Comparison and Contrust between U.S. Education System and Thailand Education System.

Study in the United States is very challenging and exciting for an international student like me. Four weeks that I have been studied here at U of M I have to adjust myself for a new study environment. Because education system in the U.S. and education in Thailand are very different from each other and I want to discuss 3 examples.

First example about the differences between two systems is Collaboration versus Competiveness system. In the U.S., Teachers encourage students to work together as a team. There are many discussion questions during the lesson and students are more using brainstorm and learn from each other ideas. In contrast, Thailand education system tend to be more competitive. Teacher often assign homework to work individually at home.  

Second example is Freedom of choice versus Collectivism. In the U.S. University, there are many choices of class for students to choose. Students can add and drop classes as their own preference. Students can even design their own degree as it offered at the College of Continuing Education at U of M. The opposite of Thailand which we only can study classes in the major of each field. The classes are shown in the time table of each semester.

Another differences between this two systems is The U.S. education focused on Learner-Center. Students are tend to use more critical thinking to analyze the content. In contrast, Thailand education systems focused more on Teacher-Center which teacher give the lecture and students listen, take note, and memorize.

U.S. education system is nothing like home that I am familiar with. There are many more differences in between this two education that I am still learning. So far I am doing great adjusted myself to the U.S. education system.

Summary of "Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior"

Summary of “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior”

Many people curious about how Chinese parents produce many remarkable children that excellent in academic, music, and professional success. Amy Chua, mother of two successful daughters, wrote an essay “Why Chinese Mother Are Superior” to share her story about raising her kids in a Chinese way. She compares the way she trains her kids is different than Western parents and Chinese parents. She gives many examples of Chinese parenting such as, her kids were trained music instrument many hours a day. She created many rules that her children were not allowed to do. She choose the activities for her children. She believed that Chinese family think that parenting achievement is to produce a successful children in school. She mention about Chinese parent also believe that their children can be the best at studies and activities. The kids will touch the enjoyment only when they good at it and that must come with hard training. Such a tough training many people were not agree with the way she did. She said Western parent tend to give up early about training their kids. She mention the differences between Chinese and Western parenting such as, Chinese parents can say things that western parent can’t say like call their kid” Fatty” as refer to health. Western parents are too worry about hurting their child’s feeling so they will not say anything that might damage kid’s self-esteem. Chinese parents can demand and order straight As from their kids because Chinese parent believe that their child can get them. Western parents tend to persuade kids to try to do their best. Chinese parents are pushing their kids to overcome their own desire. Western parents are too worry about how their children’s will feel. In the last part, she conclude that Chinese way of loving their children is to prepare them for the future. Western parents are loving their kids by provide them positive support. Two different mid-set that separate these two type of parenting.

 

My response is...

I am not agree or disagree with her way to raising her children. In fact, I am happy for her that she successfully produced two amazing daughters in their academic study and musician mastery.  As many people might disagree the way she raised her kids but nobody can really answer what is the right ways to do. The way she did is just one of many ways of parenting. She mentioned that she had done some mistake along the way. I think it is okay because all she had done is about loving her children and to prepare them for the future. When her children can take care of themselves, they can choose to do what they like later on. I will use my experience for example. As a child, my parent choose what I study and I obeyed and fulfill their wishes. If you asked me when I was a kid or teenager what I want to do or what I want to be. My answer will be “I have no idea” or “I want to stay home and do nothing”. I will answer something without the second thought. I will be lost without my parent’s decision. As I grew up, I graduated technical school because of my parent. I tried to work and I didn’t like my job so I came back to school to study something that I like. My parent is respected my decision because I am an adult now. They felt that they have done their job and now it’s myself to make my very own decision. I think it is right for my parents to choose which way I should go or do. Because they just want to make sure that I will be fine in the real world and I am glad what they have done for me. I am so thankful.

 

 

 

Summary of "Cutting and Pasting: A Senior Thesis by (Insert Name)"

Brent Staples wrote an article” Cutting and Pasting: A Senior Thesis by (Insert Name)”. From the studied He said there is a high percentage of high school and university students cheat or plagiarize in their academic study and tend to increase every year. The reasons he points out are unlimited public information’s from the internet is very easy to access and people think that consequences of plagiarism is avoidable and some people who get caught are not even ashamed about it. Students only look to just finish their assignment as soon as possible without using their own idea and practice in their study field and that’s against the main purpose of academic education. To prevent plagiarism, academic institution take an actions to this problem by using the online-base detection to look out for plagiarism in the student’s work. Also many university use online instruction and require students to complete before they enroll. Another way is he give in class written assignment to student so he can watch how students do their work. Cheating students may face severe consequences, more likely to fail in class, lead to probation, and even ask to leave. The last point that he discusses is about new student generation that this plagiarism, copy from the internet way of thinking habit are already spread out everywhere and it will be difficult to change.

My response is....

I will have to agree with the author about plagiarism is bad for students for those only cut and paste then say that’s is their work without trying to understand the main idea of the assignment. This problem will prevent students from thinking critically and intelligently. Later on this might lead to less productivity as a negative workforce into the public.

I also have to argue with his example of a rap musician in the article which he said a new generation’s work but putting musical notes from different songs to create a new mix and claim that’s their work. This is might not be too bad at all. When we think about the old generation which only had a books in their hand to study and generated totally new idea. I am glad and appreciated their work in the past but new generation students today is surrounded by unlimited information. It seems difficult and impossible to come up with 100 percent invented idea. Those totally invented works need highly skill and very intelligent person to create. Especially, when he mentioned about high school student with a young age who do not have those requirements. We might need to think about the academic system with high level of expectation. They need to understand that not everybody is smart. Cutting and pasting from sources provided in the internet might not be the best way but that might be the only way to get work done but students should only use it properly and intelligently. I will use my experience for example about cutting and paste. When I was at the previous university I had a very difficult mathematics homework and I couldn’t solve the problem even I tried many times. So I searched for the solution in the internet and luckily I found the answers so I copied and pasted and summited the homework on time. Later on I used those questions to discuss with my teacher and review for the exam. If I didn’t copy from the internet my points would be deducted and teacher would be disappointed.

Greetings Everyone!

My name is Charanyoo Sangma. I am a transfer student from Beijing Union University in China. I studied International Business major for 3 years before I decided to move to Minnesota and continue my study here at U of M.



My name is "M"

I want to talk a little bit about my name. I think you all might find it a little bit difficult to pronounce but don’t worry I have a nick name, its Em or M. I think this is much easier, right? I want to explain a little bit more about my nick name, every Thai person has their own nick name and a full name. It’s not only you facing this name pronunciation problem believe me, even us among Thai people, we don’t call each other our full name because sometime it’s too long and difficult to pronounce. So we instead call each other by nick name only. When I was born my parent picked this name for me and that’s why I got the name “M”. It’s very common in Thai to use only the English alphabet as a nick name, so don’t be surprise when you meet other Thai people and their name is B or K or A. Hi! My name is “M” and I am so excited to know you all!

A little bit about me, I grew up in the small city called Phrae in the northern part of Thailand very near to Chiangmai. I went to technical college and worked at one of the computer shops in the city right after I graduated. I realize that this wasn’t what I want to do so I instead opened a small internet café at home in early 2007 and later opened a small restaurant in Chiangmai the year after. I started to travel to neighboring countries that included China, Macau, and Hong Kong and that’s where I met my life partner and which led me to move to China at the end of 2008.

I went to University of St. Joseph in Macau to study English in summer 2009 and then we were relocated to GuangZhou city in south China because of work. Then I went to the South China University of Technology in the summer 2010 and study Management major and again we were relocated to Beijing the year after so I had to start over again but I didn’t give up on study. I went to Beijing Union University as I mentioned earlier and spent 3 years studying International Business and trade, I could see Beijing union university diploma right in front of me 3 months ago and in the morning on June 17, a Chinese postman rang my door bell with a small letter in his hand that changed my life.

My U.S. immigrant visa got approved! “OH MY GOD” and that was the only thing I said for at least 10 minutes. I sat down on a chair and my mind went blank a few minutes later I read and read that letter again and again just to make sure that I didn’t misunderstand anything, I was so happy, I was speechless from the happiness. Then I started to call everybody, friends, teachers, neighbors (even though I know neighbors probably doesn’t care but I went to tell them anyway), and of course I called my mom and told her a good news.

My friends in Beijing were sad that I was leaving even though we all knew that this day would come soon or later because we are foreigners in China. My friends were from every part of the world and just before my departure I got to go to a few farewell parties of my friends who were moving back to their home countries or got other jobs in different countries. Now is my turned to go. My friends in school were sad the most. When we started as freshman with 19 international students together and last semester we were the only 3 students survived in our major that including me, many of them just disappeared, many were suspended and now only 2 Cambodians students left in my old school. I wished those best of luck and hope to see them again one day. They came to see me before my departure and cried and that how sad it was. I am so glad to know them.

I went back to Thailand to visit my family. My brother and sister were there and they were so happy for me to come to the United States. My parents were happy for me as well but I can tell the worries in their eyes. They were worried when I first moved to China but this time they were terrified. I am leaving to the place far… far... away from home and I kept telling them not to be worries. I was survived in China so now I can live any place on earth, I made a joke to them and they were laughed and that I want to see before I left.

My spouse and I arrived Minnesota on July 18th, got the apartment in Saint Paul family housing this way we both can commute to the University easily. I enjoyed summer here very much. The grass is so green, the sky is so blue, colors that I have never seen before in my life, and well… it would be beautiful in Beijing as well if the air wasn’t so polluted. I am pretty sure Chinese students will agree with me on this case. I also talked to Minnesota people about how beautiful here during summer and they were agreed and also they mentioned about how cruel winter could be too. But I actually like winter, snowfall and icy lakes are kind of a dream world to me. I grew up with 80-90 degree all year long and I found it boring.

Well… I am here in Minnesota now. I am so excited to be here and hope fully I graduate this time (finger crossed).

Charanyoo Sangma (M)