District and School Supports for Ambitious Math Instruction: A Comparison Between the United States and China

• In Event: Worldwide Perspectives in Teaching Mathematics

Abstract

Current education reform initiatives in both the U.S. and China call for significant changes in mathematics teaching and learning, with both countries emphasizing improvement in students’ problem-solving capabilities. This study is a cross national comparative analysis seeking to better understand how districts are organized to support teachers in improving mathematics instruction in both the U.S. and China. Data used in this analysis includes two years of interview and survey data of approximately 150 teachers each year in each country. Key strategies for supporting teachers to improve the quality of their instructional practices in both countries include: 1) district level teacher professional development, 2) teacher collaborative time, 3) lesson observation and feedback, and 4) expectations and supports from the principal.

Authors

• Erin Craig Henrick, Vanderbilt University

• Emily C. Kern, Vanderbilt University

• Paul A. Cobb, Vanderbilt University

• Thomas M. Smith, University of California - Riverside

• Cao Yiming, Beijing Normal University