U.S. teachers repeat the same topic more than Japanese teachers do. For example, U.S. students learn about fractions in the fourth grade and again in the fifth and sixth grades. U.S. and Japanese instruction goals differ. In the United States, teachers demonstrate how to solve a math problem, and students copy the procedure. In Japan, students are asked to create their own solutions instead of copying.
Teachers focus on helping students achieve higher-level understanding of math concepts.
U.S. students are weak in measuring skills Students aren't given enough opportunities to practice measuring with instruments, so they do poorly on problems that require unit conversions, calculations of volume and circumference, and estimation of measurements Well-prepared teachers make a difference. Students whose teachers majored or minored in math did better on the test. Teacher knowledge must be greater than merely knowing how to demonstrate routine procedures if students are to learn how to solve novel problems. Students of teachers who have a deeper understanding of problem solving perform better. U.S. lessons are less coherent.