For several days now, the students at the high school next to my dorm have been practicing marching in their physical education classes and occasionally after school too. At first, I thought it might be apart of a program similar to the JROTC in the United States, that is designed to groom high school students for the military. However, it turns out all the loud marching and counting has been in preparation for an open house.
At the open house, spectators sat on the sidelines and watched as each class marched into the physical education area, around the track and onto the field where they lined up in perfectly-spaced, pre-designated spots. Now it has be to be said that these high school students' marching isn't the sloppy, slightly sauntering "march" American high school graduates do as they walk into a stadium or auditorium for graduation; this is real marching, similar to what you'd see at a military boot camp. The students are perfectly synced and impeccably spaced and they all have a chant they sing/chant in order to keep the rhythm of their marching correct.
In addition, each class adds a unique touch to their march around the track. One of the classes has all their students hold fake bouquets of flowers. In other classes, all the students wear hats or shirts of a particular colors. Others hold banners, have students on rollerblades or bouncing basketballs. Another one of the classes has four students playing (orderly) leap frog in front of the class as it marches along the track. Other classes classes even have a whole choreographed routine involving raising your arm on certain counts and waving on other counts.
Even the teachers have to take part in this exhibition. The teachers have an entire routine they have to do that includes various stretches, clapping and what looks like to me, kung-fu poses. The routine itself is set to a musical piece, most likely a march, with a male voice-over that enthusiastically announces the counts.
I'm not sure if exhibitions like this are normal for high schools in China or if it's just the school that's next to my dorm, but I have to say, you would
never be able to pull off something similar to this in the United States. Yes, I know some schools have marching bands in the US, but marching band is voluntary and I have a hunch this exhibition is mandatory for these students.
Even if you were able to somehow organize an exhibition like this, I doubt you could get American students to take it seriously and really work as hard as these students do at making sure their routines are solid and marching is in sync. That's not to say that American high school students are all lazy or goofballs or anything, of course. It's just a different educational culture.
On one hand, the American education system is largely built around the idea that you should enjoy learning and learning should still respect each student's individuality. While on the other hand, the Chinese education system emphasizes more on the good of the whole, regardless of what an individual student may think or feel. Hence, here in China they can organize a big exhibition and have students march in it all for the good of the school's image, but in the United States, if you tried organize something similar, most likely, you'd have a large group of dissenting high school students who aren't afraid of voicing their strong dislike of the plan.
Personally, I'm glad my high school never made me perform in such an exhibition. However, I realize my reaction to this is very culturally based since basically all my schooling was in the United States. Perhaps if I grew up here in Beijing or maybe even in Hong Kong, I'd find this completely normal and maybe, just maybe, even enjoy it. Who knows.
That's all for now. I think the exhibition must be tomorrow since they have flowers, seats & a podium all set up already. Hopefully this means I don't have to listen to marching everyday anymore after tomorrow.
Students practicing for the exhibition.
They're very small in this picture, but do you see how orderly they are? And this is only the practice!
