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Jan. 3, 1994

Hi Jim,

Sorry to keep your books for so long. You were right. The "Learning Gap" is a fascinating book. I usually mark books up with lots of yellow high lighting and scribbling in the margins but since this wasn't my book I didn't have that luxury. Instead I typed up a list of the differences between Asian and American schools for the sake of comparison which I will stick away for later reference. I'm enclosing a copy of it so you can see I've done my homework.

It was a pleasure to have Asian schools described without the usual stereotyping. I was surprised to discover that some of my ideas for improving schools are already established practice in Asia like having teachers train teachers and having the same teacher in charge of a class for more than one year. I noticed that the Authors made a few suggestions that you as a union rep would have a hard time getting your colleagues to swallow like the recommendation for larger classes. The only way you could persuade other teachers to give this any thought is to have them read the "Learning Gap" themselves. For what its worth you can add my recommendation to yours as you pass the book around.

After I had gotten about half way through the book I was so enthusiastic about Asian elementary education that I paused to reread the book "More Like Us" by James Fallows which is critical of Americans who want to copy Japanese schools. Fallows who lived with his family in Japan for a couple of years is a Rhodes Scholar and the Editor of the Atlantic Magazine. I was so impressed with his book that I bought a dozen of them on the cheap to give to people like you. Add it to your collection. Its a good counterpoint to the "Learning Gap."

I recommend reading the beginning of Fallow's book in which he examines Asian societies and the end in which he criticizes the post war trend in America towards meritocracy based on credentials. America is not about to become a Confucian society but Americans have, much to my annoyance, become more class obsessed. Much to my surprise I found the description of Asian elementary schools in the "Learning Gap" refreshingly democratic.

Thanks for lending me the book.

Conclusions of James Stigler and Harold W. Stevenson after a ten year study of Asian and American schools as found in their book "The Learning Gap."

Japan & China (elem. schools only) America (elem. schools only)

Confucian ideals....................................Individualism is the ideal
homogeneous both ethnically........................heterogeneous both ethnically                                                                        and
and economically                                                                        economically although this is                                                                       undermined by the inner city                                                                       suburban split.
deferential to authority............................skeptical towards authority
meritocracy of teachers..........................hierarchy based on ed. degrees              careful grooming of teachers................sink or swim for teachers
careful grooming of children........................sink or swim for children
assume all children have ability.........assume natural talents are critical and hard                                                             work assures for children's success
Nationalized curriculum..................................non standard curriculum
large classes................................................smaller classes
no support staff.................................lots of support staff
lots of preparation time.......................limited preparation time
Teachers train teachers........................Education Colleges train teachers
joint planning between teachers........teachers do their own planning
fewer classroom interruptions...........many class room interruptions
three hours in front of students..........six hours in front of students
up to five recesses totaling one.......one recess for 10 to 15 minutes
hour between lessons children.....children often restless and bored.
   
                                                     refreshed for study
teachers have same classes from.......teachers have classes for 1 year   
                                                         2 to 3 years
No distinction between college &......elem, teachers lowest on the totem poleelem. teachers all respected
student errors represent an.................student errors represent failure
opportunity for clarification and
understanding
questions are asked to provoke.......questions are asked to elicit correct
thought                                               answer
no tracking..........................segregation by "ability" performance
group lessons and students working..........individual study at desk
with other students
Japanese kids (though not Chinese)......American kids watch a lot of TV too
watch more TV than American
kids
Asian learning by rote a myth in.......In math American teachers teach
elementary grades                             by drill and constant repetition.