WORLD CLASS

Educational consultant Clavel makes her book debut with an upbeat chronicle of her children’s school experiences in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo and a harsh critique of American education.

Living in New York City with two young sons, the author was dismayed at her friends’ anxieties about preschool. Competition was fierce, and families went so far as to make huge donations to coveted schools, get counselors’ help during the application process, and enroll their toddlers in “preschool prep” classes for their interviews. When her husband announced a huge promotion that would take the family to Hong Kong, they jumped at the chance to avoid the preschool mania. In Hong Kong, her boys thrived at preschool in a building so decrepit that it was nicknamed “The Prison,” a public magnet school with a socio-economically diverse student body, dedicated teachers, and curriculum that emphasized mastery. A few years later, the family moved to Shanghai, a teeming city where Clavel found an even more admirable school system. “In China,” she writes, “they truly believe education is the great equalizer: everyone can succeed if they work hard enough and all children deserve high-quality education.” Pedagogy emphasized “memorization, challenging homework, and discipline,” writes the author, noting that American parents would likely feel uncomfortable about teaching based on flash cards, speed drills, and repetition. After two years, the family moved again, this time to Tokyo. A top-down, centralized, stable curriculum; experienced, adequately paid teachers; and a shared commitment to the importance of education produced schooling that worked well in homogeneous Japan—and for Clavel’s children. When they returned to “the land of capitalism, individuality, and freedoms,” the author was shocked by haphazard curricula, lack of oversight, thoughtless integration of technology, stunning turnover of teachers and administrators, and emphasis on sports. Finally, she opted for private schools. Clavel offers advice about vetting schools and enriching children’s education, but her evidence for praise of Asian education, mainly exam results and international ranking, is not fully convincing.

Experiences in Asian schools yields well-meant suggestions for improving students’ learning.