In a society, such as the United States or Canada, which has many national, religious and cultural differences, people highly value individualism--the difference among people. Teachers place a lot of importance on the qualities that make each student special. The educational systems in these countries show these values. Students don't memorize information. Instead, they work individually and find answers themselves. There is often discussion in the classroom. At an early age, students learn to form their own ideas and opinions.
In most Asian societies, by contrast, people have the same language, history, and culture. Perhaps for this reason, the educational system in much of Asia reflects society’s belief in group goals and purposes rather than individualism. Children in China, Japan, and Korea often work together and help one another in assignments. In the classroom, the teaching methods are often very formal. The teacher lectures, and the students listen. There is not much discussion. Instead, the students recite rules of information that they have memorized.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both of these systems of education. For example, one advantage to the system in Japan is that there much more math and science than American students learn by the end of high school. They also study more hours each day and more days each year than North Americans do. The system is difficult, but it prepares students for a society that values discipline and self-control. There is, however, a disadvantage. Memorization is an important learning method in Japanese schools, yet many students say that after an exam, they forget much of the information that they have memorized.
The advantage of the educational system in North American, on the other hand, is that students learn to think for themselves. The system prepares them for a society that values creative ideas. There is, however, a disadvantage. When students graduate from high school, they haven’t memorized as many basic rules and facts as students in other countries have.
Title： 76 of Educational System between North America and Asia
| Students in the US and 77 | Students in China, Japan and Korea | |
| What do they 78 | Individualism | 79 goals and purposes |
| Different 80 of study | Working individually | Listening to the teachers |
| Forming their own ideas and opinions | Reciting rules and memorizing information | |
| A lot of discussion in the classroom | Not much discussion | |
| 81 | Learning to think for themselves | Learning much more math and science |
| Studying more hours each day and more days each year | ||
| Good for a society that values 82 | Good for a society valuing 83 and self-control | |
| Disadvantages | Students haven’t memorized many basic rules and facts before 84___ | Information is 85 easily. |