This article presents the authors' critique of lessons proposed by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21). The authors initiate a discussion about content that they hope will play out in schoolhouses and statehouses across the country. They take on a different task: they present a handful of lesson ideas from P21 that could enhance studies…

Describes the Japanese approach to educational improvement called "research lessons," actual classroom lessons taught to a teacher's own students but observed by other teachers, recorded, and discussed. Outlines the impact of research lessons as examples of good educational practice that can be disseminated throughout Japan. (SLD)

Explains that writing national history involves much more than arranging facts and dates, which is why, over 50 years after the end of World War II, the Japanese are still arguing about what actually happened during that time, Japan's role in war crimes and aggressive actions, and how to present it all in textbooks. (SM)

Explores teaching as a cultural activity by focusing on U.S. and Japanese systems of teaching in the context of cultural beliefs about how students learn and the teacher's role in the learning process. Educational improvement could result from greater awareness of the cultural scripts used in teaching. (SLD)

Explains the reasons why Japanese teachers seem to attain such high levels of performance as evidenced by the achievement of Japanese students in comparative international studies. Evidence is presented from background papers and case-site studies from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. It reveals Japan's highly competitive…