China and the Whole Child.

The article reports on China's attempts to live up to former leader Mao Tse-Tung's educational philosophy of enabling students' moral, intellectual, and physical development and supporting their growth into workers with both socialist consciousness and culture. The author reports that, in 2007, Chinese students still struggle with long school days, excessive homework and tests, little physical activity, and few opportunities for socialization. The author describes the historical and social events that prevented China's education system from letting go of its dependence on standardized testing. The reforms that began in 1999 and have brought about changes leading to quality education, the curriculum restructuring, and the government's criteria for student's moral development are described.