Celeste Campbell, as a follow up to Makoto Yoshida and Mary Pat O’Connell, asked for feedback on a Summer Institute idea for preparing for Lesson Study. Her inquiry and some responses follow. She would appreciate any responses you have.

Pre-Lesson Study Training Ideas

March 2002

Questions posed by Celeste Campbell, UCLA (campbellceleste@hotmail.com)

Responses from Lesson Study Research Group listserv (LessonStudy@listserv.tc.columbia.edu)

Q:      To those of you who have completed at least one cycle of lesson study, what do you wish you had known or understood before you began that might be accomplished with some up-front training.

Ruth Friedman at ref@bw.beachwood.k12.oh.us

I wish we had known how difficult it would be to sustain the initiative over a period of two/three years.  Teachers move in and out of subjects each year. Therefore, a lesson plan between two teachers created, taught, video taped and revised during one year, may not be applicable the next year with a different set of teachers.  A timeline, lesson to be studied, and participants at the beginning of the initiative would have been helpful.

Bill Jackson at wcjackson@mindspring.com

We had a lot of up front training at Paterson School No. 2 so this is a little hard for me to answer. I think what may be needed is first of all an overview of lesson study by someone who really understands it like Makoto Yoshida, Catherine Lewis, Clea Fernandez or some of the teachers at Paterson School No. 2. Then, some discussion of how the Japanese lesson plan is different that US lesson plans and generally how Japanese teaching differs from US teaching. Of course, developing a schedule, choosing a theme, etc. is also important. 

Elizabeth King at betsyking@worldnet.att.net

I think the "training" is on-going...you can't tell the teachers everything they need to know before you start. That would take years!

Q:        If you were designing a summer training workshop for teachers and administrators who are interested in lesson study - what would you include?

Elizabeth King at betsyking@worldnet.att.net

A warning -- they won't "get it" for a long time. I would include the observation of proficient lesson study practitioners at each step of the process. Then I would have in-depth discussions about how to make that happen with your own colleagues.

Ruth Friedman at ref@bw.beachwood.k12.oh.us

Have participants read ahead of time Stigler’s The Teaching Gap.  Design questions from the book for discussion and clarification for your particular building and student body. We did this during an in-service day for our entire staff.  Each staff member received a book purchased by the Board of Education because we wanted the initiative to be district wide.

Q:        I am going to facilitate a novice lesson study team next fall (2002) and am thinking through how to set them up for the most powerful experience possible. What do you think of a 4-5 day summer workshop led by experienced Japanese and American lesson study practitioners (and researchers?) who would serve as coaches to the novices? Components might include:

·                    A general overview of the lesson study research, structure, protocols

·                    Demonstration research lessons with the participants first observing experienced observers then practicing collecting evidence of learning themselves

·                    Debrief sessions so the participants can practice the reflection protocol

·                    Sessions with experienced LS practitioners on crafting the broad multi-year lesson study goal and beginning discussions on the more narrow topic/concept goal

Kazuko Thornton at kazukot@msu.edu

I strongly support pre-lesson study practice activities as you have outlined them as minimum requirements. I am the instructor of the MSU's summer Japan program focusing on lesson study (FYI, http://studyabroad.msu.edu/programs/japanteach.html). This summer I will not take a group, but the last summer's group from Lake Shore Public Schools in Michigan just completed a cycle and may be able to give you valuable suggestions.   The group leader's name is Pat Schweihofer, principal of Rogers Elementary School (810-285-8600).   Sandy Stanley (curriculum director) and/or John Brackett (superintendent), both of whom participated in my summer program last year and now support lesson study in their district, may be able to provide you with valuable suggestions.

Elizabeth King at betsyking@worldnet.att.net

I like your plan! I wonder, though, how you will be able to accomplish that in a 4-5 day summer workshop. It's too much to absorb in so short a time. I think you'll have to bring them back for additional days during the year and the following summer.

Bill Jackson at wcjackson@mindspring.com

Back to Index

Web Site Sponsor: The Institute of Emerging Technology and Learning

Science Building A, Room 375

1 Harpst Street

Humboldt State University

Arcata, California 95521

Tel/Fax: 707.826.3374