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When the questions about Irish primary school curriculum were asked most of the Chinese parents said they didn’t know the Irish curriculum very well and could not name all the subjects the children studied at school. Some parents even thought the subjects the children studied at school were just English, Irish and mathematics. This came as a surprise to the researcher.

I don’t know about the other classes, but for him (a boy in the 3rd_{class), he} has Irish, mathematics, English. . . . So mathematics, English and Irish. . . what

else does he have? Then the rest is just some after school activities.

– T1 Parent 3

I: So what subjects do they have?

P: They have mathematics, and. . . what else do they have? ... I: English?

P: Yes. English, Irish. They also have religion class.

– T1 Parent 2

When the researcher tried to hint to one of the parents that the children might also learn some other subjects, such as history and geography, the parent immediately denied that her children learnt these subjects in school, although the history and geography curriculum start right from Infant class in Irish primary schools.

No, they don’t have history and geography in 2nd class. Maybe next year, 3rd class, but they don’t have them this year. They are only learning English, Irish, and mathematics at the moment.

– T2 Parent 6

Obviously, these parents were not very clear about what subjects the children are studying at school. The knowledge of the curriculum came for the most part from their children’s homework.

Some parents know the curriculum subjects a bit better than others.

I’m not quite clear about their curriculum, but I know what subjects they learn. They learn Irish, mathematics and English ... they seem also have geog- raphy... and science. They have music and P.E. as well.

All the subjects this parent mentioned are the subjects that a Chinese primary school cur- riculum has as well (except Irish), and therefore perhaps she was more familiar with these subjects.

Only one out of nine Chinese parents in the research interviews could name all the sub- jects in Irish primary school curriculum. This Chinese mother explained that she knew the NCCA online curriculum before, and she especially reviewed it again just to prepare for the interview with the researcher. She clearly named all the subjects in the Irish primary school curriculum. Not only the subjects like English, Irish and mathematics, but also social environmental and scientific education (including geography, history and science), social, personal and health education, arts education, P.E. and religious education. She claimed that the subjects of Irish and Chinese primary school subjects are very similar, with the only difference being moral education and religious education, and, in her opinion, these two subjects have very similar aims.

Although most of the parents didn’t know much about the Irish primary school curriculum, many parents did comment that they do feel that Irish primary education aims to develop the children’s full potential, creativity, independence, hands-on ability, active learning and individual development.

I think Irish primary schools concentrate on the child’s hands-on ability and team work spirit. The Irish education is quite flexible and emphasises the development of the different talents of the children. Children learn things very actively.

– T1 Parent 4

From the experience I have had with my kid, I have found that the Irish school emphasises the child’s creativity. The Chinese school concentrates on the child’s academic study. . . . I feel the Irish school and teacher put more em- phasis on children’s individual character development. For example, I was late

for collecting him one day, he was waiting there and called me to go to see his art work. The teacher tends to encourage each child’s interests and talents. They exhibit the children’s paintings, calligraphy, or sculptures in the class- room. I think this is a great way to encourage them. I don’t think there is much like this in China.

– T1 Parent 2

P: I think the Irish schools are trying to cultivate children’s hand-on ability. I: Yes, how do you see that?

P: Last time, his teacher gave him something. . . they call it a project. I: Yes. That’s right.

P: He was asked to make this, make that, sometimes he needs to go to the Inter- net to check about the Earth or planets. This kind of way is great, but in China the teachers might just tell you all the answers instead of letting you find it out for yourself. So children just need to memorise more. So it is different in this aspect. That’s what I know about the curriculum.

– T1 Parent 3

It is interesting to note that all these comments were made by parents of Type 1 children. Their children’s experience from both Chinese and Irish primary schools allowed them to see the difference between the two educational systems more clearly and also to appreciate the advantages of each educational system.

Seven out of nine Chinese parents mentioned that they felt that the academic level of Irish primary school curriculum is lower than the level of curriculum of Chinese primary school.

The academic level of the Irish curriculum is quite low. The curriculum isn’t that structured. Chinese curriculum is very structured and systemised. In Irish schools the teacher can teach anything. It is not very structured and the level of the knowledge is a bit shallow. So those are the difference.

So far, I feel that the difficulty level in Irish primary school curriculum is lower than the one in the Chinese curriculum. They have great emphasis on the things like drawing, colouring, these kinds of things and making things, maybe some simple spelling. However, the Chinese curriculum ... it seems that it is much more strict than this, and the level is much higher as well. My child went to infant class since she was four years old. That has been three years so far, and she has just learnt the twenty-six letters of the alphabet.

– T2 Parent 5

Although these parents had never read the actual Irish primary school curriculum, they may get this kind of impression from their daily interaction with their children’s study, such as checking their homework, looking through the textbooks, and chatting about their school day. Some parents may also draw their conclusions from talking with their friends or relatives in China and comparing their children’s progress in school, comparing the Irish and Chinese primary school textbooks and so on.

The only Chinese parent who actually knows the Irish curriculum very well in this study also claimed that the level of Irish primary school curriculum is lower than the one in Chinese primary school, especially mathematics.

In general, the academic level of Irish primary schools is much lower than the one of Chinese primary schools. It is much easier as well. . . . I’m really worrying about my children’s mathematics. I don’t know when Irish primary schools can raise their mathematics level to the degree that Chinese schools have.

– T3 Parent 9

Mathematics is an issue that nearly all the Chinese parents in this study mentioned. The next section will look at the views of Irish mathematics education as held by the Chinese parents, in more detail.