LSP101 An Introduction toLesson Study

Facilitators: Yeap Ban Har & Peggy Foo

www.singaporelessonstudy.blogspot.com

Overview

Mathematics Open Lesson Photo: Junyuan Secondary School

This introductory seminar helps participants, who are new to lesson study, understand the process of lesson study and its role in the professional development of teachers. Participants will gain insight into the stages of lesson study and how they fulfill the ‘3 Big Ideas’ of the Professional Learning Community (PLC). This seminar will also touch on other benefits, challenges and factors needed to support the effective implementation of lesson study in a PLC.

Assumption English SchoolFairfield Methodist Primary SchoolWestview Primary School

Part IIntroduction

Research Lesson in an In-service Course on Problem-Solving Heuristics. Photo: Princess Elizabeth Primary School

…nothing matters more than finding people with the potential to be

great teachers.

Malcom Gladwell 2009What The Dog Saw

First Big Idea in PLC

Focus on Learning Rather Than Teaching

Getting the right people to become teachers and to

develop them into effective teachers.

Source: How the World's Best-Performing School Systems Come Out on Top The McKinsey Report

“The country has made a conscious effort to have

highly-qualified teachers throughout the system.”

Source: BBC News 23 Nov 2004

Minister of Education (Finland) 2004

“The first is improving teaching,

developing teachers professionally ….”

Source: Straits Times 23 Nov 2010

Secretary of State for Education (Britain) 2010

A good education system depends on high quality teachers who

constantly seek to improve their practice, supported by school leaders and administrators, and resources from departments and agencies within MOE.

Minister of Education (Singapore) 2009

Photo: Northlight School

We need to build capacity for

teachers themselves to take the lead in professional upgrading.

Minister of Education Singapore 2009

Photo: Fuchun Primary School

Second Big Idea in PLC

Work Collaboratively

This is what PLC is all about ….

Third Big Idea in PLC

Focus on Results

Keys Grade School, Manila

Middle School Attached to Tsukuba University, Japan

lesson studyaround the world

lesson studyaround the world

Edgewood Elementary School, New York, USA

Scarsdale Teachers Institute, New York, USA

Public School in Santiago, Chile

Bina Bangsa School, Jakarta, Indonesia

lesson studyaround the world

Junior High School Attached to Tsukuba University, Japan

lesson studyaround the world

Junior High School Attached to Tsukuba University, Japan

Forum – What I Want to Know About Lesson Study

What Do PLCs Do?

Deciding on Professional Learning Goal

Carrying out Lesson Planning Meeting

What Data to Collect During Lesson Study?

Part IIStages in

Lesson Study

Lesson Study adapted for Micro-Teaching in Pre-service Course Photo: National Institute of Education

Identify Professional

Learning Goal

Plan Lesson

Research Lesson

Post-Lesson Discussion

Lesson Plan Revision

Lesson 0: Research Theme is Central in Lesson Study

• Vision & Mission• Curriculum Focus• Students’ Current Performance

Lesson 1: More Thinking, Less Doing During Lesson-Planning Stage

• Curriculum Documents• Textbooks• Curriculum Materials• Other Literature• Other Lesson Study Documents• Always Guided by Research Theme

Change the square into an equilateral triangle of the same area.

Problem: Find the distance between points A (2, 3) and B (10, 9).Students working collaboratively on a problem to learn the coordinate geometry topic on distance between points. Traditionally, students were given a formulae to do this.

Bina Bangsa School, Jakarta: Lesson Study

Every group was able to use their previous learning (Pythagoras Theorem) to solve the main problem.Bina Bangsa School, Jakarta: Lesson Study

Later they were asked to find the distance between the points (5, 1) and (9, 4). They were also asked to find two points where the distance apart is a whole number.Bina Bangsa School, Jakarta: Lesson Study

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4

10

6

8

15

13

12

Bina Bangsa School, Jakarta: Lesson Study

Post-Lesson Discussion

• Find the distance between points A (2, 3) and B (10, 9).

• Find the distance between points C (-2, -2) and D (2, 1).

• Find the distance between points E (2, 5) and F (x, 2).

• Find two points where the distance is a whole number.

Bina Bangsa School, Jakarta: Lesson Study

Professional Learning Goal: To engage students in learning

What does it look like when students are

engaged productively in learning?

What are the catalysts to such

productive engagement?

Photo: Pathlight School

Lesson 2: Sharpening Our Eyes to See Students

Photo: Daqiao Primary School

PLC members participated in an open lesson at a

primary school as part of the lesson planning process to get more ideas and insights on student engagement.

Main Task in Research LessonPhoto: Pathlight School

Refine work system .

In the lesson planning process, the PLC members came up with a

refined work system to develop and

encourage independent engagement. Photo: Pathlight School

Use coloured paper strips

Photo: Pathlight School

In the lesson planning process, the PLC members

also decided to use coloured paper strips. During the

lesson, two types of engagement were observed.

Photo: Pathlight School

Type 1 EngagementSuch engagement is not directly related to content of the lesson. However, students were more involved and were more responsive.

Type 2 EngagementSuch engagement is directly

related to content of the lesson. In this photo a student used the strips to make sense

of the problem situation.

Lesson 3: Rich Observation, Rich Discussion

Lesson 4: Synthesizing Discussion

The team was also hopeful that the paper strips would help students connect the diagrams they

draw and the problem situation. Hopefully, students are more engaged when they are doing

things that make sense to them.Photo: Pathlight School

Photo: Pathlight School

Would the colour help students distinguish the unknown variable from the constant? The purpose of

the research lesson is for teachers to observe students to answer questions such as this one. The

lesson planning meetings raised such questions. The research lesson provides a platform to ‘see’ the

answers to such questions. The post-lesson discussion is a platform to discuss these answers.

Photo: Pathlight School

Part IIIBrief Notes &

Summary

Lesson Study adapted for Micro-Teaching in Pre-service Course Photo: National Institute of Education

www.academyofsingaporeteachers.moe.gov.sg

Some of us know a bit about lesson study. Some have heard the term but not much else. Some have extensive experience with it. The purpose of the forum is for you to ask any questions you have about lesson study.

There is an article on the first things about lesson study at this website.

What Do PLCs Do?

• School’s Goals• Subject’s Goals• Ideal Students’

Outcomes• Actual Students’

Outcomes• Identify the Gaps• Identify Professional

Learning Goal to Close the Gaps

School’s Vision

Subject’s Goals

Ideal Students’ Characteristics

Actual Students’

Characteristics

Gap

Professional Learning Goal

Professional Learning GoalExample: To engage pupils in the learning of mathematics

broad but specific

Lesson Planning Meeting• Select a unit • Select a lesson or

more within the unit• Study textbooks• Study other resources• Discuss how the

lesson(s) is to be taught

Learning Outcome(s)

Task &Key Questions

Anticipated Students’ Responses

Teacher’s Action

Notes

Lesson Study Data

• Maintain a Group File• Take turns to write

meeting notes• Lesson Plan Drafts• Individual Reflections• Individual Observation

Notes: Summary• Student Data related

to Professional Learning Goal

Lesson Study Data

• Maintain a Group File• Take turns to write

meeting notes• Lesson Plan Drafts• Individual Reflections• Individual Observation

Notes Summary• Student Data related

to Professional Learning Goal

One Thing I Learnt Today and What Was The Source

Example

I realized that ……… when

one of my colleagues ……

Lesson Study Data

• Maintain a Group File• Take turns to write

meeting notes• Lesson Plan Drafts• Individual Reflections• Individual Observation

Notes: Summary• Student Data related

to Professional Learning Goal

One Interesting Thing I Saw During

the Lesson

My Interpretation of What I Saw

One Question I Have Related to This

Observation

Lesson Study Data

• Maintain a Group File• Take turns to write

meeting notes• Lesson Plan Drafts• Individual Reflections• Individual Observation

Notes: Summary• Student Data related

to Professional Learning Goal

Lesson Study Data

• Maintain a Group File• Take turns to write

meeting notes• Lesson Plan Drafts• Individual Reflections• Individual Observation

Notes: Summary• Student Data related

to Professional Learning Goal

Type of Student Engagement

Stimulus

Average Score of

Section C in SA2 P5

Average Score of

Section C in SA2 P6