This 2 day introduction to lesson study focused on the basic format and potential of this process. Dr. Yoshida also involved participants in some simulated activities that are the type of student-centered lessons from Japan that focus on developing student thinking. I have tried to summarize some of the main points of the workshop.

Goal of Lesson Study

• What kind of students do we have, and what kind of students do we want?
• How do we get there?
• Keep students at the heart of the process
• Help teachers see the practice of teaching and learning in a concrete form
• Stress that this is a form of research

Basic Format

• A group of teachers gets together to plan a very detailed lesson within the context of a larger unit
• One teacher teaches the lesson, and the others observe and take notes
• The group comes together to discuss the instruction witnessed and what it taught them about the goal they set out to explore
• (Optional) A different teacher teaches the same lesson while the others observe
• The teachers produce a report of their work (for use next year and to share with others)

Important aspects of lesson study

• The lesson plan is unbelievably detailed. I have samples if you are interested.
• One of the goals is to make the lesson transparent. In addition to the teachers involved, others are invited to observe.
• It is recommended for teachers to go through this cycle 2 times a year.
• Lesson Study will not quickly raise test scores
• It will take time because of the image of teaching we all have in our heads because of our own schooling.

Interesting Facts about Japanese teaching

• The average Japanese teacher teaches at least one study lesson per year, but observes about ten.
• Over ten years, the average Japanese teacher has made 100 observations of fellow teachers! (How many do American teachers observe?)
• Japanese 1st year teachers go through 30 days of professional development (15 at education centers and 15 at the school learning lesson study)
• Japanese Math texts are a maximum of 100 pages per volume. Grade 1 has one volume and Grades 2-6 have 2 volumes. To say each volume was one centimeter thick would not be an exaggeration.
• There is no ability grouping through 8th grade. Only students with "severe handicaps" are taught separately. Tracking begins in high school.
• Problem solving is not taught separately
• Teachers are hired for 12 months, and they work from 8-5 each day.

The very student centered lessons we have seen in the TIMSS videos are not taught every day. However, if a unit is 7 lessons, they will account for 3-4 of those lessons. The others will be used for review and practice.

I am sure that lesson study will occupy many of our conversations about professional development. Everyone that attended the workshop is excited about its prospects in our district.

The people who attended were:
Elementary: Steve Levine, Robin Hummel, Larue Evans, Jen Weber, and Rachel Morgan
Middle: Terry Malone, Jerry Jellig, Michelle Smith, Jill Sansbury, and Jeanine Moffett
High: Tim Sadar, Walter Stern, and Stan Krantz
Others: Trish Rubin, Broderick Boxley, and T.J. Locke

Articles

• Challenges to Importing Japanese Lesson Study: Concerns, Misconceptions, and Nuances
• Improving Student Learning (PDF Format, 4MB)

Power Point Presentations

• Lesson Study: A Japanese Approach to Improving the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics
• Prerequisites for Planning Lessons Effectively
• Developing Effective Use of the Blackboard and Student Note Taking Skills Through Lesson Study
• What Can We Learn from Observing a Research Lesson?

Useful Links

http://www.tc.edu/lessonstudy/
http://www2.edc.org/lessonstudy/lessonstudy/
http://www.rbs.org/lesson_study/index.shtml
http://www.rbs.org/catalog/pubs/pd55.shtml
http://www.enc.org/features/focus/archive/lessonstudy/
http://www.lessonstudy.com/
http://www.lessonresearch.net/

-T.J. Locke, Director of Curriculum