This presentation reviews the procedures for implementing Japanese style lesson study.

The underlying aim is to help you to become a reflective practitioner through working collaboratively with other teachers.

It is not about appraisal of teachers but about evaluating and reviewing jointly planned lesson plans after implementation.

Japanese Lesson Study

If schools are to deliver effective CPD then first they need to

understand what is meant by “great instruction” and then

put systems in place that enable teachers to develop their

ability to deliver “great instruction” lesson by lesson.

Barber and Mourshead (2007)

The key to long-term improvement is figure out how to

generate, accumulate, and share professional knowledge.

James Stigler (2000)

Lesson study is a powerful tool to identify great

instruction and sustain it in the classroom

Japanese Lesson Study

• Teachers learn best from and improve their practice by seeing other teachers teach.

• Teachers who have developed deep understanding of and skill in subject matter pedagogy should share their knowledge and experience with colleagues.

• Teachers should cultivate pupils’ interest in the subject through the quality of their learning.

Lesson Study: Underlying Principles

1. Agree overarching aim(s)

2. Develop specific objectives to meet those aims

3. Design and plan research lessons (as a group)

4. Teach and observe the lessons

5. Debrief, reflect and revise the lessons (with the group)

6. Share what you have learned with other teachers

Information for each of these now follows

Lesson Study Procedures

Consider what qualities would you like your CORE MATHS

learners to have when they leave your school?

What is the gap between what you want and what actually

happens?

This should help clarify your overarching aim.

Here is a sample overarching aim:

“Our learners will become independent thinkers who enjoy

working together to produce creative solutions in

mathematics in unfamiliar situations.”

Now discuss and agree your overarching aim.

1. Overarching aims

You need to interpret the overarching aims into specific objectives when planning your CORE MATHS research lessons. For example:

Enjoy doing mathematics – to help learners to enjoy and sense personal reward in the process of thinking, searching for patterns and solving problems

Gain confidence and belief in abilities - to develop learners’ confidence in their ability to do mathematics.

Be willing to take risks and to persevere – to improve learners’ willingness to attempt unfamiliar problems and to develop the perseverance in solving problems without being discouraged by initial setbacks

Interact with others to develop new ideas – to encourage students to share ideas and results, compare and evaluate strategies, challenge results, determine the validity of answers

Now develop your specific objectives

2. Specific Objectives

• Form groups of 3 or 4 teachers

• Plan the teacher order and timings of the

CORE MATHS research lessons

• Meet together to plan and agree the first

research lesson

• Be sure that the lesson plan does meet at

least some of the agreed specific objectives

• The group needs to have a shared

responsibility for the research lesson.

3. Planning the Research Lessons

• One teacher gives the lesson

• Lesson observed by other members of the group (and/or videoed for later discussion)

• Other members take notes, with particular note as to whether the lesson plan is followed

• They do not interfere with the lesson unless they have been given a specific role in the lesson plan

4. Teaching the Research Lessons

• Group meets together some time later after lesson has been given

• Meeting chaired by one of the group but not the teacher who has given the lesson

• Teacher first gives their review of the lesson

• Others contribute in a positive way, and reflect on the lesson plan and evaluate how effective the lesson was was in meeting the specific objectives

• Lesson plan revised for other teachers

5.Debrief, reflect and revise lesson plan

6. Sharing Good Practice

• Complete the sequence of CORE MATHS research lessons

• Review the action points from the reviews

• Share with others and senior management

• Review and modify the specific objectives

• Review the groups of teachers

• Continue the process