Also the part about individualism vs collectivism...
Back in my middle school in China about 4 years ago, I remembered a large part of our non-academic education is Collectivism, our middle schools and high schools are not based on course selection system, instead, we are divided up into different "classes" with an almost militaristic structure. Students participate in school events in the unit of classes instead of individuals, however, there are individual-based contests too. But mostly, a class shares honor and shame, the designated classroom is to be cleaned by ourselves, each classroom has 2 black boards, one for the teacher, and one for the students to demonstrate the uniqueness of this specific class. We will have different posts like class monitors, artistic overseers, assignment overseers etc., mostly elected by students. This system definitely creates the "commune" feeling in a school, where students works together and helps each other, at least in ideal cases.
I don't know why you guys think Cups and Teeth are wrong, their description seems pretty accurate to me.
