A pair of authors are offering tips on how parents can replicate the success of Asian parents who have raised academically driven children.
Soo Kim Abboud, a physician in the University Health System, and Jane Kim, authors of Top of the Class: How Asian Parents Raise High Achievers -- and How You Can Too, spoke to Penn staff and students yesterday.
The authors say that due to their upbringing, Asian children are more driven than average Americans. Abboud said that while 50 percent of American children opt for a college education, 85 percent of Korean-American and 95 percent of Indian-American children do.
The authors said that a combination of American ideals and immigrant realities drives Asian-American kids to success.
In the nations from which Asian-American families immigrated, educators are traditionally highly respected, Kim said. However, she added, American parents often adopt an adversarial position regarding teachers.
Kim believes that Asian-American parents play a more significant role in the day-to-day decisions of their children.
She added that American parents should invest more time in guiding the activities of their kids.
"Independence needs to be tempered with mature advice," she said.
Abboud said that while younger children may feel this is too domineering or overprotective, they appreciate their parents' sacrifices and advice as they grow older.
"I really resented my mother's nitpicking as a child. As I grew older, I began to appreciate it," Abboud said.
At the same time, she added, Asian-American parents adopt American ideals in educating their children.
They have begun to encourage activity-based learning and independent research.
Kim recounted her own experiences.
"We would go to [the movie] Ghostbusters, and my mom would tell me that my task was to learn 10 elements in the periodic table. Ghosts were composed of elements," she said.
Abboud added that as the children of immigrants in an alien culture, often at a financial disadvantage, Asian-American kids may find it imperative to succeed.
Kim said that the academic performance of Asian-American children has declined with each generation as per capita income in their families has increased.
"Today's children are spoiled. They do not appreciate the sacrifices behind their family's wealth," Abboud said.
The audience's reaction was largely favorable.
College freshman Leslie Yuan wanted her mother to read Abboud and Kim's book.
"The talk was really impressive. I think my family's experiences bear out what was said," Yuan said.
