A Comparative Study On Contemporary Physical Education Curriculum In Chinese And American Schools

Both China and USA place emphasis on the development of physical education, especially on the effect of physical education on students’ mental and physical health and social adaptability. China’s Curriculum Standards for Physical Education (and Health) issued in2001and USA’s Moving into the Future:National Standards for Physical Education revised in2005state clearly the objectives of PE curricula. However, because of the differences in cultures and national conditions between China and USA, the concepts of physical education and PE curricula differ and it’s also true of the PE curricula objectives. The differences in the objectives cause different PE courses, teaching processes and evaluation systems between China and USA. The physical education in USA advances the concept of "a physically educated person" which is applied to every aspect of American physical education. With this theory, American physical education is always student-oriented, pays attention students’ development and lay stress on the connection of physical education with society. Under such teaching circumstance, students will be more active in physical education. On the contrary, there is the lack of a core theory in our physical education and we do not give enough play to students’ core position in PE classes. Compared to USA, our teaching effect is not good enough.Through the comparative analysis on concepts, objectives, course arrangements, teaching process and evaluation systems of physical education curricula between China and USA, this paper finds out the main differences in the physical education curricula between China and USA. The conclusions are as follows:1. Cultural tradition has an important influence on the construction of physical education. The different cultures between China and USA bring a lot of differences in the PE concepts of the two countries.2. Both China and America place emphasis on PE curricula. Both countries understand the importance of PE to students’ mental and physical health, and thus stress the theory of "Health First". They also tress the importance of life physical education, and ask students to go outdoors to practice.3. China has a more detailed standard. America has no further explanation of the national standard. Comparatively, China has detailed instructions on the PE curricula. This will be beneficial for the nation to measure the achievements of the target under the same standard.4. America has a better effect on the carryout of curriculum objectives. The whole process of American physical education persists in the theory of cultivating "a physically educated person". It always takes students as the core of teaching, focuses on the differences of individuals and provides students the opportunity for selecting items. This can better arouse students’activity and make students love physical activities to take part in the physical activities more actively. Comparatively speaking, physical education in China is more like a task that students have to fulfill.5. It’s more beneficial for cultivating socialized talents if the curricula consider the social condition. American physical education always takes socialization as one of its instructions. The arrangement of formal competition in physical education is the best way to connect society. There is a lack of way for Chinese physical education connecting the society. But what we have to be clear is that students have to enter the society and adjust to it in the end.6. The experience of American physical education cannot be fully applied to China. The reality in China is that because of the huge population, Chinese class is usually larger than that of China. Some teaching models are not suitable to be used in China.On the basis of the comparative analysis, this paper suggests:1. As for the curricula and teaching arrangements, if possible, or if we could create certain condition, we should take students as the core of our physical education and design the curricula and arrange the teaching according to cultivating people.2. During physical education, provide more opportunities for students to keep in touch with the society, and practice students in responsibility and characters to cultivate healthy and sociable talents.3. Physical education and health courses should be separated, and health courses should be opened alone.4. Our Curriculum Standards for Physical Education (and Health) should be revised timely to adjust to the development of society.