Editor's note:
Education is the country's major plan and the party's major plan.
The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China pointed out that we must adhere to the people-centered development of education and accelerate the construction of a high-quality education system.
Since the implementation of the "double reduction" policy in 2021, a good atmosphere in which the whole society supports and recognizes the "double reduction" has gradually formed, and the academic burden of students and the educational anxiety of parents have been effectively alleviated.
At the same time, with the gradual implementation of the policy, parents also have new educational expectations. The degree of response to these expectations affects the effect of the burden reduction policy and the formation of a good educational ecology.
In order to gain an in-depth understanding of the new changes in parents' education mentality, the research team of the Beijing Social Science Fund Project "Psychological Mechanism and Intervention Research on Educational Anxiety of Primary School Students' Parents" conducted two questionnaires for parents of students in the compulsory education stage in the first half and second half of 2022. Surveys and in-depth interviews are used to analyze the new changes in parents' education mentality and their influencing factors under the background of "double reduction", and put forward countermeasures and suggestions on how to better respond to parents' education expectations.
1. Reduce the burden on students and ease the anxiety of parents
"After the 'double reduction' policy was introduced, we felt much more relaxed. One is that the extracurricular tutoring has been reduced, and the financial burden has been lightened; the other is that the school has less homework, and children have more time to play and exercise. I'm tired," said a parent of a fourth-grade student in Shanghai.
Effectively alleviating parents' educational anxiety is an important goal of the "double reduction" policy.
After half a year and one year after the implementation of the "double reduction" policy, the surveys on parents' education anxiety found that the introduction of the "double reduction" policy has a significant and sustainable effect on reducing the burden on students and relieving parents' education anxiety.
The overall burden on students is reduced.
A parent of a third-grade student in Beijing said: “In the past, when school was over, the child had six or seven tasks waiting to be completed. Relax properly, and the parent-child relationship has obviously improved." Over 70% of the interviewed parents believe that their children's academic burden has been reduced, and they fully affirm the effect of reducing the burden, believing that "the child's free time and sleep time are guaranteed" (twice Research, accounting for 73.1%, 75.1%), "beneficial to children's physical and mental health development" (65.6%, 63.6%), "beneficial to children's overall quality development" (55.9%, 60.6%), "beneficial to parent-child relationship Harmonious relationship with family” (45.5%, 50.7%).
The effect of reducing the burden of homework is remarkable.
A parent of a sixth-grade student in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province said: “The teacher used to post homework on QQ every day and asked for timely feedback. As soon as I saw the news, I became anxious. After the ‘double reduction’, this situation has disappeared.” In terms of the amount of homework, 90.4% of the parents felt that the amount of homework was appropriate or too little, and only 9.6% of the parents still felt that the amount of homework was too much; in terms of homework content, 53.3% of the parents believed that the school homework was "reasonably designed and in line with learning needs", 32.2% % think that "sometimes the content is reasonable, sometimes it is not reasonable", and only 5.3% of the parents think that the homework "the content design is unreasonable, and there are too many invalid homework".
The phenomenon of only scores and rankings in examinations has been significantly reduced.
A parent of a second-grade primary school student in Beijing said: "The school does not use scores or ABCD grades to give feedback on grades, but uses encouraging language, which allows children to have a better self-knowledge about themselves and be more motivated to learn. 15.1% of the parents said that the school adopts the "joy test" method (such as fun test, no written test) at the end of the term, 76.0% of the parents said that the school "conducts the written test, but does not give ranking or score feedback", only 8.9% Parents said that the school is still "conducting written tests and giving feedback on scores and rankings", which shows that school test reform is progressing steadily.
The pressure of off-campus training is effectively reduced.
A parent of a first-year junior high school student in Tianjin said: "The remedial class is somewhat of a burden. After the 'double reduction', the money originally paid for the remedial class can be used to take the child to travel or do some other things." In the two surveys, 59.5 % and 60.4% of the parents said that the number of students participating in off-campus training courses for subjects has decreased compared with before the implementation of the "double reduction" policy, and 53.6% and 53.4% of the parents said that the policy "effectively reduced the academic pressure of students", 54.2% % and 47.9% of the parents said that the policy "effectively reduced the family's time and financial pressure".
The after-school service is overall satisfactory.
A parent of a second-grade primary school student in Huludao, Liaoning Province said: "After the school opened after-school services, the teacher took the children to complete the writing, dictation, etc. in the school. Parents don't have to worry too much about the children's homework after school. and review.” In the two surveys, 77.5% and 74.0% of the children of the interviewed families participated in the school’s after-school services, respectively, 90.0% and 88.2% of the parents expressed satisfaction or basic satisfaction with the school’s after-school services, and 74.8% And 76.5% of the parents said that the after-school service "meet the needs of learning guidance and reduce the burden of studying at home", 59.4% and 60.2% of the parents said that the after-school service "solved the problem of parents' pick-up and drop-off well", 41.7% and 42.8% % of parents said that after-school services "reduce the financial burden on the family".
2. What concerns and expectations do parents have?
"The homework has been reduced, and the remedial classes have also been reduced. The child studies at home after school, but we are afraid that he will not get a place, and we can't help if we are in a hurry." Time requires parents to spend more energy on counseling."... The survey found that after the "double reduction", although parents' educational anxiety has been alleviated as a whole, with the implementation of policies in various places, some new changes have taken place in parents' educational mentality.
Worried about reducing the burden on yourself while others do not, and looking forward to "less reduction, slower reduction" to maintain the competitiveness of children's education.
A parent of a junior high school student in Beijing said: "I was very happy when I first heard about the 'double reduction' policy, but gradually I began to worry that my family's reduction would not be reduced by others, and I was afraid that my child would be compared, and hoped to reduce the reduction." A little bit, slow down a little.” Over 70% of parents believe that their children’s academic burden has been reduced, but in the two surveys, 45.0% and 44.7% of the parents’ game competition mentality is still relatively heavy: “Others are studying, and their children Don’t dare to reduce” “Worried that the one who cuts first will suffer a loss, and hopes to reduce less and slow down than others, so as to ensure the children’s academic competitive advantage.”
Worried that the governance of off-campus training will reduce the path for children to make up for the poor, and look forward to high-quality training to play a role in promoting.
A parent of a fourth-grade student in Huludao, Liaoning said: "My child's academic performance is average. When he comes back from school, we want to tutor him, but the parents can't find a good way to teach them by themselves." pressure, family time and financial pressure, but 31.2% and 17.4% of the parents worry that "it is difficult to obtain high-quality tutoring classes, which cannot meet the individualized learning needs of children", and 29.5% and 16.8% of the parents said that "seeking private education and other training forms, Increased family time and financial stress".
Worried about "not keeping homework" and "not giving marks", I can't find an educational starting point, and I look forward to getting sufficient feedback to make precise efforts.
A parent of a sixth grade student in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province said: "The school does not have exams or rankings. You don't know your child's learning level, and you don't know how to help him with tutoring." It has been voiced for many years, but two surveys found that 35.0% and 20.8% of the parents believed that "the current homework load is slightly or too little, and they look forward to having appropriate homework exercises to improve their children's grades and develop study habits", 26.1% and 26.4% % of parents have reservations about "the test does not give feedback on scores and rankings", and hope to get sufficient academic feedback so as to provide targeted support for family education.
Worried that online teaching will reduce learning efficiency, parents look forward to strengthening the management of home learning.
Affected by the epidemic situation, online teaching has been adopted in many places this year.
A parent of a junior high school student in Beijing said: "The efficiency of online classes cannot be guaranteed. You can't keep an eye on your child, and the teacher can't watch so many students online. The child sits in front of the computer every day in class, but he learns. How much and how much you learn is not guaranteed." In the survey on the home study status of primary and middle school students during the epidemic, 23.3% of the students believed that their learning efficiency at home was worse than usual, and 19.8% of the students believed that after home study Less motivation to learn.
Improve the home teaching mode, improve the quality of classroom interaction and after-school management, do a good job in reducing the burden and improving the quality of home learning, and ensure students' learning efficiency and learning initiative, which has become a common expectation of parents.
The enthusiasm for non-disciplinary training has triggered new "competition", and parents expect to make full efforts in quality education.
A parent of a first-grade primary school student in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province said: "We will also enroll in some Lego robot, Go, calligraphy, art, piano and other courses on Saturdays and Sundays. The free time must be filled, so we will take more quality education courses. "The "double reduction" policy has reduced the family's efforts in subject training, and the education reform has put forward new requirements for the overall quality of students, making the direction of family education investment from "meat chicken" (referring to "focusing on academic performance" "Chicken Baby", to participate in disciplinary course training) to "vegetarian chicken" (referring to quality education "Chicken Baby", to participate in non-disciplinary course training).
The survey found that many parents have added a lot of quality training courses for their children either for utilitarian purposes or out of the expectation of quality education: "Before the 'Double Reduction', there were only two (training classes) in mathematics and art, and the 'Double Reduction' Later, I enrolled in a body class, one to correct the child's walking posture, and the other to make her more confident."
Worried that the "reduced time" did not do "meaningful things", and looked forward to establishing a new model of family education.
A parent of a junior high school student in Zibo, Shandong said: "After the 'double reduction', I have time, but I don't know how to help children develop study habits, participate in sports, etc., and they are still groping in terms of parent-child relationship." Two surveys Among them, 64.1% and 43.7% of the parents said that their time and energy have not been reduced in the discipline of their children, but they are confused about how to improve their own educational ability.
They expect family education to be richer and more effective, and to provide differentiated training for children's interests and abilities.
Worried about the uneven burden reduction between public schools and private schools, and looking forward to the consistency of management of different types of schools.
A parent of a fourth-grade student in Huizhou, Guangdong, said: "For us, the 'double reduction' is mainly reduced in public schools, and private schools do not actually reduce it. People can take whatever classes they should take, and make up as much as they want on weekends. Over the years, policies such as "nearby enrollment" and "area lottery" have been implemented to ensure the balance of inter-school education in the school district or within the district. Measures such as teacher rotation and joint teaching and research have also significantly improved the teaching performance of weaker schools. It greatly reduces the anxiety of parents in choosing schools.
However, the loose supervision of private schools has aroused new concerns among parents.
Many people said: "We want to reduce everyone together. I hope that the rhythm can be consistent, and there must be a system for supervision."
Worried about the lack of personalization of school after-school services, looking forward to improving the richness and effectiveness of after-school services.
A parent of a fifth-grade student in Beijing said: "After school ends at 3:30, some schools can organize a variety of extracurricular activities, such as sports activities and art courses. This mainly depends on whether the school has relevant teachers. But some Many schools only arrange some self-study classes or homework.” After-school services can effectively reduce the burden of students’ study, and also relieve the pressure of family care and financial burden. On this basis, many parents expect the school to improve the level of after-school services.
22.2% of the parents said that "after-school service content is monotonous and poorly targeted", and 12.3% of parents said that "the quality of after-school service guidance and teachers is weak", hoping to further enhance the richness and pertinence of after-school service content.
3. The underlying motivations behind parents’ worries and expectations
Parents' education expectations and education investment are both high. The demand for high-quality education makes parents willing to "over-invest" in their children.
A parent of a junior high school student in Yichang, Hubei said: "The purpose of making money is to train the next generation. Parents definitely hope to create the best learning conditions for their children. Even if the financial investment is more, as long as the children's grades can improve, it is worthwhile." Research It is found that parents' high expectations and high investment in education make them more willing to over-invest in their children's education, which largely aggravates the phenomenon of "education fighting parents" and "chicken education involution".
Previously, data from the research group’s survey of parents in Beijing showed that 96.2% of parents expect their children to have a bachelor’s degree or above in the future, and families will spend 12.5% of their total income on their children’s extracurricular tutoring, and are willing to “excessively pay” for their children’s studies.
"As long as you can pass the entrance examination, we will sell everything for you" is the pattern of educational discourse that "post-70s" and "post-80s" are familiar with when they grow up, and they will naturally transfer this pattern to the education of their offspring .
Advocating the examination culture and the high return rate of education have superimposed effects, and parents expect to help their children obtain better educational opportunities and higher socioeconomic status through educational competition.
A parent of a first-grade primary school student in Beijing said: "My child's father and I both studied hard in a small place and stayed after passing the exam in Beijing. We are the beneficiaries of exam-oriented education. "Grade grades" is also particularly recognized." For a long time, a profound culture of advocating examinations has accumulated on the social and psychological level, forming the psychological and cultural motivations for students' excessive academic burden.
At the same time, the "post-70s" and "post-80s" have a deep experience of "education changing destiny". As parents, they are more inclined to help their children through intensive education and expect their children to receive higher education to obtain a better socioeconomic status. Difficult to change over time.
The network personalized information recommendation mechanism narrows the way for parents to obtain information, and parents' competition anxiety is easily aroused.
In March 2022, the news of "a certain child attends 23 training classes a week" reflected in an epidemic situation survey table in Beijing attracted widespread attention from parents in a short period of time. The message that the child has not reduced the burden has deepened the parents' competition anxiety, and stimulated the parents' wait-and-see and "prepare to run" mentality.
Some parents said: "This state is like wearing running shoes to sleep. Once we find someone who is running ahead in the educational competition, we will immediately jump up and join the team." The influence of the personalized recommendation mechanism, the narrowing of information and the intensification of the "cocoon house" effect of information have negatively affected the determination of parents to reduce the burden and the cultivation of a good educational ecology to a certain extent.
High-quality educational resources are scarce, and families cannot meet their expectations for the high-quality educational resource chain chain of "good primary school-good junior high school-good high school-good university".
A parent of a fifth grade student and a senior high school student in Huludao, Liaoning said: "Both children transferred from rural areas to urban primary and junior high schools. Only when they go to a good primary school can they go to a good junior high school and have a chance to go to a good one in the future." High school, good university.” The scarcity of high-quality educational resources is still a long-term problem in my country. When the current high-quality educational resources cannot fully meet the educational needs of all families, an involutional competition for high-quality educational resources will inevitably occur.
During the interviews, many parents said that they had strong chained expectations for high-quality educational resources. “How can your child be selected by a good school when the selection and assessment mechanisms for the senior high school entrance examination and college entrance examination have not changed? Every family spends time on studying." These parents established a solid causal relationship between "the college entrance examination is still there" and "dare not to reduce the burden" and "still anxious".
4. Respond to parents' education expectations, further reduce burden and improve quality
Promote education and teaching reform and improve the quality of school teaching.
Scientifically and steadily improve the selection mechanism of the senior high school entrance examination and college entrance examination to match the requirements of reducing the burden, so that students' quality and quality will occupy more weight in the examination and be better reflected.
Schools around the world have further improved classroom teaching efficiency and provided personalized after-school tutoring to students with learning difficulties.
Promote the reform of hierarchical and classified teaching to meet the differentiated learning needs of students.
The school should do a good job in homework design and test analysis, improve the effectiveness and scientificity of homework design, reasonably define the academic burden and necessary learning tasks, and implement the "double reduction" policy realistically.
Strengthen information communication between home and school, truthfully feedback excellent and poor academic grades, and timely feedback students' wrong question types, knowledge loopholes, ability loopholes and other academic information to parents to provide strong support for family education.
Collaborate with public education resources to support the provision of high-quality social service projects.
Relying on resource units such as the Youth Palace, Science and Technology Museum, and libraries to carry out various after-school activities, and use primary and secondary school playgrounds and community reading rooms to provide support for after-school activities.
Extensively recruit party members, outstanding parents, "five elders", college students, etc. as off-campus counselors for the Young Pioneers, increase the force of off-campus work, and better organize after-school activities for primary and middle school students.
Support and give play to the advantages of the Young Pioneers in organizing and practicing the characteristics of educating people, accelerate the construction of the Young Pioneers' off-campus organizations, positions, activities, and teams, tilt more resources and projects to the grassroots Young Pioneers organizations, and encourage them to organize more high-quality off-campus activities .
Guide parents to establish healthy educational values, and do a good job in mentality guidance and ability training.
Do a good job in the normalization of parental education mentality research, timely pay attention to and correct the bad tendency of only focusing on immediate performance improvement, ignoring children's healthy growth, and letting children "learn ahead".
Improve family education guidance services, set up parent lecture halls and psychological hotlines, relieve parents' education anxiety, and improve parents' education ability.
Establish a good parent-child relationship and communication mode, provide support for children's growth, cultivate children's healthy psychology, perfect personality, good habits, and autonomy, and realize the effective return of the value of family education.
Strengthen the management of admission information, guide the media information recommendation and algorithm setting mechanism.
Continuously improve the transparency of admission information, and prevent parents from blindly pushing their children to over-study to obtain various certificates or awards with the mentality of "prepare first, save time and regret".
Establish an information management mechanism for "chicken groups" and "admission groups", urge social media, short video and other platforms to reasonably set up network information recommendation mechanisms, and strictly control those who deliberately sell educational anxiety to increase traffic.
(Members of the Guangming Daily research team: Tian Hongjie, a special researcher at the Beijing Youth Education and Development Research Base; Deng Linyuan, an associate professor at the Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University)