The same procedures were followed in selecting Chinese and U.S. samples. In particular, the schools were chosen
based upon the recommendations of educators at each research site. Three of the six Chinese schools were aboveaverage
schools, and the remaining three were average. Although these schools were selected on the recommendations
of a group of Chinese teachers and mathematics education professors, they were not in any significant way atypical
in the region in terms of student population and family background. After the schools were chosen, one 6th-grade
mathematics teacher from each school was selected from among those who volunteered to participate. All students
in one of the selected teacher’s classes from each school were tested. Across the six schools, a total of 310 6th-grade
Chinese students were included.