class on up. By the time the respective child steps foot into a kindergarten class for the first time, the urban poor child is (on average of course) far behind the more affluent peer. If Japanese children are already ahead of their US counterpart before school even starts, I'd look to this close to home disparity for clues as to why, because my gut instinct is that the two gaps would be somewhat analogous.

The second thing that stood out to me was the "very satisfied" graph. If ever someone was wondering why the USA continues to slip down the ranks of the world educational hierarchy, that graph would go a long way to explain it.

Furthermore, those ranking their satisfaction as "very satisfied" in the USA are likely to be the very parents that would sneer and deride those of us using early learning. I guess the adage that "ignorance is bliss" is proved once again. As their kids start off behind verses their international peers (whom they will increasingly be competing against for jobs in the future), the parents are feeling more and more positive about where their kids are at mathematically.

What a shame.

Now I'm going to read the rest of the article... I'm under the impression that the overwhelming majority of Japanese students do NOT learn the Soroban. Does anyone know if my impression is correct? If I'm wrong, that could be a variable to consider... (just thinking out loud there)

EDIT:

The urban black idea of doing well in school as "acting white" is truly a poisonous one.

I think DadDude and myself are looking at similar things here. My instinct that the division between upper class and poor urban class being similar hits his quote on the head. The academic achievement gap in the USA alone is largely due to how education is valued between the two subcultures. Without question, this is a huge issue.... and when extrapolated out to early education, can show us the parallel, perniciousness, and ultimate paralogism adopted by the early learning "haters"

[nee1]

I find the article very, very interesting.

For example, under subsection ‘Life in School’, they reported that:
``By fifth grade, differences between the American and the Chinese and the Japanese  children were greater than  at the  lower grades. American  children spent 64.5 percent of  their  classroom  time involved in academic activities. Chinese children spent  91.5 percent, and Japanese children,  87.4 percent.’’

They also report that:
``There were other interesting differences in the ways children spent their time in school. For example, we sometimes found that a child who  was known to  be at school was not present in the classroom. The child could be at the school office, on an errand for the teacher, in another classroom, or in the library. This occurred 18.4 percent of the time that an American fifth-grader was to be observed, but less than 0.2 percent of the time in Taipei (Chinese) and Sendai (Japanese) classrooms.’’

Under subsection ‘Homework,’ they reported that:
``Learning occurs at home as well as at school. But our data indicate that neither American parents nor  teachers of elementary school  children tend  to  believe that  homework  is  of  much  value. As  a consequence, American children spend much  less time  on  home- work than do Japanese children, and both groups spend vastly less time  on  homework  than do  Chinese  children. American mothers estimated that on weekdays their first-graders spent  an average of 14 minutes a day on  homework;  the  daily average for Chinese first- graders was  77  minutes,  and for Japanese, 37  minutes. For fifth- graders, the  estimate for the American children was 46  minutes a day; for the Chinese and Japanese fifth-graders the  estimates were 114  and 57  minutes  a day,  respectively. On  weekends, American children studied even less: an estimated 7 minutes on Saturday and 11  minutes  on -Sunday.  The corresponding values  for  Chinese  children were 83  and 73 minutes, and for the Japanese children, 37 and 29 minutes-and  this was in addition to the half day in school on Saturday’’

Under subsection ‘Mother’s Evaluation’, they report that:
``When asked to  rate their child's achievement in mathematics, American mothers gave their children favorable  evaluations...
The optimism of  the  American mothers  was  reflected in  other ways. They  were pleased with  the job the schools  were doing in educating their  children:  91  percent judged that  the  school  was doing an "excellent" or "good" job. Only 42  percent of the Chinese mothers and 39 percent of the Japanese mothers were this positive. Instead, the majority of the Chinese and Japanese mothers considered that the schools were doing a "fair" job. The high esteem the American mothers had for their children's cognitive abilities extended to their satisfaction with their children's current academic performance. More than 40 percent of the American mothers described themselves as being "very satisfied" (Fig.  5). Fewer than 6 percent of the Chinese and Japanese mothers were this positive.’’

I could go on and on; the article is a very, very interesting read. Please read the whole thing.

[bensenc]

Who's happier? As children and adults? That's the real question.

[Zory Martinez]

I really believe it is cultural.  Let's look at football better known as soccer in the united states.  It is usually the same teams that win the world cup and the new champions are usually teams that are given credit as being a world power despite not winning it.   It really is what I call prophecy.  When the world believes that your are you usually become.  For example, A chinese child in San Francisco goes to a prestigious hospital. There he wil see Doctors of his background.  Dr. Lin, Dr. Wong, Dr. Fong, Dr. Lam, etc etc .  When the child grows up seeing this he knows it is very possible for him to become a Doctor.   When a Mexican child sees all the great Mexican Boxers in history they believe they can do it because he can relate to the great ones that became  world champions.   In otherwords, rolemodels are important and also stereo types become a factor.  There is common sterotype "Chinese are smart" and this conditions the psyche and then they believe they are and so they achieve.  Brazillians are the best soccer players....guess what they believe they are and thus they win more soccer championships  than any other country.  Latinas are the most beauiful women....they believe that and guess what? They have won more Ms universe's than any nationality combined.  If you tell your son and daughter that there is no limit to what they are capable off and make them believe it....guess what.  They will become limitless

[nee1]

The American kids did not enjoy even the tiny amount of homework they had to do (possibly they got their anti-intellectual attitudes from school and home). For example, the American schools spent only 64% of school time on academic activities compared to the Chinese's 91%. What the teachers did in  the remaining 36% of school time is beyond me.

Hear what the article says about the children's attitude:
``How did children in the three cities react to doing homework? Taipei (China) children said they liked homework; children in Minneapolis (US) said they did not like homework; and the attitudes of the Sendai (Japan) children were somewhere in between.When asked to choose among an array of five frowning, neutral, or smiling faces to express their attitudes about homework, more than 60 percent of the Chinese fifth-graders chose a smiling face, more than 60 percent of the Japanese children chose a smiling or neutral face, and 60 percent of the American children chose a frowning face. Although 30 percent of the American children chose a smiling face at first grade, the percentage was half that among fifth-graders.''

Hear a part of what was said about the teachers :
``Moreover, American teachers spent proportionally much less time imparting information (21 percent) than did the Chinese (58 percent) or Japanese (33 percent) teachers. These are sobering results. American children were in school approximately 30 hours a week. This means that they were receiving information from theteacher for approximately 6 hours a week (0.21 times 30). Computing similar estimates for Chinese and Japanese classrooms gives values of 26 hours for Chinese children and 12 hours for Japanese children. American teachers actually spent somewhat more time giving directions than in imparting information (26 percent compared to 21 percent).''

And hear a part of what was said about the parents:
``Parental concern about a child's schoolwork was evident in another simple index, the possession of a desk. Only 63 percent of the American fifth-graders, but 98 percent of the Japanese and 95 percent of the Chinese fifth-graders had desks. When the Chinese and Japanese children were not occupied with homework, they were given other opportunities to practice by solving the problems appearing in the workbooks purchased for them by their parents. Only 28 percent of the parents of American fifth-graders, but 58 percent of the Japanese and 56 percent of the Chinese parents bought their children workbooks in mathematics. The discrepancy was even more pronounced in the purchase of workbooks in science,which were purchased by only 1 percent of the American parents, but by 29 percent of the Japanese and 51 percent of the Chinese parents.''

[Korrale4kq]

I think attitude and respect is a big factor in the US. I tutor a girl going into 5th grade. She hates school, refuses to do her homework. She thinks school is about going there and seeing her friends. And the biggest issue I have is that she claims her teachers are mean, idiots and teach everything wrong. She has absolutely no respect for teachers and other adults. But she also grew up watching Disney shows where many adults are portrayed as bumbling fools as preteens pull the wool over their eyes.

As for testing... Sadly I think it is important to learn to test.  Test scores = grades, college entrance. And even some jobs require testing. Something I  loved about my education, in australia, starting in the late 80s was that testing  strategies were taught to us from early primary school. there was a lot not to like, but that was a plus factor, and to this day I test well. 
Yes I know mastery of a subject is very important, and in an ideal world that would be the emphasis.  It Sure is how i plan to teach my son. But there are many many students that know the work. It is all locked in their heads, but they fail standardized tests. What good is studying, knowing and not being able to apply.

[Korrale4kq]

I also think, at least this is my observation from parents that I know, that parents expect the school to help in raising their children too. They want the  school district to be responsible for discipline, dealing with  personal conflicts, teaching manners and appropriate  Behaviour. Apparently teachers are now meant to be so much more than teachers. They are their students group therapists.
So the time that could be dedicated to academics is dedicated to disciplining children, discussing puberty and sex education, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders.  Teachers do unit studies on  how to share, be nice to their friends, to give warm fuzzies and to not bully.

[nee1]

I also think, at least this is my observation from parents that I know, that parents expect the school to help in raising their children too. They want the  school district to be responsible for discipline, dealing with  personal conflicts, teaching manners and appropriate  Behaviour. Apparently teachers are now meant to be so much more than teachers. They are their students group therapists.
So the time that could be dedicated to academics is dedicated to disciplining children, discussing puberty and sex education, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders.  Teachers do unit studies on  how to share, be nice to their friends, to give warm fuzzies and to not bully.

Korrale,

You are very right. Thank you for that insight. I too feel  if parents took up most of the responsibility for raising their children properly,  teachers would be able to focus more on academic activities during school time. It bothered me that only 64% of school time was actually devoted to academic activities. Parents send kids to schools each day expecting that they will be taught, not knowing that most of valuable school time is being spent on non-productive activities.

Under Subsection 'Teachers', the researchers reported that:
American teachers  frequently said that if  they could shed some of their nonacademic functions, they could spend more of their time actually teaching. A large amount  of  classroom time  is spent in unproductive activities  that  can  be  attributed, in part, to  the American teachers being asked to take on too many functions other than teaching, including the roles of counselor, family therapist, and  surrogate parent. This  diversion  of  energy is perhaps the  most common problem of American elementary school teachers, and is one  that  was  seldom  mentioned  by the  teachers in  Taipei and Sendai. Such problems are not due to there being a greater number of children in the American classrooms, for the average number of children in the Minneapolis elementary school  classrooms was 21, whereas it was 47  in Taipei and 39  in Sendai.

[Mandabplus3]

64% teaching hey. Here is an account for the other 36% of the time.
Once a week assembly or chapel 1 hour, walking to it... 6 minutes to line the kids up quietly, 7 minutes to walk them to the hall, 12 mins to settle them down and wait for the rest of the school to arrive and settle. 7mins to walk them back to class and 5 mins to settle them to start work.
Recess 20mins to eat a piece of fruit!
Art, again 6 minutes to line them up, 4 mins to walk them to art, then 4 mins to walk them back.
Library, 6 mins to line them up, 4 mins to walk them, 4 mins back this one usually backs on to lunch so strait to the playground. phew!
Johnny has a tantrum because Jack used his rubber. 2 mins to calm Johnny, 4 minutes talking to Jack and locating him a new rubber.
Lunch time, 40 minutes minimum. Seriously, 40 mins in the Aussie sun is jus too long, after lunch is usually a right off as the kids are hot and bothered. Smart schools do 20 mins lunch and let the kids play at the end of the day. The smart schools are rare!
After lunch the teachers are expected to make sure the kids clean their teeth! 15 mins.
Early pickup by a parent of 1 kids disrupts a class for 6 minutes. Bet the Asians don't pick their kids up early!
Every term we have at least one usually 2-3 public holidays. Another day wasted.
This little list basically doesn't include any of the behavioral issues associated with our inclusive classrooms. Each class is bound to have one ADHD kid who disrupts learning 8 times a day, there will be another with a different diognosis also,  because the schools don't get the funding to give them the education they really need, they often take time out of the actual teaching time. With more funding for these kids schools could afford to have them in the classrooms with the support they really need.  Your average public school teacher will break up a fight almost weekly, often verbal but occasionally physical. There will be one kid sitting in the class refusing to actually do the work at all, one kid who has been sent to the principal for disciplinary action, ane kid who has been sent to school sick, one kid who hasn't had enough sleep and one kid who hasn't had breakfast.
Yep the parents need a wake up call, how on earth they can be satisfied with a failing education system is beyond me. Australia isn't all that bad but there is defiantly room for improvement, and ALOT of that comes down to parents actually being good parents.

[Korrale4kq]

I loved your breakdown Manda.
I loved our long lunch hours and morning or afternoon tea at school in Australia. And you are right. After lunch we did such lazy stuff.
Do you still have sunblock outside of each classroom that the kids have to all put on before going outside? If so, that must take some time. 

[Mandabplus3]

Oh i forgot about the sunblock! Lol well I actually had to complain to get it put into my kids school! But..they have a last thing in the after noon playtime so it doesn't take away from their learning time. But yes sunblock on 25 kindy kids takes about 15 mins, at least they will line up quickly for that one! They get out to play strait after!
I am sure I missed heaps BTW, sadly 

[Kimba15]

Ol' sunblock that's everywhere!  and the no hat no play policy to.  I never thaught of all that lining up and how much time wasting it was.

I read the book The battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother and that was one of her biggest beefs about American schooling how much time is wasted on stuff that has no educational outcome and when you pointed out how much time is wasted on just lining up and getting kids settled makes me wonder why we bother sending them and then I remember that not all parents are dedicated as us to their children's wellbeing and learning outcomes, and that is why schools are still needed

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