Confucius and Piaget Meet Once Again: Teaching Chinese and Korean Students in the Western Classroom

by Jonathan Borden

In today’s educational world there are tens of thousands of students from East Asian families studying in Western style schools. From the international school in China to the independent school in Boston, from the language academy in Seoul to the EAL classroom in San Francisco, Asian students are being impacted by Western culture and educational methods – just as their schools are being impacted by their presence. What happens when these students and parents, steeped in the history and traditional Confucian educational methods and philosophies of their nations, come into contact with more Piagetian, 21st Century teaching methodologies? How can teachers help to bridge cultural gaps in order to ensure respect for students’ cultures while also educating them in ways that will serve them best in a global society throughout the 21st century? While appropriate for teachers of students from all over East Asia, this book focuses primarily on students from South Korea (the topic of this book’s predecessor, Confucius Meets Piaget) and the areas that share Chinese culture to varying degrees – The Republic of China, the Peoples Republic of China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Chinese communities around the world. Their histories, cultural characteristics, educational environments, family structures, and interpersonal relationships are investigated. Topics of interest to teachers such as academic stress, study habits, exclusivity, bullying, family expectations, cram schools, culture shock, and re-entry are discussed in depth, along with practical suggestions for successfully working with both students in the classroom and with their parents. This book takes its predecessor, Confucius Meets Piaget, and adds Chinese students to the mix, at the same time greatly expanding and updating the original Korean focus. The author, with the experience of more then 40 years working in international schools in Korea and China and consulting at international schools across Asia, offers a deep look at these often sensitive topics with both a critical eye and an empathetic heart. The reader, whether heading overseas for the first time, a teacher of Asian students at a public or independent school in North America or Europe, or a veteran international school teacher, will find this book a valuable resource as they expand and strengthen their pedagogical and cultural toolbox of skills. Just as its predecessor has been used in international schools across the globe as required pre-service reading or as a book club selection for international teachers, this book is a must for any teacher who is working with Asian students or who is planning to do so. Effective teachers understand the importance of knowing “where their students are coming from,” both figuratively and literally. This book provides a substantial step in gaining that understanding.

406 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 9, 2020