The Interconnection of Chinese and Western Cultures: The Policy, Development and Expansion of International Early Childhood Education in China

Abstract

In recent years, the tight control of history narratives and censorship of school textbooks has made the universities suffered by the ideological crackdown from the communist Chinese government. Even though international schools in big cities, such as in Beijing and Shanghai, have been facing the prohibition of using liberal but non-government approved materials in their curricula. In November 2016, all private schools from grades one to nine were banned by the government. As a result, the only ground for the development of western-style schools in China is international early childhood education. According to the policy of early childhood education in China, there are three types of schools: Preschools or nurseries, kindergartens and pre-primary schools. More than ten percent of international preschools and kindergartens use non-Chinese traditional pedagogical approach or westernized teaching methods, and also they can choose any pedagogy of Montessori, Reggio or Waldorf, etc. The richest the parents are, the best and most expansive education for the only child will be. Parents, who have become wealthier or had high income after the rapid growth of economy in China, are willing to invest a lot of money for providing excellent early childhood education for their kids. In fact, the private international preschools and kindergartens are expanding, but they are to certain degree different from others as the interconnection of Chinese and Western cultures. This paper investigates how Chinese Confucius rules meet the Western pedagogy in the booming international early childhood education industry in China from policy, development and expansion.



Author Information
Diana Po Lan Sham, Hong Kong Chinese Institute of Engineers, Hong Kong

Paper Information
Conference: ACEID2019
Stream: International Education

This paper is part of the ACEID2019 Conference Proceedings (View)
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Posted by James Alexander Gordon