chinese kinderdens

[nuba]

What are Chinese kindergardens like? What are teaching methods (all class teaching or small groups)? What is 'culture' like? Do children eat together? How do they adress teachers? How are they addressed by teachers? What are main differences from a US or European kindergardens?

[Xiao Kui]

I have taught 3 yrs in Chinese preschools.

 

1. What are teaching methods (all class teaching or small groups)?

 

Depends on class size. When I taught a smaller class 20-24 I taught the whole class at once. Now I have 32 students and they are divided into 2 groups so I only teach a max of 16 at a time. For teaching English I use a lot of TPR, songs, and games.

 

2. What is 'culture' like?

Lots of music and songs. Piano themes tell children it's time to go to the bathroom, move chairs, or put toys away. Rewarding good behavior (stickers and praise), punishing bad behavior (criticism). Lots of finger games. Children taught to be independent (dress themselves, washing their hands after toilet, brushing teeth). Some work (moving tables, wiping and setting tables for lunch). Raising the Chinese national flag every Monday morning. Learning patriotic songs, learning about Chinese holidays. Learning about science (growing seeds， animals, weather, seasons, etc.), math (counting, addition and subtraction in the older classes), Chinese (reading and writing basic characters in the older classes) Chinese folk tales, legends. LEARNING ENGLISH Organized and free play at playground. LONG nap time after lunch.

 

I teach at a day kindergarten now, i have taught at a boarding kindergarten before so those also exist. Our kindergarten has also adopted Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Healthy Kids for character development.  Boarding kindergarten I used to teach at adopted some Japanese education methods where kids were taught to be tough by taking cold showers and standing on spiky textured wood (they also had lots of normal fun stuff there). 

 

3. How do they address teachers? How are they addressed by teachers?

Call Chinese teachers "(Personal name) Laoshi" (as opposed to family name) Call English teacher "Teacher (First Name)"

Chinese teachers may address students by English or Chinese names. Chinese name is usually a 小明， an informal nickname like Lele, Haha, Gege, Yuanyuan, etc. When the kids are in trouble or the teachers really need their attention they call them by their full Chinese names

 

4. Do they eat together?

A class eats together - all 3 meals and an afternoon snack are served in the classroom.
 

5. What are main differences from a US or European kindergardens?

 

 

US kindergartens are usually attached to primary schools and is for kids age 5-6. in China kindergarten is generally for kids 3-6 and it is separate from the primary schools - ours also has an attached nursery for 2 year olds. The kids are put in classes according to age - often the classes are 小，中，大，and 托儿班 (nursery). When kids graduate from kindergarten they will go to first grade at the primary school.  In China most kindergartens are private whereas most primary schools are public. Chinese kindergarten gets out at 5 or 6pm. American primary school between 2 and 3 pm. So Chinese kindergarten is more like an American daycare or preschool.  I never went to either in the US so it's difficult for me to compare and contrast.

 

I should also say that all kindergartens are different, but most of the basics I listed above are similar.

[zhouhaochen]

I was very relieved when I found out this post was about Chinese Kindergardens. I really do not think they should have dens for Chinese children!