CeMaST

Improving the Teaching of Mathematics through Lesson Study (ITMLS)

ITMLS 2002 Conference Notes

Lesson Study Challenges and Solutions

Challenges

Solutions

Changing the mindset of the administration

Discuss with administration 

Time

  • Don't have to start from scratch
  • Replace inservice
  • Re-certification process

Mindset of teachers (using a book is easier)

  • Seeing what happens
    • Videos
    • In person

Teacher release to observe

  • Occur on an inservice day
  • Give up planning time

Overcoming the fear of having peers watch/observe

  • Educate them
  • Pre-session
  • Video tape yourself 
  • Recognize that they are there to help

If done frequently, hard to cover all the curriculum

Work with others in your building, on a smaller scale

Teachers who are not involved

Involve other Title teachers and Special Ed teachers

Critique lesson, not teacher

 

Getting teacher to focus on students

 

Logisitical Issues (distance, scheduling)

 



Benefits for Teachers and Students

Teachers

  • Taking time to think about a lesson
  • Part of school improvement
  • Pay attention to details
  • Changes how a teacher teaches
    • Students construct the "lecture" from student strategies
    • Mapping: lesson/scaffold
    • Collaboration enriches possibilities
    • Step back and look at student thinking
  • Can adapt everything learned from lesson study to every subject area
  • Lesson Study leads teachers to use more hands-on & less teacher-directed teaching
  • Benefit from collaboration - exchange of ideas, encouragement
  • Can share materials
  • Gain insight into students thinking, develop questioning skills, become aware of teacher's role in development of student thinking
  • Helps teacher accomodate different abilities and learning styles

Students

  • Well-planned lesson
  • Students allowed to struggle with one problem, and explore different solutions
  • Increases communication skills for teacher and student
  • More student participation
  • Takes away fear of being incorrect or wrong
  • Visible growth of different students
  • Growth in math knowledge rather than just memorization
  • Richer curriculum
  • Better learning experience 
  • Develop higher level thinking skills
  • More attention to student differences
  • Make connections
  • Opportunities for hands-on experiences
  • Good student engagement
  • All students have access to learning
  • Promotes risk-taking

 

For further information please contact Cindy Langrall at langrall@ilstu.edu.