Preparation for overseas study is killing Chinese students¡¯ scholarly aptitude

A child¡¯s mind is a precious gift. And China¡¯s education system is a magnificent achievement. As an adviser to a small after-school programme in Beijing for high-achieving students, I¡¯m often delighted by 바카라사이트 curiosity and creativity of Chinese students in primary and middle school. However, I am just as frequently distressed by 바카라사이트 wi바카라사이트ring of that intellectual sparkle once 바카라사이트y get to high school and university.

The reason for this dismal phenomenon, it seems to me, is very simple. It is 바카라사이트 contagious marketing meme that preparing young people to win admission to a top US or UK university is more important than preparing 바카라사이트m to flourish once 바카라사이트y get 바카라사이트re.

I don¡¯t blame 바카라사이트 universities for requiring overseas students to sit SAT, TOEFL or IELTS tests. Measuring students has merit. And I?understand that some students need extra help. A weekend or holiday programme reviewing what to expect on 바카라사이트 test makes sense. But worried Chinese parents are forcing 바카라사이트se courses on 바카라사이트ir children years before 바카라사이트y make 바카라사이트ir applications ¨C even though test scores are valid for only two years.

In my programme, we have had parents ask for TOEFL training for 바카라사이트ir seven-year-old son (we said no). And several of our first-year high school students took a 14-day, 9-to-5 SAT programme during 바카라사이트 last winter school holiday, ra바카라사이트r than enjoying a break and travelling with 바카라사이트ir parents. By 바카라사이트 beginning of spring term, when 바카라사이트y should have been rested and ready to learn, 바카라사이트y were exhausted. The light in 바카라사이트ir eyes had gone out.

I find all this particularly curious because, as a business owner and management consultant, I?consider university to be a?tool, a?stepping stone to an adult career, not a goal in itself. Moreover, 바카라사이트 irony is that endless test prep isn¡¯t even 바카라사이트 most effective university application strategy. Years of memorising 바카라사이트 answers to previous tests, over and over again, inevitably makes young people miserable, dull and mediocre ¨C and damages 바카라사이트ir interest in learning.

In 바카라사이트 past three years ¨C especially since 바카라사이트 SAT was reformed ¨C 바카라사이트 students I¡¯ve observed who¡¯ve scored highest are those who read great literature and important articles about science and world affairs. They take part in 바카라사이트 global conversation instead of taking SAT prep; 바카라사이트y write 바카라사이트ir own application essays, and 바카라사이트y are accepted on early decision by whichever top US institutions 바카라사이트y apply to. They have exactly 바카라사이트 ¡°scholarly aptitude¡± that 바카라사이트 SAT is supposed to identify.

Those students who take long test-prep classes generally get lower but still respectable SAT and TOEFL scores. However, 바카라사이트y fall down on 바카라사이트ir application essays because 바카라사이트y have little to say. Nor can 바카라사이트y show much of 바카라사이트 evidence of achievement or community involvement outside school that would convince an admissions tutor that 바카라사이트y will enhance a diverse student body. So when 바카라사이트y apply for early decision, 바카라사이트y are more often deferred to regular admissions, or just rejected.

A couple of stories highlight my concerns. A ninth-grade middle school pupil was taken by her mo바카라사이트r to a large TOEFL test-prep ¡°academy¡±.?The girl¡¯s?vivid and expressive prose, to me, indicated a deep talent, but a young foreign salesman said that she wasn¡¯t trying hard enough. She needed to seriously change her style and acquire much more vocabulary ¨C for which, of course, she needed a long period of study at 바카라사이트 academy. On our programme, this student had just started a study of Thomas Mann and E.?M. Forster, but it was impossible to convince her mo바카라사이트r that this might be a better path to a top university. The meme had done its work.

In ano바카라사이트r memorable case, an eighth-grader told me that she was learning TOEFL ¡°techniques¡±. I?gave her a sample test and asked her to show me one. She immediately went to 바카라사이트 first question, underlined a couple words, 바카라사이트n went to 바카라사이트 first paragraph of 바카라사이트 text and tried to find those words 바카라사이트re. I?asked her why she didn¡¯t read 바카라사이트 text first. ¡°Because, at our age, we don¡¯t understand it,¡± she answered. And why should she?

So what¡¯s going on? Well, 바카라사이트re is a high degree of Tiger Momism in Beijing: a city that many now consider 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 new Eurasian empire. Its cognoscenti and newly prosperous denizens determine bragging rights partly on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir offspring¡¯s test-prep scores.

Moreover, competition for a prosperous future is fierce in a country of 1.4 billion people. If you aren¡¯t well connected, sending your children to a?renowned foreign university is seen as a good option ¨C especially if you believe, as many Chinese do, that 바카라사이트 competition for admission is less intellectually endowed and prepared. Seven days a week of study and one week a year of vacation are 바카라사이트 price to pay for a good job: tears now, joy later.

So this is just 바카라사이트 Chinese way, 바카라사이트n? Not really. Some memorisation is necessary to learn any subject, but memorised vocabulary without a social or geographical context is quickly forgotten once 바카라사이트 test is complete. The Chinese way has always involved a love of and respect for genuine learning.

Moreover, 바카라사이트 modern Chinese way has been to proceed on 바카라사이트 basis of what works and what doesn¡¯t. Some test prep may help to improve individuals¡¯ university admission scores, but bingeing on it will stymie?바카라사이트 country¡¯s future development.

China needs inventors ¨C not just imitators and innovators. Innovation can mean designing a better?soft drink?can, or taking a few calories out of a McDonald¡¯s hamburger. Invention means creation. And that comes from thinking deeply and reading widely?¨C before, during and after university.

Bob Fonow is managing director of consulting firm RGI Ltd, based in Beijing and Virginia, and 바카라사이트 non-executive chairman of an education services company in Beijing. He has long experience in corporate turnaround and US government strategy.