Our Approach to Lesson Study Mar

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Our Approach to Lesson Study María E.
TorresSummer, 2004
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Introduction

• Job-embedded strategy used in Japan that gained
  interest in the United States after the
  dissemination of the results of the 1995 Third
  International Mathematics and Science Study.
• Lesson Study focuses on curriculum.
• Lesson Study is a collaborative process.

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Initiation of Lesson Study in the Southwest Region

• Summer institute focuses on content knowledge,
  pedagogical content knowledge, student assessment
  and Lesson Study.
• Writing Teams develop lessons.
• Schedule for public demonstration lesson.

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Preparing for the Research Lesson Curriculum

• Team members refine lesson.
• Demonstration teacher obtains permission from
  principal to implement the lesson.
• Demonstration teachers informs students and
  obtains parental permission for video-recording
  prior to the Research Lesson Colloquium.
• If demonstration lesson is to be held in setting
  other than the regular classroom, the teacher
  holds class in that setting prior to the Research
  Lesson Colloquium to get students used to the new
  environment.
• Copies of the lesson are provided to observers
  prior to the Research Lesson Colloquium.

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Observing the Public LessonThe Day of the
Research Lesson Colloquium

• Step 1 The Orientation

Changes to the lesson are noted. A seating chart
is reviewed. Observers volunteer or are assigned
to a student or a group for observation. Norms
for the observation are established. Observers
are provided an observation protocol.
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Data Columns in Observation Protocol
Pre - observation notes Sequence of the lesson Teacher engagement, teacher talk, teacher questions Student reaction response collaborating solutions/errors Evidence written, posted, and oral
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
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Observing the Public LessonThe Day of the
Research Lesson Colloquium

• Step 2 Observing the Lesson
• Observers are in classroom before students
  if possible, otherwise observers quietly go
  in and sit or stand as close as possible to
  their group or student assignment
• Observers take notes about what they see
  happening.

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Observing the Public LessonThe Day of the
Research Lesson Colloquium

• Step 3 Personal Reflection
• Time is provided for observers to reflect on
• what they saw (1530 minutes).
• Each observer summarizes notes and makes
• recommendations about the lesson in a 5-
• minute report.

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Observing the Public LessonThe Day of the
Research Lesson Colloquium

• Step 4 The Debriefing/Group Discussion
• Group reconvenes and a recorder is
  assigned to take notes of the discussion.
• Demonstration teacher begins the discussion
  and is followed by the other members of the
  writing team.
• Facilitator calls on each of the other
  observers.
• The invited commentator is the last to
  report. The observers write thank-you notes to
  the students.
• The writing team agrees on a date to meet to
  review notes and refine the lesson.

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The Invited Commentators Report

• Provides an external perspective on the lesson
  and its implementation
• Addresses and provides evidence of the connect or
  disconnect of the lesson to local, state, and
  national standards, needs of students that are
  historically underserved and underrepresented
• Comments on how this model of professional
  development benefits all participants, not just
  the writing team
• Comments on the mathematics, student thinking,
  teaching, assessment, use of resources, systemic
  reform shifts

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Observing the Public LessonThe Day of the
Research Lesson Colloquium

• Step 5 Next Steps
• Scheduling writing team meeting
• Possible second iteration of the lesson

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After the Research Lesson Colloquium

• The demonstration teacher may survey the students
  about the lesson and/or about the observation.
• The demonstration teacher may share the thank you
  notes written by the observers with the students.

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After the Research Lesson Colloquium

• The writing team meets to
• Review notes, videos, if any, student
  work/surveys
• Refine the lesson based on feedback.
• Write a summary of what they have learned as a
  team
• About mathematics
• About teaching
• About student thinking
• About the use of resources
• About the shifts in systemic reform
• Other
• The writing team turns in its report to the
  contact person.