A Comparative Study Of Home-School Cooperation In China And America

To all, men and women, old and young, the significance of home-school cooperation/HSC is self-evident. Only if the efforts of family, school and community is integrated towards a common goal and grounded in the same belief can it best serve the growth and development of young people. This project, since the Second World War, has been highlighted by people of all walks and classes throughout American society stimulating endless and comprehensive discussions and studies whose conclusions and findings have turned into valuable experience. Here in China, since 1990s, with the transition of the society and the renovation of education, parental involvement has gradually received recognition and taken on a new look. Compared to so-called 'school-home connection task' before the Reform and Opening-up, the new idea of home-school cooperation is somehow an imported merchandise and has great distinctions in concept, content, and channel. To promote further development of home-school cooperation, attract more parent participation and build a nicer and safer environment for the young generation, the author attempts to compare and contrast the real state of home-school cooperation in China and America from five perspectives and then make an in-depth analysis into the historical, social and educational causes for the differences between the HSC in two countries. Suggestions are made in the closing pages of the thesis.The thesis consists of three parts besides preface and conclusion.Part One starts comparing the home-school cooperation in America and China from four perspectives: 1) the laws and regulations on promoting home-school cooperation; 2) the channels and forms of home-school cooperation; 3) the content of home-school cooperation; 4) the roles parents play in home-school cooperation.Part Three offers an insight into the differences and gaps between HSC in the two countries by analyzing their educational traditions, educational administration systems and family income and parents' educational levels. The findings, whichdistinguishes this thesis from other papers on the same subject, will be used as a basis to make solution and suggestion in the following part.Part Two entitled 'the analysis of the gaps between HSC in China and America' explores the causes for China's backwards in home-school cooperation from four perspectives: historical and cultural background, school administration, teachers' readiness for cooperating with parents, family background.In the last part, solutions and suggestions are proposed as to how to improve the home-school cooperation in China on the basis of Part Two.