Who's afraid of the big bad dragon?

Yong Zhao

"The secrets behind China's extraordinary educational system - good, bad, and ugly, Chinese students' consistently stunning performance on the international PISA exams-- where they outscore students of all other nations in math, reading, and science--have positioned China as a world education leader. American educators and pundits have declared this a "Sputnik Moment," saying that we must learn from China's 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. We're following in China's footsteps--but is this the direction we should take? Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon? by award-winning writer Yong Zhao offers an entertaining,...