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Leading Lesson Study
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Leading Lesson Study
A Practical Guide for Teachers and Facilitators

Foreword by Bill Jackson



December 2006 | 232 pages | Corwin

"Provides readers with a compelling rationale for the process, offers experience-tested tools, and suggests 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, Executive Director
National Staff Development Council

"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."
—Roberta Jaffe, Science Education Coordinator, New Teacher Center, University of California, Santa Cruz

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 that brings teachers together as researchers into the science and craft of teaching and learning in their classrooms. Teachers work as teams to develop a lesson plan, teach and observe the lesson to collect data on student learning, and use their observations to refine their lesson. Participants build their sense of professional authority while discovering effective practices that result in improved learning outcomes for their students.

This "how-to" guide provides teachers, administrators, and team leaders with practical strategies, models, and tools. The book leads a beginning team through the phases of 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 teacher-researcher stance
  • Illustrates both the process and substance of lesson study
  • Encourages collaboration
  • Provides guidelines for avoiding common pitfalls

Leading Lesson Study is an excellent resource for both experienced and novice lesson study teams, administrators who want to start a lesson study program, and lesson study team facilitators such as instructional coaches and professional development providers.


 
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

"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, Executive Director
National Staff Development Council

"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, Associate Director, Educational Issues Department
American Federation of Teachers

"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, Science Education Coordinator, New Teacher Center
University of California Santa Cruz

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

California Bookwatch, March 2007

“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, November 2007
Key features
  • Features group activities
  • Lesson Study examples are based in the US, not Japan
  • Addresses the pitfalls and obstacles that lesson study teams will likely face
  • Step-by-step instructions
  • Provides hands-on models, strategies, and tools

Sample Materials & Chapters

Foreword

Preface

Chapter 1


For instructors

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