A Chinese-American journalist has returned to Los Angeles questioning the US education system after enrolling her three-year-old daughter in a preschool in Qingdao, China, for two months. The detailed daily updates, personalised care, and immersive cultural environment she witnessed have led her to compare the two systems' approaches to early childhood education.
The mother, who had not visited China for a decade, made the decision to provide her daughter with a cultural experience during a Lunar New Year family visit. Her daughter, who had attended preschool in Los Angeles, initially struggled with the transition but quickly adapted, with teachers providing immediate reassurance and follow-up communication.
Daily Detailed Updates Contrast with US Experience
On the child's second day, the mother received a detailed message and 10 close-up photos from the teacher, outlining her daughter's activities, meals, and mood—a level of communication she described as unprecedented. "Hi, Oli's mom, she's doing great today. She started eating vegetables at lunch and had some milk in the afternoon," the teacher wrote in Chinese.
This pattern continued daily, with staff closely monitoring eating habits. On one occasion, the kitchen prepared an alternative meal of bread and a cookie when the child did not like the rice and vegetables served. In Los Angeles, the mother stated she usually gauged her daughter's eating by checking her lunchbox, with teachers rarely offering unsolicited details.
Stark Differences in Environment and Routine
The physical and pedagogical environments presented clear contrasts. The Qingdao classroom was decorated with red lanterns and Lunar New Year crafts, actively celebrating the festival. The school also featured a small on-campus farm where children could feed rabbits and ducks.
Screen time rules were stricter, with televisions used only for educational purposes. At pick-up time, children were typically engaged in play or conversation. Conversely, at her LA preschool, children often watched cartoons for about 30 minutes while waiting for collection, and major cultural holidays like Lunar New Year frequently went unmarked in public spaces.
A Mother's Lingering Question
The experience prompted the journalist to repeatedly ask herself which system was better for early education. The trip culminated in serious consideration of a permanent move to China for her daughter's schooling. "Watching her sleep peacefully after a busy day, a question kept coming back to me: Which system is better for early education?" she wrote.
Now back in the United States, when asked if she missed China, her daughter said she loved the school there but had also been missing the US. The mother's reflection highlights the complex trade-offs in cultural identity and educational philosophy faced by diaspora families.