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Preschool in 3 Cultures Analysis

The document discusses differences in preschools across three cultures - Japan, China, and the US - based on observations from a documentary. It compares the cultures on various issues like duration of school day, emphasis on academics vs play, teacher training, classroom structure, parent involvement, provision of meals, and emphasis on exercise, creativity and language development. The information is organized into a table with observations for each issue and country.

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282 views

Preschool in 3 Cultures Analysis

The document discusses differences in preschools across three cultures - Japan, China, and the US - based on observations from a documentary. It compares the cultures on various issues like duration of school day, emphasis on academics vs play, teacher training, classroom structure, parent involvement, provision of meals, and emphasis on exercise, creativity and language development. The information is organized into a table with observations for each issue and country.

Uploaded by

api-316831492
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Preschool in 3 Cultures Analysis.

Watch the assigned documentary for this week. You must watch all the segments of the
DVD.
Contrast the three cultures in terms of the following issues, and two others that you may
think of. Feel free to make the size of the cells bigger, to fit the information you need to
include. I have completed an example for you in the table below.
Japan
Duration of school

China

U.S.

Formal school day


begins at 9:00. At
4:00pm the day ends
and students start to

Students begin to
arrive around 7:30.
Parents come to pick
them up between 6:00

Private school
students begin to
arrive around 7:00am
and are picked up

get picked up by
parents and
grandparents.

and 6:30.

between 5:00 and


6:00.
Public school has
morning class which
ends at 11:30. Also
has afternoon
childcare. Last student
was picked up at 5:30.

Emphasis on
childrens privacy

Very little privacy


after swimming,
Children all line up
with no clothes on and
wait for the teacher to
dry them off. In the
first school, older
children teach the
younger children how
to use the bathroom.
The private school
had a much more
private bath situation.

Very little privacy,


separate bathrooms
for boys and girls but
all children squat and
go at one time

Children go to
bathroom in own
private stalls and
teachers tell them not
to bother one another

Teacher training

Private school has


Teachers switch half
teacher meeting every way through the day.
morning.
The teacher who is off
spends the rest of her
In the public school,
day preparing for
there are two teachers tomorrow.
that each have their
own classroom and
the children move
back and forth from
their classes in the
afternoon.

One group of teachers


from 9:00-11:30 and a
second group from
12:30-3:00

Structure of classroom Classroom has 17


children and 1 teacher.
School thinks the
classroom size is too
low.

The classrooms are


very large. Up to 35
children in one class
with only one teacher.

Classrooms have a
low student to teacher
ratio. At least two
teachers in every
classroom and about
20 students.

Talk during eating

Students were allowed


to talk during eating
but overall, most of
the students were still
quiet.

Children were very


quiet during meal
time, no talking is
allowed

Children all talk while


eating

Security emphasis

Busses pick up the


students and bring
them to school. This
helps keep the
students and school
safe.

Not a lot of emphasis


on security. There is a
gate that encloses the
school.

First school has an


alarm on the gate that
goes off whenever
gate is opened.

Academic emphasis

The level of academic


emphasis in these
schools surprised me.
I was expecting it to
be much higher. There
were a variety of
activities but not a lot
of them focused on
academics. Was more
centered toward child
play and development.

A lot of activities that


enhance the students
knowledge. Play
based teaching and
learning, active
learning (gardening
time), and enrichment
classes that give
children the chance to
learn new skills.

Strong academic
emphasis in preschool classrooms.
Class is structured
around academic
curriculum. The
curriculum consists of
different themes per
week and science
lessons to go along
with theme.

Parent involvement

I did not notice a lack


or excess of parent
involvement. For the
most part, it seemed
that parents had a
balanced involvement
in the school.

Very little parent


involvement. One of
the teachers biggest
concerns is neglect;
parents are very busy
with own professional
life.

Very involved parents.


Parents have
expressed that they
want more direct
instruction and less
play. Teachers
articulate to parents
how and why they do
what they do.

Effect of divorce

Student may alternate Did not notice any


riding the bus or being effects of divorce
picked up depending
on which parent they
are staying with.

Students may be
picked up and
dropped off by
different parents. May
have an effect when
students take the
teddy bear home.

Variety of activities

I was very impressed


by the variety of
activities in the
Japanese schools.
Both of the schools
had swimming classes
and I thought that was
a great activity for the
students to have
access to. The baby
and toddler room in
the first school was a
very interesting
activity for the
children to participate
in. Lastly, the school
yard of the private
school was designed
so the students would
always have a variety
of activities to
participate in.

There are a wide


variety of activities in
the classroom.
Teachers want to
promote individualism
but also but an
emphasis on
collectivism. Variety
of group and
individual activities.

Children are able to


choose which
activities they want
participate in each
day. Some activities
are available everyday
while others rotate
each week.

Teacher control

In the first school, the


teacher does not
intervene when
children are arguing.
Keeps a close eye but
wants to encourage
children to handle
disputes on their own.
In contrast, the
teacher does intervene
in the private school
and helps children
figure out the
problem. The
teachers decide when
to intervene and when
not to.

Teachers do not
intervene with student
interaction very much.
Very little supervision
during playtime, only
step in when students
get in fights.

Teachers watch
children closely and
monitor behavior.
Intervene quickly with
mistaken behavior.

Variation in ethnicity

This did not seem


apparent, but I could
be misinformed since
I do not know the
culture intimately

Did not seem to have


any variation in
ethnicity but I am not
familiar with the
Chinese culture

Very evident. Children


seem to come from a
variety of
backgrounds.

Emphasis on
creativity

Average emphasis on
creativity for the
students. Students
participate in origami
everyday, art was
hanging on walls, and
students participate in
free play activities.

There is a strong
emphasis on creativity
in the classrooms.
They have music and
dance class everyday,
large block room that
promotes creativity
and imagination, story
telling time, and
sociodramatic play

Did not see as strong


of an emphasis on
creativity. Students
participate in free play
and teachers ask
questions to prompt
imagination. Teachers
hang up art projects
on wall. They also
spent time in class
making Mothers Day
cards.

Emphasis on language Students sing songs


that emphasis
language
development.

Two main forms of


language development
I observed were the
children repeating
after the teacher and
The private school has story telling times.
English classes during
the day for the
students.

Strong emphasis on
language. Teachers
encourage children to
use their words.
Encourage more
conversation by
saying things like,
Tell me with your
words what you
made.
School in Arizona
works very well with
students and parents
who speak Spanish.

Meals Provided

Children are only


provided lunch.

The students are


provided three hot
meals a day and a
snack.

The public school


provides breakfast,
lunch, and snack. The
private schools only
provided lunch and an
after school snack.

Emphasis on exercise

Swimming class every


day in the public
school. Private school
students can choose
between playing
inside and out.

There is a strong
emphasis on exercise
in the Chinese preschool. They have
gym time every day

No PE/Gym times but


the students do have
recess every day.

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