On Curriculum And Teaching Reforms Of Primary And Secondary School In "Cultural Revolution" In China

Against the political background of "Cultural Revolution" , education in then China was negatively influenced by the left-leaning thought. All reforms in curriculum and teaching practice ended in failure. The former curricular system of primary and secondary schools was abandoned as a whole, the system of teaching project, teaching outline and teaching material being disarranged. The once integrated teaching project, curricula and materials lost their deserved value and power. Political movements and compulsory productive labor frequently struck teaching order. The politics-oriented teaching project was lacking definite purposes and a complete disciplinary system, and the arrangement of teaching time and activities came in a disorder. A total politicization of teaching aims led to practice of pragmatism in teaching contents, negative changes in teachingstandard and discretionary teaching material composing.The curricula and teaching reforms during this period are typical of pragmatism, which depreciates theory and book knowledge as to be inferior to practice and empirical knowledge. The principle of "teaching-oriented schooling" was mistaken as an abandon of proletarian politics, productive labor and alienation from working and farming classes, thus it was replaced by another principle named "open-door practice" , which encourages students' intensive and direct participation in political movements and productive labor. Under the guidance of the new principle, "the principal ship of teacher, classroom activity and book knowledge instruction in teaching...