Patternson, New Jersey, Lesson Study Project

In U.S. 89% of math texts are not field-tested.  
American textbook a mile wide and an inch deep.
The Patternson, New Jersey, school system decided to try Lesson Study to improve mathematics teaching. One difference between US and Japanese teachers is that Japanese teachers cover few units but in depth. In the US, not enough building up of concepts in American textbooks, and, in addition, teachers are using different books, creating a hodge podge curriculum.  The Paterson Public School 2 in Patternson, New Jersey, has 750 students in grades pre-K to 8. 75% Latino, 13% Bengali, 12% African American, 98% free lunch. The School taken over by state, and the Principal and teachers fired. They started Lesson Study as part of the reform process for a school the State had declared was “bankrupt.”  The teachers spent time studying for two hours voluntarily every Monday, collaborating with Greenwich Japanese School, which had a mentoring relationship.  The focus of Lesson Study at the beginning was to Foster student problem-solving and responsibility for learning˛.

Lesson Study has contributed a way to continuously improve teaching and learning of mathematics, a way to focus on details of instructional practice, an environment that reduces teacher isolation and fosters collaboration among professionals, a means to reflect on curricular and content knowledge issues.  

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