Nearly everyone is familiar with the stereotype that Asian students do better in school than their non-Asian peers. But, why is this the case? Understanding why Asian students tend to thrive academically may be the key to providing all students with the tools they need for success in the classroom.
In this article, we’ll take a look at 13 possible factors that may be contributing to this phenomenon.
Rigorous Parenting Styles
One of the primary factors in Asian students’ education success is the heightened focus on educational achievement from an early age. Dreaming of a bright academic future for their children is a priority for many Asian parents and this is often manifested through rigorous parenting. This may include long study sessions, endless practice tests and homework assignments, getting tutoring in areas of difficulty and building strong study habits in general.
These parenting practices create an expectation of excellence which can make a huge difference in the quality of a student’s work, their level of interest and engagement, and their resulting educational success. Furthermore, these parents play a big role in the way their children perceive school and studying.
When parents emphasize the importance of school and their willingness to help their children succeed, students tend to take school seriously and approach their studies with dedication and enthusiasm. With Asian parents typically engaging in this practice to a greater degree than other parents, this could be a contributing factor as to why Asian students do better in school.
High Level of Discipline
Another factor that may be playing a role in the school performance of Asian students is the high degree of discipline that is instilled in them from an early age. Asian parents are known for their tough disciplinary methods and cultural expectations of conformity and obedience.
These expectations are rooted in social and cultural beliefs that can lead to higher levels of focus in school. These traditional values create an environment that emphasizes the need to comply with rules and respect authority. That generally results in fewer disciplinary issues in the classroom, leading to better overall academic performance.
But it doesn’t end there. Structured environments and maintaining a constant level of educational engagement can help students maintain focus.
This means that after school hours, Asian students might be less inclined to get distracted by irresponsible and antisocial behavior and focus more on studying. As such, their overall academic performance improves significantly.
Collective Identity
An additional possible factor that may contribute to Asian students’ academic success is a strong collective identity that starts in the home. Unlike students of many other backgrounds, Asian students typically don’t view themselves as individuals but rather as members of a collective.
The family is highly important in Asian cultures, and there is often an emphasis on honoring and respecting one’s ancestors. Consequently, there is a feeling of obligation to achieve success, which helps motivate these students to perform well in school. These students don’t just see themselves as individuals, but take pride in the successes of their culture and family.
This individual or collective identity can be an incredibly powerful motivator, encouraging students to put extra effort into their studies and perform for the betterment of their families and heritage. In addition, the support of a strong and close-knit network can act as a safety net of encouragement and remove negative pressure from studies, creating a more productive and pressure-free educational environment.
Strong Cultural Influence
In many Asian cultures, education is viewed as a key to economic, political and social success. As a result, highly educated individuals are held in high regard, which creates a great incentive for young students to work hard in school and pursue a good education. In addition, there is a strong emphasis in Asian cultures on achieving high scores on tests and exams.
This can run deep, encouraging competition amongst students and pushing them to excel in their studies. These strong cultural influences can help students stay focused and driven to succeed.
It may also provide additional support that is critical for academic success. With strong family support, academic guidance and positive culture, Asian students may have an advantage over others when it comes to reaching their full academic potential.
Lack of Cultural Stress
On the flip side, one potential advantage of Asian students is that they may not face as much cultural stress as their non-Asian peers. In many parts of the world, there is an emphasis on fitting in and being “popular”. This can create significant amounts of pressure for young students to conform to social norms.
However, Asian students may not experience this pressure to the same degree as other students because their cultural backgrounds are different. This can be beneficial as it allows more time and energy to be focused on schoolwork and studies without much of the usual distractions.
At the same time, cultural differences may mean that there are fewer opportunities for Asian students to get into serious trouble. This could lead to fewer instances of suspension, expulsion, or other disciplinary action and leave them free to focus on their studies and education.
Competitive Academic Environment
In many Asian countries, schools have highly competitive academics. This helps to create an environment that is focused on excellence and encourages students to continuously strive to do their best.
The competition is often embedded in the school system as a way to measure academic success. This not only helps to motivate students but also encourages them to use all available resources to learn and study. Moreover, Asian schools tend to have higher expectations when it comes to academic performance.
Students are expected to perform above the average level and are rewarded for this. These higher standards push students to work harder and prove themselves throughout the year, which could be one of the reasons why Asian students often excel more in school than their non-Asian peers.
Early Start
Another factor that may be contributing to the educational success of Asian students is that many start their studies at an earlier age. With Asian countries generally beginning formal education at an earlier grade than in the United States, this gives these students an advantage in developing academic skills from a younger age.
It can provide an added boost to the learning process, as students can have a better foundation when starting school, giving them a head start on their peers. This can be especially beneficial during elementary school years, when critical problem solving and reading skills are being developed. Also, because students are starting to learn earlier, there is more time to focus on advanced topics.
This could help them master complex topics and become more prepared for university-level classes.
Strong Work Ethic
Strong work ethic is another common cultural trait amongst Asians, which often carries into the academic setting. Asian parents tend to emphasize hard work, dedication and discipline over intelligence. As a result, their children are taught to put in extra effort to succeed and to never give up.
These values create a strong desire to do well in school, which for Asian students translates into serious dedication to achieving academic success. The focus on hard work can be especially beneficial when it comes to challenging courses, as students know that with enough effort they can eventually conquer any obstacle.
In addition, Asian students typically have a very structured approach to studies, which can be incredibly beneficial in the academic environment. This structured approach allows students to stay disciplined and organized, making it easier to manage studies and keep up with assignments.
Awareness of Cultural Backgrounds
Being aware of and comfortable with one’s cultural background can also be beneficial for Asian students in the academic setting. The traditional values and customs of their families can act as a form of structure and motivation for these students, helping push them to excel in school. Asian students often understand the importance of their heritage and the advantages that come with having a good education.
As a result, these students may feel a greater sense of responsibility to their ancestors and family, which can in turn lead to greater motivation to do well in school. Additionally, this heightened awareness of their cultural backgrounds can also instill a sense of pride and accomplishment in these students.
This could help them stay motivated and urge them to continue to excel in school in order to bring honor to their families.
More Time Dedicated to Schoolwork
Asian students tend to have less that they have to do outside of school than other students. Without a doubt, many students must leave school to care for their families or siblings, perform additional jobs, or take on other responsibilities.
These can put a strain on a student’s ability to excel in school as all their energy is focused elsewhere. Fortunately, many Asian students don’t have such distractions and can instead dedicate more time to studying and completing their school work. What’s more, without some of the same social pressures as other groups, Asian students may be more likely to pursue extra educational activities such as independent projects, learning more advanced topics, and participating in extra curricular activities.
All of these can put them in strong position to do better in school.
Conclusion
Asian students have an impressive track record when it comes to academic success. Many of these students have managed to achieve outstanding results in their studies, leaving many to wonder why is this phenomenon so common? The answer could be related to a combination of factors, such as a rigorous parenting style, high discipline levels, collective identity, cultural influences, lack of cultural stress, highly competitive academic environment, early start, strong work ethic, and awareness of cultural backgrounds.
With more time dedicated to schoolwork, this can result in excellent academic performance. By understanding and addressing these factors, all students can be empowered to pursue excellence in their studies.