The remainder of the book is a blueprint for changing the American system to make it more learning-oriented. Unfortunately, I am not optimistic that the proposed solution, although a wonderful one, will ever come close to being implemented. The reason for my pessimism is the time required for implementation of the author's plan.

Here in the good old US of A, we are quick-fixers. "Well, we didn't see test scores improve this year after we implemented that new [fill in subject area here] program in September, so we'll have to find a way that does work," seems to be the prevailing philosophy of most school boards.

Does that mean I don't think improvement is possible? No. What I do believe is that each teacher has the power to influence her/his students in a dramatic way during the year(s) they spend together. While I encourage all of us to support some form of long-term change, like that proposed by Stigler and Hiebert, I also admonish each of us to do what we can now in our own classrooms.

In how many of the cultural components did you see yourself in the American mode but wishing you could be more "Japanese" in your teaching? Before reading this book, my perception of Japanese teaching was media-derived - I really felt they ran little "factories" of identical students turning out identical products. I'm not ashamed to admit that I now believe the U.S. system is much less prone to develop independent, creative thinkers than the Japanese system is.

Differentiation of instruction is currently in vogue - I encourage it in my teacher preparation classes. But, I can't help but wonder what would happen if we actually accepted the research available about learning, didn't cave in to pressure from special interest groups demanding preferential treatment for "their" students, and moved to a more "Japanese-like" culture in our classrooms. Oh, I know the obstacles of "selling" such a radical idea to administrator, fellow teachers, and, most of all, parents.

But, imagine what your classroom could be like if students knew it was okay not to "get it" the first time they thought about it. And, what if we allowed all students to share equally in solving the "problem of the day," and we valued each response as part of the whole solution?

Goodness! I must have been dreaming. But you know what's really depressing? Until the early part of the 20^th century, American education was not like it is today. Research and teaching were considered co-equal and necessary by and to all educators. But, when John Dewey left the University of Chicago, a distinction was made between educators and researchers.

As a result of this, most educational reform is seen as top-down; not enough in-service on new techniques and strategies is provided; not enough practitioners are actively involved in research.