Confucian values have profoundly shaped educational practices and parental expectations in East Asian societies. Several key tenets, including effort, moral development, filial piety, and hierarchy, are particularly influential according to the reviewed literature.

Effort and Academic Pursuit: A central theme is the strong emphasis on effort and hard work as the primary determinants of academic success. Failure is often attributed to a lack of application rather than ability, fostering a belief in individual perfectibility through diligence. This leads to high parental expectations and significant investment of time and resources to support children’s studies. Parents frequently communicate the value of education, stressing the importance of studying hard and prioritizing academic tasks.

Moral Development and Holistic Education: Confucian thought views moral training as a crucial part of education that must be reflected in behavior. Education is not solely about academic achievement but also about becoming a better, right-minded person useful to society. Parents often link academic success with responsible behaviors and moral accomplishment, while poor academic performance can be associated with misbehavior. Schools are also seen as important for instilling good societal values.

Filial Piety and Parental Roles: Filial piety, the respect and duty owed to parents and elders, significantly influences the parent-child dynamic in education. Studying hard and achieving academic success is often presented as a filial obligation. Parents see it as their crucial role to educate children and instill rules and norms. While the document on parental involvement notes that parents may defer to school authority and be less involved in school activities compared to Western contexts, they exhibit intensive involvement at home, driven by high expectations and a deep-seated “educational desire”. This can include supervising homework, providing resources, and engaging in “affective” involvement like monitoring and providing physical comfort while children study.

Hierarchy and Communication: Hierarchy is a fundamental aspect of Confucian culture, influencing relationships within the family and between parents and teachers. In educational settings, there is a clear social hierarchy where students are expected to show respect to teachers and avoid disagreement. Historically, a scholarly class of administrators gained prominence through academic effort, though hierarchical structures persisted. Communication patterns can be influenced by this hierarchy, with teachers sometimes positioned as experts and parents feeling hesitant to voice concerns directly due to cultural concepts like “face”. Despite this, parents actively seek ways to support their children, sometimes utilizing informal networks to gather information and navigate the educational system. The influence of hierarchical structures and related communication patterns remains noticeable in modern East Asian societies.

In conclusion, the reviewed literature indicates that Confucian values strongly influence educational practices and parental expectations in East Asia, emphasizing effort, moral development, filial piety, and navigating hierarchical structures. These values shape both the formal education system and the significant role parents play in their children’s academic and personal development.