Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon?
Why China Has the Best (and Worst) Education System in the World
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon?
Why China Has the Best (and Worst) Education System in the World
About this book
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, provocative insider's account of the Chinese school system, revealing the secrets that make it both "the best and worst" in the world. Born and raised in China's Sichuan province and a teacher in China for many years, Zhao has a unique perspective on Chinese culture and education. He explains in vivid detail how China turns out the world's highest-achieving students in reading, math, and science—yet 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, Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon? offers a nuanced and sobering tour of education in China.
- Learn how China is able to turn out the world's highest achieving students in math, science, and reading
- Discover why, despite these amazing test scores, Chinese parents, teachers, and political leaders are desperate to leave behind their educational system
- Discover how current reforms in the U.S. parallel the classic Chinese system, and how this could help (or hurt) our students' prospects
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Table of Contents
- More Praise for Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon?
- Title page
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- About the Author
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction: Fatal Attraction: America's Suicidal Quest for Educational Excellence
- 1: Fooling China, Fooling the World: Illusions of Excellence
- 2: The Emperors' Game: A Perfect Machine for Homogenization
- 3: Governance without Governing: The Retreat of Authoritarianism and China's Economic Boom
- 4: Hesitant Learner: The Struggle of Halfway Westernization
- 5: Fooling the Emperor: The Truth about China's Capacity for Innovation
- 6: Hell to Heaven: The Making of the World's Best and Worst Education
- 7: The Witch That Cannot Be Killed: Educational Reforms and Setbacks
- 8: The Naked Emperor: Chinese Lessons for What Not to Do
- Bibliography
- Index
- End User License Agreement