Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon?: Why China Has the Best (and Worst) Education System in the World

Summary

Chinese students consistently stunning performance on the international PISA examswhere they outscore students of all other nations in math, reading, and sciencehave positioned China as a world education leader. American educators and pundits have declared this a "Sputnik Moment," saying that we must learn from Chinas education system in order to maintain our status as an education leader and global superpower. Indeed, many of the reforms taking hold in United States schools, such as a greater emphasis on standardized testing and the increasing importance of core subjects like reading and math, echo the Chinese system. Were following in Chinas footsteps--but is this the direction we should take? Whos Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon? by award-winning writer Yong Zhao offers an entertaining, provocative insiders account of the Chinese school system, revealing the secrets that make it both "the best and worst" in the world. Born and raised in Chinas Sichuan province and a teacher in China for many years, Zhao has a unique perspective on the Chinese system. He explains in vivid detail how China turns out the worlds highest-achieving students in reading, math, and scienceyet by all accounts Chinese educators, parents, and political leaders hate the system and long to send their kids to western schools. Filled with fascinating stories and compelling data, Whos Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon? offers a nuanced and sobering tour of education in China.