RIP> Riptides, March 2004, *Lesson Study*

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Date:         Thu, 4 Mar 2004 16:59:02 -0500
From: Debra Gingerich <gingerich@xxxxxxx>
Subject:      Riptides, March 2004, *Lesson Study*
To: RIPTIDES@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

~~~~~~Riptides~~~~~~

http://lists.rbs.org/archives/riptides.html

Monthly mathematics and science education news
from Research for Better Schools

March 2004: Lesson Study

In these days of increased accountability and high stakes
assessment, it is critically important that teachers know how to
continually assess the thinking and learning of their students.
One professional development tool, lesson study, helps educators
learn how to focus on student thinking to ensure that all
students in their classrooms are reaching learning objectives.
Lesson study, which is translated from the word "jugyokenkyu" in
Japanese, is a model of ongoing, teacher-led professional
development that has been applied most successfully and widely
in Japan. It has recently been adapted and initiated by teachers
at many sites across the United States. Though lesson study has
been used primarily for mathematics education in the U.S., it
can be applied to any subject. This issue of Riptides lists
numerous resources to learn about lesson study and support
educators in implementing this professional development process
effectively.


~~~~~~Table of Contents~~~~~~
 > Articles and Papers
 > Sessions at NCTM and NCSM
 > Web Sites
 > Available from RBS: Lesson Study: A Handbook of Teacher-Led Instructional
Change
 > Free from RBS: ENC Focus Review, February 2004


~~~~~~Articles and Papers~~~~~~

PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS FROM RBS' 2002 LESSON STUDY CONFERENCE
RBS co-sponsored the conference "Lesson Study: Collaborative
Teacher-Led Professional Development Focused on Student
Thinking" with TERC and Global Education Resources on November
20?22, 2002. This conference sought to help educators learn
about lesson study as well as offer deeper understanding to
those already familiar with this professional development
process. The papers and presentations from this conference offer
an introduction to lesson study, ideas for making lesson study
work, reflections from those experienced in lesson study, and
lesson plans used for observation at the conference. A few of
the papers are:
--Overview of Lesson Study in Japan
--Reflections on Implementing Lesson Study in the U.S.
--Planning and Writing a Research Lesson
--Whole School Lesson Study as the Basis for Whole School
Research
http://www.rbs.org/lesson_study/conference/2002/index.shtml

RBS CURRENTS ISSUE ON LESSON STUDY
This issue of RBS "Currents" offers an introduction to lesson
study as well as a teacher's and principal's perspective on the
challenges and benefits of lesson study. There are also articles
on the role of knowledgeable others and future prospects for
lesson study as well as guidelines for observation and
debriefing sessions.
http://www.rbs.org/currents/0502/index.shtml

ALTERING THE STRUCTURE AND CULTURE OF AMERICAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
This article, published in the "Phi Delta Kappan," discusses how
lesson study can redesign the process of teaching. The author,
Wellford Wilms, warns readers that it will take a fundamental
redesign of school culture for this process to be widely and
effectively used. He offers some suggestions for how that can be
done.
http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k0304wil.htm

ANTICIPATING CHILDREN'S THINKING: A JAPANESE APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION
Though this article does not specifically mention lesson study,
it discusses the importance of anticipating children's thinking
during a lesson--a skill that is honed through the lesson study
process. The author, Tad Watanabe, is an associate professor of
mathematics education at Penn State University. He spent seven
months in Japan during the summer and fall of 2000 and attended
more than 15 lesson study open houses and school-based lesson
study meetings. He has served as an invited knowledgeable other
for several lesson study groups.
http://www.nctm.org/dialogues/2001-11/20011110_print.htm

CHALLENGES TO IMPORTING JAPANESE LESSON STUDY
This article has just been published in the March 2004 issue of
"Phi Delta Kappan." It looks at the challenges to launching
lesson study, understanding lesson study work, and deepening and
sustaining lesson study. It gives advice for meeting these
challenges.  This article is not yet available online; keep
checking Phi Delta Kappa's Web site.
http://pdkintl.org/

IMPROVING CLASSROOM TEACHING
In this article, James Hiebert, co-author of "The Teaching Gap,"
discusses the need for school cultures to change into cultures
where teachers, not just students, learn. He describes lesson
study as a model for improving teaching that helps to bring
about such a change in the school culture.
http://www.c-b-e.org/PDF/EyeoftheStormHiebert.pdf

IN LESSON STUDY SESSIONS: TEACHERS POLISH THEIR CRAFT
In this "Education Week" article, Debra Viadero reports on the
experiences of teachers and administrators at Paterson Public
School No. 2 in Paterson, NJ, who have undertaken lesson study.
The article also discusses some of the research being done on
lesson study and what findings are coming out of that research.
http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/results/res12-00rich.cfm

LESSON STUDY WORK WITH EDC AND WATERTOWN HIGH SCHOOL
This document profiles the Education Development Center's lesson
study work with Watertown High School, MA, which stemmed largely
from studying the book "The Teaching Gap." The detailed nature
of the report presents a clear picture to those just beginning
to learn about lesson study. Unique to this lesson study program
is that it has taken place in a high school, where it has not
been traditionally used in Japan.
http://www2.edc.org/cme/WatertownLessonStudy.pdf


~~~~~~Sessions at NCTM and NCSM~~~~~~

The annual meetings of the National Council of Supervisors of
Mathematics (NCSM) and the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics (NCTM) are taking place in Philadelphia on April 19-
21 and April 21-24, respectively. Numerous lesson study sessions
will be offered at both events. NCSM sessions include titles
such as "Improving Student Achievement Through the Lesson Study
Process," Implementing High School Lesson Study," and "Adapted
Lesson Study: A Collaborative Approach to Professional
Development and Student Achievement."  At NCTM, some of the
sessions include "Integrating Lesson Study for Pre-service
Teachers and In-service Teachers," "Supporting Lesson Study
Effectively," and "Learning to Develop a Detailed Lesson Plan
for Conducting Lesson Study Effectively."  For more
information, see NCTM's and NCSM's Web sites.
http://ncsmonline.org/MeetingsConferences/conferences.html
http://www.nctm.org/meetings/philadelphia/index.htm


~~~~~~Web Sites~~~~~~

RBS LESSON STUDY WEB SITE
The RBS Web site on lesson study provides lists of readings and
resources that explain lesson study and provide support for
those implementing this form of professional development.  New
to the Web site are a list of frequently asked questions about
lesson study and a glossary of lesson study terms.
http://www.rbs.org/lesson_study/index.shtml

LESSON STUDY IN HISTORY CLASS
As a representation of how lesson study can be used for subjects
other than mathematics, this Web site displays the use of lesson
study as a part of the Teaching American History Project at the
Oakland Unified School District, CA. This Web site includes
sources to support teachers with lesson study projects.
http://www.teachingamericanhistory.us/lesson_study/index.htm

LESSON STUDY AT MILLS COLLEGE
Funded by the National Science Foundation and featuring research
by Catherine Lewis, this Web site provides users with background
information on lesson study, publications for both the research
and practitioner communities, and videos that demonstrate the
lesson study approach. Several articles written by Lewis and
others can be viewed. There is also a bibliography of articles
and books written on lesson study. The available videos show the
teaching of research lessons on magnets, pendulums, and more.
http://lessonresearch.net/

LESSON STUDY NETWORK
The mission of the Lesson Study Network is to improve the
teaching and learning of mathematics through the use of lesson
study. The Network is maintained by experienced lesson study
practitioners from Japan and the U.S. and sponsored by Global
Education Resources. The Network's Web site includes a list of
upcoming events, information on some groups implementing lesson
study in mathematics, and more.
http://www.lessonstudy.com/

LESSON STUDY RESEARCH GROUP
The mission of the Lesson Study Research Group at the Teachers
College of Columbia University is to explore how lesson study
can improve the educational experience of American educators and
students. Led by Clea Fernandez, the group shares information
about how lesson study is conducted in Japan; explores how
lesson study can be adapted for the U.S. educational context;
develops tools for supporting lesson study; and gathers
information about the impact of lesson study on teachers,
students, and schools. The Web site provides examples of lesson
study work, papers written on lesson study, links to discussion
forums, upcoming events, and video clips.
http://www.tc.edu/centers/lessonstudy/

MATHSTAR LESSON STUDY
MathStar seeks to improve the teaching and learning of
mathematics in middle schools through the use of interactive
technologies. The project addresses these issues through an
intensive collaboration among middle schools, colleges and
universities, and educational service agencies. MathStar in New
Mexico has incorporated lesson study into its program. Its Web
site contains lesson plans created through lesson study,
guidelines for the different parts of lesson study, videos, and
more.
http://mathstar.nmsu.edu/lesson_study/

NWREL WEB SITE ON LESSON STUDY
The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Web site provides
a background and overview of lesson study. There are articles on
the experiences of lesson study teams, including timelines that
they established for the process. There is also a list of
articles, books, and Web sites for additional resources.
http://www.nwrel.org/msec/lessonstudy/index.html


~~~~~~Available from RBS: Lesson Study: A Handbook of Teacher-Led Instructional 

Change~~~~~~

This handbook illuminates both the key ideas underlying lesson
study and the practical support needed to make it succeed in any
subject area. Drawing upon experiences with schools in Japan and
the U.S., award-winning author and lesson study expert Catherine
Lewis brings to life the struggles and victories that
characterize the intensity of lesson study. If you believe that
teachers should be the central force in their own professional
growth, then read this book to discover both why and how lesson
study is so effective in improving student learning. This book is
available only through RBS for $24.99 plus shipping and handling.
http://www.rbs.org/catalog/pubs/pd55.shtml


~~~~~~FREE from RBS: ENC Focus Review, February 2004~~~~~~

Two articles in the most recent issue of ENC Focus Review
describe the lesson study model of professional development from
the perspective of several teachers from Virginia Beach, VA.
They provide a list of references of research articles on lesson
study and related resources. Also included is an article on
evaluating Web sites to help students find credible sites for
their research.

To request this and other free mathematics, science, and
education resources, visit the "Free Publications" page of the
RBS Web site at http://www.rbs.org/mathsci/free_pubs/.

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Writer: Debra Gingerich

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Research for Better Schools is a nonprofit education
organization that has been providing services to teachers,
administrators, and policymakers in the mid-Atlantic region of
Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, and
Pennsylvania since 1966. Our mission is to help students achieve
high standards by supporting improvement efforts in schools and
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