This paper uses the Teaching for Robust Understanding framework (Schoenfeld, 2013) as an analytic lens on episodes of mathematics teaching from two different countries. This lens highlights differences in teaching approaches across the two settings and draws attention to the need for further interrogation of how culture, curriculum and values inform teaching practices. It also has implications for research practices as it shows that the theoretical frameworks and methodological tools that are used in research are not value free or culturally neutral.