Lesson study is a professional development process that Japanese teachers engage in to systematically examine their practice, with the goal of becoming more effective. This examination centers on teachers working collaboratively on a small number of “study lessons”. Working on these study lessons involves planning, teaching, observing, and critiquing the lessons. To provide focus and direction to this work, the teachers select an overarching goal and related research question that they want to explore, i.e. literacy and numeracy across the curriculum. This research question then serves to guide their work on all the study lessons.
While working on a study lesson, teachers draw up a detailed plan for the lesson, which one of the teachers uses to teach the lesson in a real classroom as other group members observe the lesson. The group then comes together to discuss their observations of the lesson. The group will come together again in the afternoon session to discuss the observed instruction. Finally, the teachers produce a report of what their study lessons have taught them, particularly with respect to their initial research question.
Vision and Goals:
- To develop an incubator classroom for teachers to collaborate across disciplines in the instruction of children in an actual school setting;
- To encourage peer feedback to become a more reflective practitioner in teaching and curriculum development.
- To implement effective teaching practices with observations and videotaped analysis of teaching strategies;
- To increase the probability of best practices in instructional practices with students.
Look for Upcoming Opportunities Next Summer
Program Staff
Peg Regan
M.A.T. English, Columbia University
C.A.G.S. Educational Leadership, Lesley University
Rachel Schubert
B.A., Tulane University
M.A.T. English, Brandeis University