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How Chinese Teach Mathematics: Canadian Teachers’ Perspectives

  • Research Article
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Frontiers of Education in China

Abstract

As part of a large reciprocal learning partnership project between Canada and China, this study explored Canadian teachers’ perceptions of mathematics teaching in elementary schools in China. Using reciprocal learning and Activity Theory as the theoretical lens, we collected data, i.e., classroom observations, group discussion, and informal exchanges from teachers in a pair of research sister-schools in Canada and China. Qualitative data analyses revealed four themes in Canadian teachers’ perceptions of the characteristics of Chinese mathematics teaching: an active teacher-student interaction model of questioning-responding, a mathematical knowledge-package summary at the end of each lesson, integration of the history of mathematics into teaching, and the development and implementation of well-structured lessons. Contributions, implications, and limitations of the study in mathematics education and research are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions which led to substantial improvement of the manuscript. We also gratefully acknowledge Dr. Ruth Hayhoe for her insightful suggestions to improve the paper. Furthermore, we acknowledge the grant from the National Social Science Foundation of China (No. 17XMZ032), Chongqing Association of Higher Education (No. CQGJ19A02), and Ideological and Political Course at Southwest University (No. 20190711) for providing funds to the study. We greatly appreciate the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada which funds the larger Reciprocal Learning Canada-China Partnership Project (898-2021-1011). Last but not least, we appreciate the support and contributions of the graduate students, mathematics students, teachers, and school administrators in Canada and China for their participation in this project. Of course, any remaining errors are the responsibility of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China

    Aihui Peng

  2. College of Education, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, 30118, USA

    Li Cao

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  1. Aihui Peng
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  2. Li Cao
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Correspondence to Aihui Peng.

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Peng, A., Cao, L. How Chinese Teach Mathematics: Canadian Teachers’ Perspectives. Front Educ China 16, 31–59 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11516-021-0002-7

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