Leading Lesson Study: A Practical Guide for Teachers and Facilitators / Edition 1

by Jennifer Stepanek, Gary Appel, Melinda Leong, Michelle Turner Mangan, Mark Mitchell

Overview

Use this team-centered approach to directly enhance teaching and learning in your school!

First introduced in Japan, lesson study has gained enthusiastic advocates in US educational circles as a powerful, collaborative approach. This "how-to" guide leads a beginning team through the lesson study cycle and provides an experienced team with new perspectives. Using examples from U.S. classrooms, this handbook:

• Encourages educators to generate and share knowledge
• Inspires a teacherresearcher stance
• Illustrates both the process and substance of lesson study
• Encourages collaboration
• Provides guidelines for avoiding common pitfalls

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781412939874
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	12/28/2006
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jennifer Stepanek is a writer, editor, and researcher with Education Northwest in Portland, Oregon. She is the lead author of Leading Lesson Study: A Practical Guide for Teachers and Facilitators (2007), published by Corwin Press. Jennifer has worked with lesson study teams at a variety of sites in the Northwest to explore how teachers in the United States are adapting the Japanese model to fit their contexts and needs. Jennifer has written and edited a number of articles on lesson study and is also the co-author of An Invitation to Lesson Study, an electronic resource designed to help facilitators and other professional development providers introduce lesson study to others. Her previous projects include serving as the editor of Northwest Teacher, a math and science journal and writing publications for the It’s Just Good Teaching series—research-based monographs on mathematics and science teaching.

Melinda Leong has served as a Senior Program Advisor in the Mathematics Education Unit at Education Northwest since 2001. She has been providing leadership in designing effective professional development in mathematics learning, teaching, and assessment. Before joining Education Northwest, she worked with the New York City Board of Education in District 2 as a teacher and director for 11 years at the K–8 level. She was the founder and director of the Manhattan Academy of Technology in New York, a middle school focused on integrating technology into a three-year comprehensive and rigorous academic program. Leong holds a B.A. in education and American studies from Tufts University, an M.A. in elementary education from Hunter College at the City University of New York, an M.A. in administration and supervision from City College at the City University of New York, and a graduate certificate in middle school mathematics from Portland State University.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Bill Jackson
Preface
About the Authors
1. Introduction—Making the Case for Lesson Study
An Overview of Lesson Study
Core Elements of Lesson Study
Building a Research Base for Lesson Study
2. Laying the Groundwork for Lesson Study
Beginning With the Necessary Ingredients
Additional Supports
Creating a Lesson Study Action Plan
Inviting Teachers to Participate
Finding Time
Gaining Support From Administrators
Finding External Support
Developing a Collaborative School Culture
Challenges of Laying the Groundwork
Moving on to the Next Phase
Key Ideas
3. Starting the Lesson Study Cycle
Roles and Responsibilities
Creating the Schedule
Developing Into a Team
Identifying Group Norms
Maintaining Group Norms
Becoming a Community of Practice
Types of Lesson Study Goals
Key Ideas
4. Planning the Research Lesson
Process for Planning the Lesson
Investigating Teaching Materials
Step 1: Identify the Topic
Step 2: Map the Unit
Step 3: Identify Goals
Step 4: Create the Lesson Plan
Reflecting and Assessing Progress
Moving on to the Next Phase
Key Ideas
5. Teaching, Observing, and Debriefing
Roles and Responsibilities
Preparing for the Observation and Debriefing
The Pre-Observation Meeting
Teaching and Observing the Lesson
Conducting the Debriefing
Preparing for the Revision
Challenges of the Debriefing
Reflecting and Assessing Progress
Moving on to the Next Phase
Key Ideas
6. Revising and Reteaching the Lesson
Why Revise and Reteach?
Process for Revising the Lesson
Step 1: Gather and Review the Data
Step 2: Analyze the Data
Step 3: Identify Needed Changes
Step 4: Revise the Lesson Plan
Challenges of the Revision Process
Reteaching and Focusing the Debriefing
Reflecting and Assessing Progress
Moving on to the Next Phase
Key Ideas
7. Reflecting and Sharing Results
Importance of Reflection
Lesson Study Reports
Process for Developing the Report
Alternatives to a Report
Evaluating Lesson Study
Tying Reflection and Evaluation to a New Cycle of Lesson Study
Key Ideas
8. Growing and Sustaining Lesson Study
Maintaining Momentum
Dealing With Turnover
Adding Teams and Sites
Embedding Lesson Study
Hosting an Open House
Goals for Teacher Learning
Final Thoughts
Resource A: Sample Research Lessons
Resource B: Frequently Asked Questions
Resource C: Additional Resources
Glossary
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

"Rightly argues that the quality of education can be better enhanced through the powerful and practical learning inherent in well-done lesson study than 'teacher-proofing' and other attempts to change the surface features of schools. Teachers need to help set the agenda for learning that is focused on the problems of their classrooms, have an opportunity to collaborate, and observe why lessons do or do not work in order to improve student learning. No process affords a more comprehensive and powerful learning opportunity than lesson study."

Alice Gill

"A powerful teacher professional development process that focuses collaborative teams directly on the classroom, and the perfect tool for teachers, professional developers and team leaders. Gives you everything you need to use lesson study to support teachers in thinking deeply about practice. I can't wait to start using Leading Lesson Study with the science teachers I work with!"

Roberta Jaffe

“Fulfills the subtitle’s promise to be a ‘practical guide,’ with numerous samples, examples, and worksheets. The authors have succeeded in creating a guide with rich potential to increase both the quantity and quality of lesson study work done in the United States.”

Education Review

"Educators at all grade levels will appreciate the instruction that uses examples from US classrooms throughout. "

California Bookwatch

"Guides educational leaders in creating successful lesson study in American schools. The authors provide readers with a compelling rationale for the process, offer experience-tested tools, and suggest ways to address commonly-occurring challenges. This book will assist teachers, and those who support them, in understanding and implementing all phases of lesson study, from initial planning through sharing with others what was learned."

Dennis Sparks