Playing in A Golden Cradle: Preschool and AfterSchool Programs in Shanghai, PRC

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Playing in A Golden Cradle Preschool and
After-School Programs in Shanghai, PRC

• Dana GrossSt. Olaf CollegeDepartment of
  Psychology

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A Golden Childhood

• Chinas past, present, and future
• Preschools in China
• The Shanghai Childrens Palace

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Childhood in China

• Population of approximately 1.31 billion (UNICEF,
  2006)
• 60 to 70 live in rural areas
• 10 to 12 are children younger than 5 years
• Fertility rates declined from 5.9 in 1970 to 1.7
  in 2004 (Hesketh, Lu, Xing, 2005)

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• One-child policy (1979) changed family structure
  and interactions the 4-2-1 syndrome
• Grandparents provide care for many infants and
  children younger than 3

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Chinas Past, Present, and Future

• Reform and opening up policies were introduced
  in 1978
• Growing prosperity has resulted
• Per capita income has increased from 280 in 1985
  to 1290 in 2005 (World Bank, 2006)
• Health indicators reflect the impact of these
  trends malnutrition and mortality rates among
  infants and children under 5 have declined, while
  immunization rates have increased

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Education Reform in China

• Elementary school enrollment is reported to be
  99, whereas in 1949 only 20 of children were in
  school
• Preschool guidelines and training were
  established in the 1950s but most preschools were
  closed during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)
  (Tobin, Wu, Davidson, 1989)
• Approximately 70 of all children receive at
  least one year of preschool education (Xuezhong,
  2000)
• Types of preschools today include full-day,
  half-day, and boarding programs

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What do we know about childhood in China?

• Chinese children draw well because they are
  taught how to draw (Winner, 1989)
• Chinese children do not draw childish drawings.
• Chinese children behave very differently from
  American children, not only in art class but in
  most other situations as well.
• Classes are very teacher centered.

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• Chinese parents socialize their children from an
  early age to think in Confucian ways about
  learning, obligation, and relationships (Chao,
  1994 Miller, Wiley, Fung, Liang, 1997
  Stevenson, Chen Lee, 1993 Wu, 1996)
• Chiao shun training
• Guan to govern, love, care for

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• Preschool in Three Cultures showed that many
  preschools in China endorse traditional beliefs
  and practices but that parents and teachers are
  concerned about spoiling (Tobin, Wu,
  Davidson, 1989)
• Tai jao too delicate, fussy, spoiled

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Regional Differences

• Chinas urban children outperform their rural
  counterparts in physical, cognitive, and social
  development (Xie Young, 1999)
• Urban parents are more likely than rural parents
  to believe that early stimulation and education
  are beneficial and necessary
• Urban parents tend to enroll their children in
  preschool at an earlier age than rural parents
• Preschool quality tends to be higher in urban
  than rural settings facilities, resources,
  training, compensation

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Preschool at East China Normal University

• Children ages 3 to 6 years
• Tuition is 320 rmb/month (approx. 40)
• In materials, structure, curriculum, and
  atmosphere, there was little resemblance to the
  Dong Feng preschool (Tobin et al., 1989)

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The CWI Childrens Palace

• The first after-school activity center in China
• Established in 1953 by Song Qingling (aka Soong
  Ching-ling, Sung Ching-ling, and Madame Sun
  Yat-sen)

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Song Qingling (1892-1981)

• One of three daughters in the powerful Song
  family
• The one who loved China (Seagrave, 1985)
• Educated at Wesleyan College for Women in Macon,
  Georgia (Class of 1913)

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Children can not just enjoy their childhoods
happiness in the Childrens Palace. It is more
important for them to learn the capability of
laboring alongside with learning to do
profitable things for the collective, motherland,
and well-being of the people!

• Song Qingling, 1958

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The Childrens Palace Today

• Tuition is 200-300 rmb for 3 months of classes
  (approx. 25-38)
• Classes are offered M-F 500-630 and all day on
  Saturdays
• Approximately 7,000 children (4-16 years) took
  classes at the Childrens Palace in Shanghai in
  2004
• Classes in dance, music, art, theater, and
  science teach skills, build confidence, and
  stimulate curiosity and exploration (Yang Zhi
  Ying, 2005, personal communication)

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• The Childrens Palace is a paradise for children
  and also a base for cultivating versatile
  persons.
• Interest groups and classes reflect childrens
  interests and have been designed in accordance
  with Song Qinglings Childrens Educational
  Thoughts and with developmentally appropriate
  practices.
• (A Brief Introduction of China Welfare Institute
  Childrens Palace, 2003)

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Other CWI Institutions

• The CWI International Peace Maternity and Child
  Health Hospital
• The CWI Nursery
• The CWI Kindergarten
• Soong Ching Ling Children Development Center
• The CWI Childrens Art Theatre

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The CWI Nursery

• Established in 1950 by Song Qingling.
• A boarding and day-care preschool education unit
  for children ages 2-6.
• Promotes the development of childrens health
  physically and mentally.
• Integrates health care with education in order
  to make scientific arrangements for the daily
  life of children.

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The CWI Kindergarten

• Educational objectives specify that children
  should be
• Healthy and confident
• Polite and able to communicate
• Curious and like to explore
• Independent and cooperative

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The Soong Ching Ling Children Development Center

• Gathers data and conducts research about children
  from birth to age 16.
• Publishes Preschool Education Information and
  Research.
• Trains preschool teachers.

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Arduously Cultivating a New Innovative and
Exploring Generation for the 21st Century

• -Inscription from Jiang Zemin

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• What will happen to the golden cradle as China
  continues to grow and expand?
• Individual -- group orientation
• Creativity -- regimentation
• (Arnett, 2002 Chen, Cen, Li, He, 2005
  Fuligni Zhang, 2004 Swartz,1989)

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Acknowledgements

• The Freeman Foundation
• Asian Studies Department, St. Olaf College
• East China Normal University
• CWI Childrens Palace

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References

• Arnett, J.J. (2002). The psychology of
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• Chang, J., Halliday, J. (1986). Madame Sun
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References (continued)

• Roopnarine, J.L., Metindogan, A. (2006). Early
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References (continued)

• UNICEF. (2006). The official summary of The
  State of the Worlds Children 2006. New York
  Author.
• Winner, E. (1989). How can Chinese children draw
  so well? Journal of Aesthetic Education, 23.
• Wu, D.Y.H. (1996). Chinese childhood
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