Lesson Study Ray MacArthur

State Numeracy Programs Conference What is Lesson Study? Third (now Trends in) International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) The Teaching Gap

State Numeracy Programs Conference What is Lesson Study?... The premise behind lesson study is simple: If you want to improve teaching, the most effective place to do so is in the context of a classroom lesson” The Teaching Gap – Stigler and Hiebert

State Numeracy Programs Conference What is Lesson Study? Two pronged approach – Model of curriculum focused professional development for teachers – Model of lesson development to improve student learning Lesson study promotes: – A school based focus on learning for teachers and students – Collaborative development of quality lessons – Conceptual understanding over procedural understanding – Working mathematically – Engaged student learning – The building of a meaningful resource bank

Lesson Study Process Identify unit of work, learning goals, available resources and timeframe Prepare / refine lesson and resources Teach and evaluate lesson Review evaluations and lesson plan Does the lesson need to be refined? Have all lessons been written? Share lessons and update resources and programs Yes No Yes

State Numeracy Programs Conference Lesson study DVD 23:00

State Numeracy Programs Conference Lesson study Webpage

State Numeracy Programs Conference Project Evaluation Undertaken by Dr Allan White (UWS) Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with Lesson study as both a professional development program and a process for improving teaching and learning. Teachers found that one of the major benefits of the program was working together on common goals.

State Numeracy Programs Conference Project Evaluation Lesson study provided a non-threatening context for lesson visits which were rich experiences for teachers and provided an opportunity for incidental learning. The program improved students’ learning, their motivation and attitude towards mathematics.

State Numeracy Programs Conference Teacher Comments It is good to spend time doing what I have been trained to do. It is a nice change to facilitate student learning rather than just instruct students. It is nice to have some professional development that focuses on teaching. The process certainly makes you evaluate your teaching and content both prior to delivery and after.

State Numeracy Programs Conference Student Comments I enjoyed the lessons because they were different to normal lessons and they were fun. Everyone worked better as a group and we could discuss the work which made it easier to understand. Things were explained better. We didn’t use the textbook.

State Numeracy Programs Conference What’s in it for numeracy? Numeracy in context Identify the numeracy needs for a unit of work – some units will have stronger links to numeracy than others Plan the activity(ies)

State Numeracy Programs Conference What’s in a graph? This graph is to be used in a class for – English – Mathematics – Science – PDHPE – HSIE – Creative Arts – Languages – Technology How could the graph be used?

State Numeracy Programs Conference Some possibilities Write an explanation of the graph Convert the column graph to another type of graph Use the information to create a table Cut up the graph as a jigsaw to be reassembled according to clues Write an advertisement, using the graph as supporting documentation

State Numeracy Programs Conference Some more possibilities Discuss misleading graphs – eg displaced zero Analyse and make suggestions for change if the graph represents the time spent on different activities Mix and match different graphs to sets of data Prepare an Excel spreadsheet that will generate this graph

State Numeracy Programs Conference Even more possibilities If the graph represents the results of a survey, how might sampling be used to alter the results Prepare a cloze passage for the graph Write a story based on the graph Create a budget for a holiday

State Numeracy Programs Conference Faculty / Stage Possibilities

State Numeracy Programs Conference Faculty / Stage Possibilities Quality teaching in NSW public schools Count Me In Too Counting On Literacy Numeracy ICT Specific syllabus content Alternate teaching strategies

State Numeracy Programs Conference Faculty / Stage Possibilities Alternate assessment tasks Consistency of teacher judgment Faculty / Stage development program Regular focus at faculty / Stage meetings Staff Development Days Develop beginning teachers Reinvigorate experienced teacher Build pedagogy networks