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Lesson Study: A New Frontier for the Professional Development of Teachers
Olga Maria Amaral and Yolanda Guerrero,
San Diego State University
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Lesson Study is a model of professional development that is increasingly being touted in the United States as a powerful tool to help teachers examine and reflect on their instructional practice and make adjustments resulting in improved lessons. This paper will present one way in which Lesson Study is used with teachers in a rural educational community.
Professional development for teachers implementing inquiry-based instruction in science is essential. Teachers must learn many skills and techniques to properly follow steps that will lead children to learn to think critically about the experiences to which they are exposed during each lesson and to develop understandings that cumulatively lead to learning concepts in science. While many teachers have received training on the perfunctory steps required, including such important techniques as the use of good questioning strategies, it is not until they can examine their own practices and the ways in which they implement such practices that they begin to examine ways of improving their instruction, resulting in a greater feeling of ownership for their lessons. The use of Lesson Study as a way to accomplish this is increasingly being explored in the United States.
Lesson Study is a model of professional development used widely in the Japanese educational system. Catherine Lewis (2002), a professor at Mills College in California, has written extensively about its adaptation and use in the United States. She indicates that many consider Lesson Study to be a simple idea, one that is easy to use. However, she also claims that the reality is that is a complex process, one which requires careful goal setting, data collection on student learning, and a way to document practice that leads productive discussion of difficult issues.
The use of this method came to prominence in the United States after James W. Stigler and James Hiebert began to examine instructional methodology in Japan after the first publication of the results from the TMMS testing. Paul Macfarlane (2000), an observer of this process has said that, “…for more than a century, American schools have been caught in a weary cycle of trying to improve but staying the same. The reason, according to Stigler and Hiebert, is that most reforms fail to affect the most critical cause of student learning – processes of teaching and learning in classrooms. Along with Stigler and Hiebert, I think it is high time we stop spinning our wheels about education reform and dig in and change things” (P. 1).
III. Unique Aspects of Lesson Study"A lesson is like a swiftly flowing river. When you’re teaching, you must make judgments instantly. When you do a research lesson, your colleagues write down your words and the students’ words. Your real profile as a teacher is revealed to you for the first time.’’
— A Japanese teacher’s reflection on lesson study.There are many unique aspects of Lesson Study that set it apart from other professional development models. Perhaps the most important point of departure from other models is the fact that the teachers select one aspect of instruction, sometimes one lesson and sometimes just part of one lesson, to research. The teachers design the lesson with great care, taking into consideration the comments of their colleagues. As they observe the teaching process, they record aspects of the lesson both from the teacher’s perspective but also elements of the learning process demonstrated by the students. A record of the process is often also recorded via videotaping, both the lesson selected for research as well as the debriefing sessions among all participating teachers. The impressions of colleagues along with the teacher’s own reflections result in the need for the teacher to modify instruction when the next lesson is taught. The most important aspects, therefore, are the power of observation of one’s own teaching and their students’ engagement in the learning process and the power of feedback received from colleagues in a most respectful atmosphere of professionalism.
There are many ways in which Lesson Study can be done and various school districts in the United States have adapted it for use with subtle and sometimes not so subtle modifications. The following briefly describes the method used in the Imperial Valley, a consortium of school districts using inquiry-based instruction in science and a modified version of Lesson Study as one component of professional development for classroom teachers.IV. Components of Lesson Study
As a professional development strategy, Lesson Study has the benefit of allowing teachers to examine both the effectiveness of their instructional program relative to content delivery and student understanding of that content as well as the pedagogy used in the instructional setting.
It has been well documented that many elementary classroom teachers do not receive sufficient instruction in sciences at the pre-service level to be effective in teaching science content as is currently required by standards-driven curriculum, especially at the K-8 level (ATF, 2000). Furthermore, since it is also a fact that over 50% of all teachers in the United States leave the profession during the first five years of their careers most have little expertise in pedagogical issues stemming from classroom experience (Alliance for Excellence Education, 2005). Berliner (1994) proposed the notion that teachers are on a continuum of professional development from novice to competent in both content and pedagogical knowledge. It is important to note that, during the process of Lesson Study, it is very possible to have a teacher who can be considered a novice in one area and be quite competent in another. For example, a teacher can be very adapt at classroom management and engaging students in the learning process but may be a novice at using the process of inquiry. Lesson Study has the benefit of bringing both types of teachers together and each can offer the other some valuable insights by sharing their own expertise with the group.
Steps teachers follow:
Teachers usually identify a small group of colleagues and work as a collaborative team. A facilitator is assigned to the team and they work on the following activities:
1. Planning a joint lesson to examine best practices – Teachers in the Imperial Valley are encouraged to examine a unit of study that they anticipate teaching in the following few months. From that unit, they identify a lesson that they know may be difficult for them to teach or for students to understand very well. The selection is usually reflective of a challenging science concept with which children may encounter some difficulty. One example of a recent lesson and unit selected dealt with buoyancy and density, concepts usually difficult for children to fully comprehend in second grade. Once identified, the lesson is carefully reviewed by participating teachers and a plan is made for a date to teach it. One of the team members is selected to teach this lesson first and a videotaping specialist is scheduled to be present during the lesson. Permission slips allowing children to be videotaped during the lesson are prepared and sent home for approval;
2. Teaching the lesson in real classrooms – The first selected teacher delivers the lesson as it is presented in the teachers’ guide from the publishing company. The other team members observe and collect data for feedback and discussion;
3. Debriefing to reflect on student learning - The teacher responsible for the delivery of the first lesson has the first opportunity to comment on the lesson and, in particular, any discussion of unanticipated outcomes, validation of what was expected and what was in general observed and the evidence of student understanding. Colleagues then do the same based on their own observations of the lesson;
4. Making modifications to the lesson – Teachers then decide on one or more aspects of the lesson that they feel need to be made in order to improve student understanding. They carefully record the exact changes to be made and a new lesson plan emerges.
5. Teaching the modified lesson – The second teacher selected now teaches the revised lesson to his/her own classroom. Colleagues observe this second iteration of the same lesson and follow the same process of documentation, videotaping and recording observations once again;
6. Continue debriefing process – The process of debriefing begins once again with the teacher responsible for this lesson and is followed by colleagues. Debriefing during this second round will focus primarily on examining the modifications that were made; and
7. Continue the refinement and re-teaching cycle – The teachers will follow the same process until there is consensus that they have attained a “best practice”.
8. The facilitator is responsible for schedulingV. Elements of Lesson Study Needed for Implementation
Amaral and Garrison (2004) report on the experience of the staff of the Imperial Valley and suggest that there are some elements required for the successful implementation of Lesson Study. It is not at all certain that these elements are all necessary for effective replication elsewhere but they form the basis for a comprehensive approach in the Imperial Valley. They include:
1. Team selection process – It is important that teachers selected for participation volunteer for this type of professional development. Some gentle coaxing may be necessary as videotaping can be intimidating for some. Typically, once assured that the videotaping will be used internally for professional development purposes only, even the most reticent teachers will agree to participate. Eventually, they come to accept the practice and even enjoy having it shared outside their immediate professional circles. It has also been found that the level of experience of teachers does not play an important role in determining participation. Veteran teachers have worked side by side with new teachers with mutual respect and to effective ends of gaining insights from each other. It is helpful when teachers wish to participate because they have an interest in improving their own teaching and are committed to investing the necessary time to examine and refine their practices. Typically, it is a team of 3 or 4 teachers who form a team from the same grade level and usually from the same school.
2. Defining roles –
a. Teachers: It is important that the role that each teacher plays in this process be described to all in advance of the process. This includes the responsibilities each will have both for teaching the lesson, making modifications to the lesson, observing their colleagues teaching lessons, and providing constructive feedback regarding various aspects of lesson delivery. Specifically, each team member must be an engaged participant and play an active role with as much of a say as the others. They must share turns in all respects, teaching the lesson, giving feedback, and reflecting on the process. They must also make the commitment to be prepared and have lesson plans and all materials ready at the appointed time because colleagues have left their own classrooms to observe the lesson and a videographer is in the classroom ready to film the lesson. Being prepared is essential to maintaining an appropriate schedule of activities. Finally, participants must be willing to provide feedback to their colleagues. This feedback must be substantial, that is, it needs to go beyond the “niceties” about superficial aspects of what happens in the classroom. Often teachers start this way but then become more comfortable in having their comments become more relevant to the instructional practices observed and their impact on student learning. The role that a guiding protocol and the skills that a facilitator brings to this process can not be underestimated.
b. Facilitators: The role of the facilitator can be very important to this process because it is the facilitator who can first set the tone for this professional development to remain professional and yet relaxed and friendly. The facilitator must also establish an environment of collaboration as this is truly one professional development model that relies on the communication of colleagues for its success. The facilitator can also be instrumental in arranging for the logistics required to implement the process. This includes alerting the principal and all pertinent staff of the specifics of this process, including the schedule, arranging for classroom substitutes to cover classrooms during observations when necessary. Perhaps more important is the role to be played as they listen carefully to what each teacher is sharing, sometimes clarifying a point being made, other times probing for more information and sometimes modeling or coaching with comments such as “What I hear you say is ….”, and always keeping the team focused on the task at hand.
3. Lesson Study training – participants need to know some of the history of Lesson Study, its purposes, and procedures used during this process. In addition, if there are instruments that have been developed for documentation, teachers need time to learn in depth about such protocols and, perhaps, even practice using them ahead of the research lesson.
4. Observation Protocol – The Imperial Valley has designed an observation protocol to assist teachers to record the proceedings from the research lesson as well as their recommendations in a systematic way (see Appendix A).
5. Compensation – In many districts, teachers use time after school hours to do lesson planning and participate in the debriefing process for Lesson Study. Sometimes there is money available to pay teachers for hours they may work on this type of professional development. When that is the case, it is important to try to gauge interest among the teachers for the process itself relative to their interest in the money. Teachers who enter into this type of professional development solely for the money may not be as beneficial to the other team members.
6. Administrative Support - Administrators need to learn about Lesson Study and the benefits it may bring their schools. Typically, in order for administrators to support this endeavor, they must be made aware that this is an effort to have teachers become more effective at instruction that focuses on increasing student learning and achievement. It is especially helpful for administrators to come to support this process as a long-term commitment. Having teachers participate in Lesson Study just once or twice may not be very effective. It is the ongoing practice and application of the technique across various areas of the curriculum that is intended to eventually result in reform in that it is expected that teachers will truly come to change their approach to lesson design and delivery.VI. Benefits of Lesson Study
It has become more evident as the Imperial Valley uses Lesson Study for professional development that teachers are beginning to see the many benefits it brings. First, the opportunity to work in collaboration with colleagues and having the time to do so beyond what is typically done in lunchrooms is a welcome change for the teachers involved. When that collaboration involves teachers with a variety of experiences, they report that it was beneficial to gain the perspective of the others. That is, the veteran teacher felt that the novice had something to offer while the novice felt the respect given by the veteran, bringing them closer to a professional relationship of mutual benefit.
There are usually few opportunities for teachers to reflect about their practices. Seeing themselves on video, teachers can see things during a lesson that they had never seen before, even when they have been teaching for many years. In addition, having the opportunity to refine a lesson and seeing it re-taught almost immediately provides feedback that they can use in subsequent lessons. Perhaps most important is the feedback that all participants give each other. In this collaborative environment, teachers are open to making modifications until they feel that the lesson is better. It is this opportunity to make their own decisions about changes and the power to gather as much information as needed to improve these research lessons that create a sense of ownership for their own professional development. This holds tremendous potential for individual professional growth.
• Lesson Study Research Group
• Lesson Study Gropu at Mills College
• Research for Better SchoolsAmaral. O. & Garrison, L. (2004) Lesson Study: The Imperial Valley Experience. In Lesson Study: Like a Swiftly Flowing River, California Journal of Science Education, V. 4, Issue 2.
Berliner, D.C. (1994). Expertise: The wonder of exemplary performance.
In J. Mangieri & C. Block (Eds.), Advanced educational psychology: Creating effective schools and powerful thinkers. Niles, IL: Harcourt Brace Jovanovitch.
Lewis, C. (2002). Lesson study: A handbook of teacher-led instructional change. Philadelphia, PA: Research for Better Schools.
Macfarlane, P. (2000). A review and commentary of The teaching gap: Best ideas form the world’s teachers for improving education in the classroom by James W. Stigler and James Hiebert.
Resolution on Teacher Education and Teacher Quality. (2000). AFT A Union of Professionals.
Stigler, J.W. & Hiebert, J. (1999). The teaching gap: Best ideas from the world's teachers for improving education in the classroom. New York: Free Press.
Tapping the Potential: Retaining and Developing High-Quality New Teachers. Alliance for Excellence Education. Every Child a Graduate. 2005.
