As a researcher in environmental political science, my experiences in studying, living, and working in China, Germany, and the United States have provided me with a wealth of perspectives for observing societies from different cultural backgrounds. However, in recent years, accompanying my daughter through her growth and learning journey in Silicon Valley has offered unexpected insights into the educational environment.

My daughter attends a public elementary school in a top-rated district in Silicon Valley. Surprisingly, despite all stationery and textbooks being free for students at school, funding relies heavily on parents' donations each semester, with an average contribution of at least $300 per parent. The amount of these donations interestingly mirrors the trends of Silicon Valley – more generous during booming stock market periods and decreased during downturns, as was the case towards the end of 2022.

Like many who become actively involved in their communities through school districts, I began serving as a member of the board of the Parent-Teacher Association at my daughter's school. This role has afforded me a closer look at the school's day-to-day operations and the interactions among the children. From these observations, I've noticed significant differences between the educational environment my daughter experiences and that of my own childhood. For instance, the school here employs a more diverse evaluation system. A child's popularity isn’t based solely on academic performance. Athletic abilities, such as running fast or jumping high, also make children more popular among their peers. Especially in younger grades, behaviors that might seem childish or silly to adults can earn them the affection and respect of their classmates. As a mother, I continually strive to learn and understand this new environment to better accompany and support my daughter's growth.

作为一名环境政治学的研究学者，我在中国、德国、美国都有过学习、生活、工作的经历。这些不同的文化背景为我提供了丰富的社会观察视角。然而近几年，陪伴女儿在硅谷的成长和学习经历，依然给我带来了许多意想不到的教育环境观察。 我女儿就读的公立小学位于硅谷一流的学区。令人惊讶的是，虽然学生在学校使用的所有文具书本都是免费的，但经费却依赖于家长每学期的捐款，平均每位家长需捐赠至少300美元。家长的捐赠数额也颇有硅谷的特色——在股市行情好的时候，家长捐赠更慷慨；而在股市低迷的时期，如2022年底，家长对学校的财务支持也随之减少。 像很多人从学区开始积极参与社区一样，我开始在女儿的学校担任家校委员会的董事会成员，这让我更多机会深入观察学校的日常运作和孩子们间的互动。从很多细节上，我发现女儿所处的成长环境与我童年时的学习环境有着显著的不同。比如，在这里，学校采用了更为多元化的评价体系。一个孩子的受欢迎程度并非仅仅基于其学业成绩。运动能力，如跑得快、跳得高，同样会使孩子在同龄人中更受欢迎。尤其在低年级的学生中，甚至一些在成人眼中看似幼稚或滑稽的行为，也能为他们赢得同伴的喜爱和尊敬。作为母亲，我尝试不断学习和理解这个新环境，以更好地陪伴和支持女儿的成长。