Narrative Inquiry into Reciprocal Learning Between Canada-China Sister Schools: A Chinese Perspective (Intercultural Reciprocal Learning in Chinese and Western Education)

This edited volume explores how Chinese school-based educators learn from others and attain awareness in dialogue with the world in an era of increasing globalization and information exchange. Minzhu Primary School in Shanghai, China, and Bay Street School in Toronto, Canada, have been connected as sister schools of cross-cultural exchange since 2008. Together, they have explored ways to reciprocally learn in a cross-cultural partnership while remaining grounded in their home culture and language. In this book, chapter authors examine how Chinese school-based educators view themselves, understand others, and grow and develop as a consequence of a decade of cross-cultural reciprocal learning as sister schools. Further, the authors discuss prospects for future educational interactions between Canada and China. Foreword References Contents Abbreviations Notes on Contributors List of Figures List of Tables Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Origin and Background 1.2 Our Learning and Growth in Projects as Researchers 1.3 Objectives of the Sister School Project 1.3.1 Objectives of the Sister School Reciprocal Learning 1.3.2 The Research Purpose of the Sister School Project 1.3.3 The Purpose of Writing This Book 1.4 Structure and Main Ideas of the Book and Its Authors 1.4.1 Structure of the Book 1.4.2 Synopsis of Each Chapter 1.4.3 Authors and Division of the Book References Chapter 2: Friends from Afar 2.1 Who Are We: Understanding Our Cultural Identity from Both Sides of Chinese Traditional Culture 2.1.1 Looking Inward: Expressions of Love and Consideration of Others 2.1.2 Looking Outward: Harmony Without Uniformity, Loyalty Together with Consideration 2.2 Repositioning Contemporary Chinese Cultural Identity: A Member of a “Community of Shared Future for Mankind” 2.3 A Century’s East-West Dialogue About China’s Education and Its Contemporary Appeal 2.4 The Two Contemporary Schools of Education Involved in This Project 2.4.1 From Dewey and Schwab to Connelly and His Students: The Development of Empiricism Educational Theory 2.4.2 Ye Lan and Her Academic Team: School of “Life-Practice” Educology and “New Basic Education” Research 2.5 Conclusion References Chapter 3: Dewey Meets Confucius 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Dewey’s First Encounter with Chinese Education at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century 3.2.1 Dewey to China: A Basic Judgment on Chinese Education 3.2.2 China to Dewey: The Reaction of China to Dewey in the Modern Age 3.2.2.1 The Dissemination Stage of Dewey’s Educational Thought in China 3.2.2.2 The Specific Responses from the Theoretical and Practical Circles of Chinese Pedagogy 3.3 Connelly Coming to China: Another Meeting with China’s Education at the Beginning of the Twenty-First Century 3.3.1 Connelly to China: Basic Judgement About Chinese Education 3.3.1.1 Connelly’s Narrative Inquiry Encounters with Ye Lan’s New Basic Education 3.3.1.2 The Thoughts of Connelly on the Sister Schools’ Cross-Cultural Mutual Learning 3.3.2 China to Connelly: The Reaction of Chinese Education to Connelly 3.3.2.1 The Understanding by Chinese Scholars of Connelly’s Narrative Inquiry 3.3.2.2 The Future of Connelly’s Narrative Inquiry in Chinese Academia 3.4 Discussion and Conclusion 3.4.1 A Century of Chinese Education: What Has Changed and What Remains Unchanged 3.4.1.1 What Has Changed? 3.4.1.2 What Has Remained Unchanged? What Has Continued? 3.4.2 The Future of Reciprocal Learning Between China and Canada: Mutual Benefit and Symbiosis References Chapter 4: Literature Review, Theoretical Framework and Research Method 4.1 Literature Review 4.1.1 Reciprocal Learning 4.1.2 Sister School 4.1.3 Narrative Inquiry in China and in the World 4.2 Theoretical Framework and Methodology 4.2.1 School of Life-Practice Educology 4.2.2 Narrative Inquiry 4.3 Research Method 4.3.1 Researchers of the Sister School Project 4.3.2 Sister School Research Partners 4.3.2.1 Overall Participation of Teachers in Both Schools 4.3.2.2 An Overview of the Two Pairs of Sister School Teachers and Principals 4.4 Data Collection and Analysis Method 4.4.1 Data Sources 4.4.2 Research Tools 4.5 Ethical Considerations References Chapter 5: Society, History, and Interaction of Sister Schools 5.1 An Overview of the Sister Schools 5.1.1 History of Minzhu Primary School 5.1.2 The Landscape of Bay Street School 5.1.3 Summary 5.2 The Process of Reciprocal Learning Between Sister Schools 5.2.1 Exploratory Phase (September 2013–September 2014) 5.2.2 Breakthrough Phase (September 2014–December 2015) 5.2.3 Development Phase (March 2016–October 2019) 5.2.4 Continuous Symbiosis Phase (March 2018–Present) 5.3 Basic Methods and Content of Cross-Cultural Reciprocal Learning Between Sister Schools 5.3.1 Modes of Communication Between Sister Schools 5.3.2 Contents of Communication Between Sister Schools 5.3.2.1 Communication Between Principals 5.3.2.2 Communication Among Students 5.4 Summary References Chapter 6: Circles and Straight Lines: Teachers’ Life Worlds 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Conceptualizing the Background 6.2.1 Teachers and Teachers’ Teaching in Different Contexts 6.2.1.1 Classroom Teaching Reform and Teachers’ Development in Chinese Context 6.2.1.2 Diversity and Cross-Cultural Learning in Teachers’ Teaching in Canadian Context 6.2.2 Reciprocal Learning Across Cultures in RLP 6.3 Research Methodology 6.3.1 Data Collection 6.3.2 Data Analysis 6.3.3 Introducing the Teachers and the Researcher 6.3.3.1 The Teachers 6.3.3.2 The Researcher 6.4 Shanghai-Toronto Sister School Teachers Stories 6.4.1 Heterogeneous Lesson: “The Tree’s Shadow” 6.4.2 Lesson Preparation and Discussion: “Brave Duck, Brave Me” 6.4.3 Lesson Preparation and Discussion: “My School” 6.5 Findings 6.5.1 Curriculum Structure 6.5.2 Teachers’ Teaching 6.5.3 Teachers in Community 6.6 Conclusion and Discussion References Chapter 7: Interaction Between Teachers and Students 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Literature Review 7.3 Theoretical Basis and Research Methods 7.3.1 Theoretical Basis 7.3.1.1 Cultural-Historical Activity Theory 7.3.1.2 Compound Subject Theory 7.3.2 Research Method 7.3.3 Research Participant 7.3.4 Research Process 7.4 Findings 7.4.1 Teacher-Student Interaction in Classroom Teaching Between Two Sister Schools 7.4.1.1 Individual Teaching for the First Time of Face-to-Face Reciprocal Learning 7.4.1.2 Cooperative Teaching for the Second Time of Face-to-Face Reciprocal Learning 7.4.2 Teacher-Student Interactions in Two Video Conferences Between Two Sister Schools 7.4.2.1 The First Student Video Conference 7.4.2.2 Ms. Liu’s Reflection After the First Student Video Conference 7.4.2.3 The Second Student Video Conference 7.5 Discussion 7.5.1 Comparison of the Characteristics of Teacher-Student Interactions in China and Canada 7.5.2 The Factors Influencing the Differences of Teacher- Student Interaction in Two Countries 7.5.2.1 Chinese Traditional Concepts on Teacher-Student Relationship 7.5.2.2 Chinese Traditional Concepts on Teaching 7.5.2.3 Evaluation of Teachers by Administrative Department for Education 7.6 Conclusion References Chapter 8: Leadership and Power 8.1 Background 8.1.1 The Trajectory of HE LE Culture in Minzhu Primary School 8.1.2 HE LE Culture Met Bay Street School 8.1.2.1 Fire and Water from Shanghai: Exchange on School Culture 8.1.2.2 From “Culture of School” to “Culture as Principal Leadership” 8.2 Research Method 8.2.1 Narrative Inquiry 8.2.2 Introducing the Researcher and Research Process 8.3 Literature Review 8.3.1 Image, Metaphor, and Experience 8.3.2 Encounter of Teacher Leadership Images in Life-Practice Educology and the Ontario Leadership Framework 8.4 Story Constellations of Principals and Their Teacher Leadership Images 8.4.1 Images of Principal Ting 8.4.1.1 Image as a Big Sister (Parent) 8.4.1.2 Image as a Teacher Master 8.4.2 Images of Principal Darlene as the Lead Learner and Co-learner 8.5 Cultural Comparison and Analysis on Sister School Principal’s Teacher Leadership 8.5.1 Family Culture and the Power Structure Behind the Principal Images 8.5.2 Principal Appointment System and the Principal-Teacher Relationship 8.5.3 “Life Consciousness” Encounter Teacher Professional Development 8.6 Discussion: What Can We Learn from Each Other? 8.6.1 Moral Leadership: Intersection of the East and the West 8.6.2 The Integration of Technology and Technique Matters 8.6.3 Autocracy or Democracy? From Dualism Misunderstanding to Cosmopolitan Learning Community References Chapter 9: Faith and Action 9.1 How China-Canada Sister Schools Understand and Locate Themselves and Each Other 9.1.1 The Understanding of MPS about Itself and MPS in the Eyes of BSS 9.1.1.1 Positioning of MPS on Itself MPS Is a Place Where Children Can Be Happy, Healthy and Active in Their Development MPS Is a “Good School Close to Home” that Satisfies Residents MPS Is an Open Model School 9.1.1.2 The Understanding of BSS about MPS MPS Focuses on Teacher Community and Professional Sharing MPS Focuses on Harmony between Humans and Nature MPS Is also a Somewhat Confusing School 9.1.2 The Understanding of BSS about Itself and BSS in the Eyes of MPS 9.1.2.1 The Understanding of BSS about Itself BSS Is Based on the Principle of Academic Success and Happiness for every Child Establishing Schools as the Heart of the Community BSS Is a School that Operates at the Request of the Government and Has a Constant Need to Defend Its Rights with the Government 9.1.2.2 BSS in the Eyes of MPS BSS Truly Respects and Loves Children Everywhere and at All Times BSS Prioritizes Student Character and Comprehensive Literacy over Knowledge Acquisition A. Impressions of Ms Hanny’s English Teaching at MPS B. Impressions of Ms Barton’s science class BSS Doesn’t Seem to Have Its Own School Culture 9.2 The Social Identity of Sister Schools Between Canada and China 9.2.1 The Social Mission of Schools in Canada 9.2.1.1 Positioning the Social Identity of Schools in Canada: Schools Are the Heart of the Community 9.2.1.2 Why Canada Understands the Social Identity of Schools in this Way 9.2.2 Identity Orientation of Schools in China 9.2.2.1 Schools Are Community Partners in Fulfilling Government Requirements 9.2.3 Why China Understands School Identity in this Way 9.3 Discussion 9.3.1 Do Chinese Schools Need to Learn from Canada and Re-understand the Relationship between Schools and Society in the Future? 9.3.2 Do Canadian Schools Need to Have Their Own Unique Culture? References Chapter 10: Future 10.1 Will the Sister Schools Continue Their Cooperation After the Project? 10.1.1 Do Teachers Think the Project Beneficial? Will They Continue to Cooperate? 10.1.1.1 Group 1: Science Teachers—Ms. Barton and Mr. ZhiGuo Ms. Barton Mr. ZhiGuo: “I Have Decided to Return to the Purpose of Science Education Itself” 10.1.1.2 Group 2: Language Teachers—Ms. Hanny and Ms. Ding 10.1.1.3 Group 3: Class Meeting Teachers—Ms. Hanny and Ms. Dongmei 10.1.2 Are There Conditions for Further Cooperation? 10.1.2.1 Attitude of Principals of the Sister Schools 10.1.2.2 Is the Support Provided by the Project Crucial for the Cooperation Between the Sister Schools? 10.2 What Should MPS Learn from BSS if the Cooperation Continues? 10.2.1 Learn to Leave More Space for Children’s Individualized Growth 10.2.2 Learn to Provide Students with the Structured Framework of Thinking to Support Independent Learning 10.2.3 Learn to Provide Special Students with More Professional and Inclusive Education 10.2.4 Learn to Become More Open-Minded and Positive in Reciprocal Learning 10.3 What Should MPS Stick To? 10.4 What Positive and Negative Experiences Has the Sister-School Cooperation Provided for Cross-Cultural Reciprocal Learning? 10.4.1 Positive Experience in Sister Schools’ Reciprocal Learning 10.4.2 Reciprocal Learning Between Sister Schools Needs Further Improvement 10.5 Expectations: What Kind of Future Do We Expect? References Index