The Hybrid Tiger: Secrets of the Extraordinary Success of Asian-American Kids Author: Quanyu Huang | Language: English | ISBN:
B00EMX8SQE | Format: EPUB
The Hybrid Tiger: Secrets of the Extraordinary Success of Asian-American Kids Description
Why do Asian and Asian-American students consistently perform so well on standardized tests? Why are students of Asian descent disproportionately admitted to America’s top colleges?
This informative and entertainingly written comparison of educational methods in America and China answers these questions and more, while assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each culture’s distinctly different education systems. Education expert Quanyu Huang notes that both Asian and Asian American students excel early on at mastering lesson material and test-taking, whereas many of their non-Asian American peers do not perform as well. The author also points out that American students generally demonstrate far more creativity and independence than students in China, where conformity and rote learning are emphasized. This is evident from the American record of award-winning innovations and discoveries. By contrast, the Chinese educational system has not yet produced a Nobel Prize winner in science.
For Americans to achieve more consistent academic success at primary and secondary grade levels, the author recommends a blend of the virtues inherent in both cultures. He says this is exactly what often gives Asian American students an edge. They have the advantage of an Asian heritage that drives them to succeed and an American culture that teaches them creativity and independent thinking. Above all, Asian families extoll the virtues of education; this attitude is a key component in the success of these students.
Drawing on his own experiences as an immigrant to this country in the 1980s, and as a parent to a son raised in the US, the author concludes by suggesting that Americans rediscover the immigrant attitudes of their ancestors several generations ago. Like Asian immigrants today, they too saw education as a ladder to success in American society. Students anywhere will thrive when their families reinforce the seriousness of education and help children develop the study and discipline habits that ensure academic success.
From the Trade Paperback edition.- File Size: 2818 KB
- Print Length: 268 pages
- Page Numbers Source ISBN: B00F8F0PHU
- Publisher: Prometheus Books (February 11, 2014)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B00EMX8SQE
- Text-to-Speech: Enabled
X-Ray:
- Lending: Not Enabled
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,139 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #18
in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Education & Reference > Schools & Teaching > Parent Participation - #97
in Books > Education & Reference > Schools & Teaching > Parent Participation
- #18
in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Education & Reference > Schools & Teaching > Parent Participation - #97
in Books > Education & Reference > Schools & Teaching > Parent Participation
Author and educator Quanyu Huang recommends blending the Chinese and American education systems.
Early Chinese visitors to American schools were dumbstruck - what Americans called 'classrooms' were actually carnivals! Students cared very little about learning - most were inattentive and uninterested, some disruptive and disrespectful. It was also obvioius that American pupils lagged far behind in achievement, while the adults prattled about meaningless topics such as personal growth, self-esteem, individuality, and creativity. America also sent a delegation to China that same year (1979). They found Chinese schools to be terrifying displays of focus, industry, and capability; everyone set in the same attentive position with their eyes fixed on the teacher, and no one spoke out of turn. Chinese students also spent nearly double the amount of time in class and were assigned many times the amount of homework as their American peers.
Both delegates' predicted that Chinese education would leave America in the dust. Thirty years later, that hasn't proven true and the U.S. is still the global leader in nearly all education-reliant fields. While China has made great economic gains since then, it is not clear that this is primarily attributable to its educational system.
Asian-Americans, despite making up only 4.8% of 2010 U.S. population comprised 17% of Harvard's freshman class, 28% at MIT, 23% at Stanford, 18% at Columbia, 18% at the University of Pennsylvania, 40% at Caltech, and 42% at Berkeley. Similarly, with very few exceptions, Asians and Asian-Americans are overrepresented in nearly every type of master's professional, and doctoral degree programs. They especially dominate in business and engineering.
As I began to read this book, I came up with a brilliant idea: Have K-12 students in China and the U.S. attend schools in China. Then, perhaps, have all high school graduates serve for two years in the Israeli Army before attending colleges and universities in the United States. Of course, I haven't as yet worked out all the logistics. That will be somewhat of a challenge as will convincing their parents.
Quanyu Huang asserts that a proper and thorough examination of the relative strengths and weaknesses of American and Chinese education reveals two paradoxical patterns. "First, if analysis is confined to students at the primary and secondary levels, there is no question that [Chinese education] is undoubtedly `better' during these early phases." In fact, he believes it is "peerless."
In the later stages of education, however, "there is a surprising, countervailing pattern. At the highest kevels of academic and scientific achievement, the very same Chinese-educated students who in the early stages [begin italics] struggle [end italics] to have any impact at all. In fact, in terms of important postgraduate scientific research, researchers at Chinese universities and institutions have almost entirely failed to contribute anything of note."
My reference earlier to the Israeli Army was not entirely frivolous. At least some research based on recent statistics (e.g. registered patents per capita) suggests that Israel is one of the world's most innovative countries. Mandatory military service prior to enrollment in higher education is cited as one of the main reasons.
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