Different Interpretations of Curriculum and Textbooks from K-9 Teachers in Taiwan and the U.S.

Textbooks are considered as the predominant classroom resource by most K-9 teachers. In particular, several studies have found that teachers in Taiwan are extremely anxious about challenging textual authority. As a result, their teaching is centered on textbooks. Even now educational policy in Taiwan is calling on the use of multiple-texts as supplementary materials along with designated textbooks, teachers still find it difficult to bring themselves to use alternative textbooks. In contrast, American teachers are given more autonomy to decide teaching materials as well as evaluation processes and formats. Yet, their accountability needs to be monitored. This is also the main reason the NCLB law calls for improvement of the teacher quality in the U.S. In the present paper, the author contends that due to different interpretations of “curriculum,” “textbooks,” and “evaluations” in different cultures, we need to learn from each other. However, the key elements for successful teaching in both countries are allowing specialists to exercise autonomy and empowering teachers.