SHANGHAI – U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King, Jr. visited the U.S. Consulate on Aug. 9 to participate in a forum with students about education in the U.S. and China led by Philip Sohmen, co-founder of Pao School.
Secretary King’s appearance marked the first time a U.S. education secretary joined a Student Town Hall meeting in Shanghai. Dr King is a firm believer in the transformative power of education, and credits New York City public school teachers with saving his life when he struggled as a boy to cope with the loss of both of his parents.
In a lively discussion with Philip Sohmen, Dr King touched upon the strengths of both the U.S. and Chinese education systems. ‘We’ve invested a lot in higher education; there are a range of opportunities which I think are some of the best in the world,’ he said. He noted that the U.S. emphasises a well-rounded education, including sports and the creative arts, which helps to cultivate a spirit of innovation in students.
The Chinese education system has many strengths of its own, Dr King pointed out. One of those is the opportunity to have a mentor from the beginning of one’s teaching career. ‘In the U.S. you may or not have a mentor when you begin teaching while it’s built into the system in Shanghai. It can be difficult to become a teacher and having a mentor can make a big difference,’ he said.
Additionally, Dr King noted that in the U.S., some teachers have little time to work outside the classroom as they spend the vast majority of their time with students. That can be a good thing, as students have a chance to form relationships with teachers in the context of extracurricular activates. ‘Your social studies teacher might be your director in a school play,’ he said. In Shanghai, however, teachers have more time to learn from their peers and senior instructors, which can be beneficial for their professional development, he added.
During a Q&A session with the students, Dr King asked them about the qualities of a good teacher and the best aspects of their schools. ‘The Pao students stood out from their peers, both in their smart and confident appearance and in their questions and answers,’ said Philip Sohmen. ‘Many hands went up when Dr King asked students to talk about what they liked at their school (the opportunity for student-led activities) and they asked good questions on the challenges and highlights of his career’. When Dr King recalled his high school days, Pao School students felt an instant connection with him as he recounted the challenges he faced as a teenager. Dr King was especially impressed with the articulate English used by Pao students and remarked that they spoke as if English was their native tongue.
As the event drew to a close, Dr King shared his philosophy with students on how to be a life-long learner. A successful learner defines success and failure as two inseparable things: ‘Success is all about what you do with failure,’ he said.
Overall, the forum served as ‘an excellent reminder that China and the U.S. have a lot to learn from each other educationally and that good educational practice requires staying open to learning and ongoing improvement,’ said Philip Sohmen.
