A Study in

… Lesson Study

Workshop Maths and CPD for Subject Advisors

Kroonstad, March 24-26, 2015

Outline

• What is lesson study?

• What are typical steps in a lesson study?

• How does lesson study look like in action?

In-School Teacher Professional Development

“Countries that wish to improve the effectiveness of professional

development provided to teachers should increase the amount and

variation of school embedded offerings such as mentoring and

coaching, creating networks of teachers who learn together, and

supporting collaborative research and instructional problem solving by

teachers.

Non-school embedded professional development such as conferences,

seminars, courses and workshops, especially those that take place

outside of the school where teachers are employed, should be limited as

they are associated with low levels of reported impact on

instruction.”

http://bit.ly/1GsYqdz

Lesson Study Cycle

1. Plan

2. Do

3. Check

4. Action

Lesson Study in 10 Steps

1. Identify teacher &

topic

2. Plan next steps

3. Research on topic

4. Lesson

plan preparation

5. Lesson Plan

Discussion

6. “Mock” lesson & feedback

7. Lesson plan adapted

8. Implement Lesson in Class & collect data

9. Discuss data

10. Adapt Lesson

Plan

Steps 1 & 2: Planning & Preparation

• Collaborative

• Learner reactions

• Expectations for lesson

• Rationale for questions

• Teachers as professionals

• Needs-based

• Facilitator (subject advisor)

Step 3: Observation & Data Analysis

• Observation tool

• Focus on learner behaviour

– Many eyes

– Intermingle with pairs

– Facilitator participates

• Decide on focus

– Bloom’s taxonomy

– Questioning

– Motivation

– Learner activities

Step 4: Discussion & Adapting Lesson

• Reflection

• Data-driven

• Questions for

improvement

• Different perspective

• Tacit knowledge made

explicit

• Lesson can always be

improved

Lesson Study and PLCs

• Underlying vision on CPD is similar

– Collaborative, data driven, needs-based, continuous, school-

based…

– Teachers take responsibility for own professional learning

• Lesson study can be framework for PLC

• Link with other activities

– Bring in external expertise in planning phase.

– Discuss how to use manipulatives, ICT…

– Integrate innovative teaching and learning strategies

• Subject advisor

– Participant or facilitator

Lesson Study

Allows teachers to

focus on a concept

that is challenging to

teach and difficult for

learners to

understand

© Max Boschini

Potential for ICT

• Using low cost video equipment to record lesson parts

for peer learning

• Share lesson plans digitally

• Store final lesson plans in central (online) location

• Use ICT to arrange & communicate venue & data

• Attach digital artefacts to digital portfolio