IntroductiontoLessonStudy

ThismaterialisbaseduponworksupportedbytheNational
ScienceFoundationunderGrantNo.0207259

Traveler,thereisnoroad.
Theroadiscreatedaswe
walkittogether.

AntonioMachado

 ProfessionalDevelopment
TRADITIONAL RESEARCHLESSONS

Begins with answer Begins with question

Driven by expert Driven by participants

Communication trainer Communication among

-> teachers teachers

Relationships hierarchical Relationship reciprocal

Research informs practice Practice is research

ByLynnLiptak,PatersonSchool#2,NewJersey.

 Teachers Activities to Improve
Instruction

Choose curriculum,
write curriculum,
align curriculum,
write local standards

Plan lessons
individually

Plan lessons collaboratively

Watch and discuss each others

classroom lessons

U.S. JAPAN

 WhatisaResearchLesson?

1. Actualclassroomlessonwithstudents,
watchedbyotherteachers
2. Plannedcollaboratively
3. Bringstolifeagoalorvisionofeducation
4. Recorded:video,audio,handwritten,and
throughstudentwork
5. Discussedbyfacultyandsometimesoutside
commentators

 Figure1

LessonStudy
Planning Research PostLesson
Phase Lesson Activities

DiscussLongTermGoals
forStudentsAcademic,
SocialandEthical
Development
DiscussionofLesson
Discussresearchlesson.
RESEARCH Focusonevidenceof
whetherthelesson
LESSON promotedthelongterm
goalsandlesson/unitgoals

ChooseContentAreaandUnit
DiscussLearningGoalsfor
ContentArea,Unitand
Lesson
PlanLessons(s)thatFoster
LongTermGoalsand
Lesson/UnitGoals
Actualclassroom
lesson;attending
teachersstudy ConsolidateLearning
studentthinking, Writereportthatincludes
lessonplan,data,and
learning, summaryofdiscussion.
Refineandreteachthe
engagement, lessonifdesired.Orselecta
newfocusofstudy.
behavior,etc.
 LessonStudyProvidesOpportunitiesto
1. ThinkDeeplyAboutLongtermGoalsforStudents
2. CarefullyConsidertheGoalsofaParticularContentArea,Unit,
andLesson
3. StudytheBestAvailableLessons

4. PlanLessonsthatBringtoLifebothShorttermandLongterm
goals

5. DeepenSubjectMatterKnowledge

6. DevelopInstructionalKnowledge

7. BuildCapacityforCollegialLearning

8. DeveloptheEyestoSeeStudents
 DataCollectedDuringLessonStudy
AcademicLearning
Howdidimagesofheatedairchange?
Didstudentsshiftfromsimplecountingtomoreflexiblemethod?
Diddramaticroleplaysparkhigherqualityandquantityofwriting?
Intheirjournals,whatdidstudentswriteastheirlearnings?
Motivation
Percentofchildrenwhoraisedhands
Bodylanguage,ahacomments,shiningeyes
SocialBehavior
Howmanytimesdostudentsrefertoandbuildonclassmatescomments?
Howoftendothefivequietiststudentsspeakup?
Arestudentsfriendlyandrespectful?
StudentAttitudesTowardLesson
Whatdidyoulikeanddislikeaboutthelesson?

 LessonStudy
Planning
Phase

Collaborativeplanning
Discussgoalsforstudents&content

Studyavailableunits&lessons
Buildfromanexistinglesson

 LessonStudy
Planning Research
Phase Lesson

1teacherteaches;othersobserve/collectdata
Designedtobringtolifeaparticular
goal/visionofeducation
Recordlessonvideo,audio,student
work,observationnotes

 LessonStudy
Planning Research PostLesson
Phase Lesson Activities

Formallydebrieflesson
Sharedata
Drawimplicationsforlessonandteaching
learningmorebroadly
Reviseandreteachifdesired

 LessonStudy

1. STUDY
Consider long term goals for
student learning and
development
Study curriculum and
standards 2. PLAN
4. REFLECT
Select or revise research
Share data lesson
What was learned about Do task
students learning, lesson
design, this content? Anticipate student responses

What are implications for this Plan data collection and lesson
lesson and instruction more
broadly? 3. DO RESEARCH
LESSON
Conduct research lesson
Collect data

How does lesson study improve instruction?
Visible
Features of
Lesson Study
Consider Goals

? Instructional
Study Curriculum and
Standards
Improvement
Plan and Conduct Research
Lesson

Collect Data

Debrief Lesson

Use Debrief to Inform

Instruction
ACommonEarlyConceptionofLessonStudy

Visible
Features of Key Pathway
Lesson Study
Lesson Plans Instructional
Plan Improve Improvement
Teach
Observe
Discuss
Etc.

 Current View: How Does Lesson Study Improve Instruction?
CauseChangesIn:
Visible
Features of Lesson Teachers Result in Changes in
Study Teaching-Learning
Consider Goals Knowledgeofsubject
matteranditsteaching Specific Examples:
Generalknowledgeof Teaching
Study Curriculum instruction
Abilitytoobserve -Offer high-level task
and Standards students
Connectionofdaily
Plan and Conduct instructiontolongterm
goals
Research Lesson Motivation/willingness
toimprove
Capacitytolearn
Collect Data together,collegial
networks
Debrief Lesson Curriculum
Betterlessons
Choiceofbetter
Use Debrief to curricula Learning
Inform Instruction -Student journals reveal
System
Changesinpolicy thinking re: proportional
What Else?
Changesinlearning reasoning
structures

 LessonStudyintheUS:
WhatHaveWelearned?

1. U.S.educatorsCanFindLessonStudyUseful
2. SuccessfulandUnsuccessfulAdaptationsOccur
3. TheIdeaofLessonStudyisSimpleButthePracticeIs
Not
4. QualitiesofSuccessfulSites
Alearningstance
Teacherleadership
Handsonexperiences,suchasworkwithJapanese
practitioners