From ASCD Express, 2010.
Excerpt:
Lesson study is a form of professional development in which a small team of teachers collaborate to plan a research lesson. It provides a systematic process that involves four steps:
- Identifying an aspect of student learning that needs improvement.
- Planning a research lesson that generates discussion about the teaching of that concept.
- Conducting the lesson with teachers observing and collecting data on student thinking.
- Reflecting on the data and its implications for teaching and learning.
In 2009–10, three groups of teachers from Westport, Conn., participated in a research project under the direction of Catherine Lewis and Rebecca Perry of the Mills College Lesson Study Group. As the building math administrator, I agreed to facilitate lesson study with a team of five 5th grade teachers who had different teaching experiences, instructional styles, and student academic levels. I hoped to discover if lesson study could provide a process for professional learning that would support diversity among teachers and students.
Keywords:
instructional improvement, mathematics instruction, small schools
