CHAPTER 11: Transforming Curriculum From Intended to Implemented: What Teachers Need to Do and What They Learned in the United States and China

Cross-system studies of mathematics curricula and teacher education provide unique opportunities to understand the differences and similarities among different systems, and suggest alternative ways for future teacher training for curriculum transformation and implementation. In this paper, I first summarize findings from some relevant studies probing how U.S. and Chinese mathematics textbooks are structured for teaching and learning. Cross-system variations in textbooks present teachers with different opportunities and challenges for classroom instruction. I then present collaborative research efforts investigating approaches and expectations in preparing teachers for classroom instruction in the United States and China. The results show different approaches and emphases in teacher preparation in terms of what prospective teachers need to learn about curriculum and instruction. Finally, possible connections and disconnections between teacher training and what teachers need to do in curriculum transformation, and implications obtained from cross-system comparisons are discussed.