I'm an American living in Shanghai. I've been a teacher in China for the last seven years and have no plans of returning to the US. English has been a required subject in school since 2001. 

For a country of 1.4 billion people, there is no way to accurately generalize schooling in China — just as a public school educator in the rural Midwest may have a vastly different experience than that of a teacher in an expensive private school in Chicago, so is the case here.

In China, there is a large variety of public schools teaching the national curriculum, a smaller variety of international schools, and a large variety of private schools falling somewhere in between, integrating the local curriculum with international aspects. Boarding schools are fairly common, as they are considerably more affordable than those in the US.

However, as a product of the American public school system and a teacher in China, I notice a number of distinct differences characterizing education.

Kids learn English early and have time to nap or rest regardless of age

A typical school day will include core subjects of Math, Science, History, Mandarin, and English, a required subject from primary school since 2001. China represents the world's largest population of English language learners, and this multilingual environment impacts the school and the students. One can often hear students speaking English together in the halls due to either school policy or an interest in the language.

A few distinct details vary considerably from a school day in the US. Students of all ages may have one to two hours each afternoon to nap or otherwise return to their home, dormitory, or homeroom to rest.

Students also perform eye exercises throughout the day, intended to alleviate stress and eye tension throughout long hours of study — and student monitors will check to make sure their classmates are participating.

My students have so many extracurricular activities

When I ask my students about their plans for the evening or weekend, they respond with a list of extracurricular activities: badminton, calligraphy, French or Spanish courses, soccer club, choir, violin, piano, or a science fair.

A rigorous and multifaceted education is a priority and is seen as a means of economic mobility as well as status. China boasts a nearly flawless high school graduation rate, and students often begin their education in an early years program.

While my students are mostly first-language Mandarin speakers, throughout primary school, many quickly attain reading levels in English equivalent to their American counterparts. Additionally, the Math materials I use in planning for my first-grade students are often US second or third-grade materials.

Violence in school campuses is really low

While each school will have at least one security guard, their concern is not policing the students but protecting them from outsiders. Violence on school campuses in China is infrequent enough that most students and teachers simply do not think to fear it occurring, and certainly not on the regular basis that we do in the US.

Many international schools carry out lockdown drills similar to those in the US, but there are no bullet-proof-glass doors, much less strategic safe rooms or ballistic-shield backpacks. When a car backfired next to my school building, I was the only person who jumped in fear.

As a teacher in China, I'm more respected than in the US

Teaching is an esteemed and sought-after profession, and teachers in China will often find more respect from students and parents than those in the US. Parents often ask me for advice about parenting, as teachers are viewed as experts in our field. Many families are highly involved in their child's education, asking repeatedly how they can support at home and what extra resources and assignments are available.

As I completed my teaching license, I considered what it may be like to return home; I interviewed at various schools in cities where I could picture myself living and tried to picture my career there. While my perspective is one of thousands, and many friends and colleagues go on to teach in their home country or a new destination abroad, I won't be teaching anywhere else for the foreseeable future.

Harlie Rush is a primary school educator in Shanghai, China. Rush recently completed her US teaching license and holds a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics. She is a late-in-life polyglot with a passion for studying languages including German, Mandarin and Spanish. She enjoys reading, making art, and writing about education and culture in her free time.