Leslie Grant, “West Meets East: Best Practices from Expert Teachers in the United States and China” (ASCD, 2014)

Teachers have recently become a target in the educational reform debate. Most would agree that great teachers are crucial for education. However, there is no singular formula for a great teacher. So then, what makes a great teacher? Do those characteristics transcend culture? These questions and more are explored in a new book titled West Meets East:  Best Practices from Expert Teachers in the United States and China (ASCD, 2014). The book is a collaboration from several American and Chinese academics: Leslie Grant, James Stronge, Xianxuan Xu, Patricia Popp, Yaling Sun, and Catherine Little.

Dr. Grant, Assistant Professor of Education at The College of William and Mary, joins New Books in Education to discuss West Meets East. In the interview, Dr. Grant provides an overview of her coauthored book, including how the project began with collaboration between The College of William and Mary and Yunnan Normal University, in Yunnan Province, China. Grant and her coauthors interviewed teachers across the US and China whom had all been honored with teaching awards by their respective countries. The authors explored four characteristics of these teachers: personal qualities, planning and assessment, instructional practices, and classroom management. While their comparative educational study showed distinct differences amongst the two groups, the researchers also found that some characteristics that cross over to both cultural groups of great teachers, like a shared sense of purpose and responsibility. This cross-cultural comparative book is ideal for teachers, policymakers, and anyone interested in education or comparative studies.

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