West Meets East: Best Practices from Expert Teachers in the U.S. and China

Leslie Grant, James Stronge, Xianxuan Xu, Patricia Popp, Yaling Sun, and Catherine Little

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About This Book

The United States and China: two nations drastically different in demographics, history, political structures, and education systems. Despite these differences, educators in each country have discovered they have much to learn from one another. 

The United States looks east and is captivated by the high assessment scores that many Chinese students achieve. China looks west and is enamored with how the United States fosters innovation and creativity in students. 

Teachers are increasingly looking across borders to expand, adapt, and offer their students a more balanced education. 

West Meets East is based on the fundamental premise that strong teaching is at the heart of educational quality and that we all benefit from understanding the practices and professional thinking of exemplary teachers. 

With this in mind, Grant and her colleagues set out to discover which beliefs and strategies of effective teachers can cross the cultural divide and help students in each nation make breakthrough advances.

As educators, it’s important to understand that even though we’re setting new goals and improving outcomes, excellence is a moving target. In the globally connected 21st century, educational innovations in one country can reset the bar for students around the world. 

Only by learning from one another can we be sure all our students remain competitive and successful. 

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About the Authors

LESLIE GRANT is Assistant Professor of Education at the College of William and Mary, and teaches in the educational policy, planning, and leadership area. Her research interests focus on cross-cultural comparisons of teaching, teacher effectiveness, and assessment literacy for classroom teachers and educational leaders. Grant currently serves on the board of directors for the Consortium for Research on Educational Assessment and Teaching Effectiveness.

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JAMES STRONGE is the Heritage Professor of Education, a distinguished professorship, in the Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership Area at the College of William and Mary. Stronge's research interests include policy and practice related to teacher quality and effectiveness, and teacher and administrator evaluation. He is a founding member of the board of directors for the Consortium for Research on Education Assessment and Teaching Effectiveness.

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XIANXUAN XU is currently a postdoctoral research associate at the College of William and Mary. Her research interests include teacher effectiveness, professional development, and teacher and principal evaluation. She also focuses on international comparative analyses of teacher qualities and student learning in the United States and China.

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PATRICIA POPP is State Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youth in Virginia and a Clinical Associate Professor in the Curriculum and Instruction Area at the College of William and Mary. Her research interests include children and youth experiencing homelessness and other forms of mobility, students with disabilities, and teacher quality. 

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YALING SUN is Professor of Education and Director of the Curriculum and Instruction Department at Yunnan Normal University, in Yunnan Province,China. She is also a Counselor of Yunnan Provincial Government. Sun’s research interests cover areas of teacher education, schooling counseling, and curriculum and instruction.

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CATHERINE LITTLE is Associate Professor in Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut. In 2012, she was recognized as a University Teaching Fellow. Little’s research interests include professional development, differentiation of curriculum and instruction, and classroom questioning practices.

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