Introduction to Lesson Study

This presentation was made at Assumption English School, Westview Primary School and Fairfield Methodist Primary School in December 2011. Nanyang Primary School and Temasek Junior College also had this course in January 2012.

LSP101 Lesson Study

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Readings on Introduction to PLC

Readings on Introduction to Lesson Study

Lesson Plans from Lesson Study in Japan

Professor Akihiko Takahashi has kindly shared the translated lesson plans of two research lessons at Matsuzawa Elementary School (1 December).

These are good examples of lesson study type lesson plans.

Art work by a student in Matsuzawa Elementary School, Japan. Teachers from one Singapore school and pricipals and vice pricipals from one schools cluster visited the school's open house to celebrate the end of their two-year school-based lesson study.

APEC-Ubon Ratchathani Lesson Study Symposium

The APEC Lesson Study group inlcude participants from these countries

Australia, Brune, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, USA and Vietnam.

Several non-APEC countries also took part such as South Africa.

Lesson Study in SingTeach

Read more here

Singapore Math Institute offered by Marshall Cavendish Institute often includes a lesson study component. The photograph show Filipino educators studying a lesson in Cannosa Convent Primary as part of SM Institute in Singapore in October 2011.

IMPULS by Tokyo Gakugei University

http://www.impuls-tgu.org/event-3.html

IMPULS International Seminar on Lesson Study
- Key elements and effective support of school-based lesson study-

On behalf of Project IMPULS (International Math-teacher Professionalization Using Lesson Study) I would like to invites you to the IMPULS international seminar on lesson study, November 30 & December 1, 2011.

Project IMPLUS is a newly established project funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology of Japan.
The Project is housed in the Mathematics Education Department of Tokyo Gakugei University, Tokyo, Japan. The director of the project is Professor Toshiakira FUJII and the project members include all the faculty members in the mathematics education department, Professors Koichi NAKAMURA, Shinya OHTA, and Keiichi NISHIMURA. Dr. Akihiko Takahashi of DePaul University joined the project as a specially-appointed professor. Ms. Naoko KATSUMATA, a former Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) officer also joined the project as a project staff.
The purpose of the project is two-fold. First, as an international center of Lesson Study in mathematics, Tokyo Gakugei University and its network of laboratory schools will help teacher professionals from throughout the region learn about lesson study and will thereby prepare them to create lesson study systems in their own countries for long-term, independent educational improvement in mathematics teaching. Second, the project will conduct several research projects examining the mechanism of Japanese lesson study in order to maximize its impact on the schools in Japan.

This international seminar is designed for lesson study researchers and practitioners to discuss and learn about the key elements of effective school-based lesson study and how to support schools in using this form of lesson study as part of a system for long-term, independent educational improvement in mathematics teaching.
This seminar will consist of two parts. One day will be a seminar with leading lesson study researchers from Japan, the U.S. and Singapore to discuss school-based lesson study. The second day will be an immersion experience through the participation of a half-day research open house given by a local public school in Tokyo. The research open house is the end of a two-year school-based research project and all the classes at the school will have public research lessons on mathematics, addressing the school’s research theme, so that the seminar participants may observe the results of the school’s two year efforts to improve their teaching practices in action.

Learning from Teaching a Research Lesson

Every now and then I am reminded of how lucky it is to be a teacher. The insights that we get and the access to students' thoughts that sometimes even their own parents do not have make the job of teaching so much fun.

I taught a 30-minute lesso with a group of Primary 1 children as part of a lesson study symposium in Singapore. The research theme is to develop confidence amongst students.

Based on my role as the research teacher and listening to the observations of the participants present at the research lesson, I now see a differntiated way to deal with different students. With struggling ones, the concrete materials and the structured guided practice was a great help. There awas a case of a child who struggled with the lesson at the start. However, after I showed him how he could use the cubes and egg tray I gave them, and after several examples, he was able to perform subtraction without concrete materials by the end of the 30 minutes.

For the students who are better in the skill, I develop their confidence by repeated questioning their method. As they grew more confident, some were increasingly more passionate in defending their methods.

Lesson Study Symposium : Deepening Our Practice 13 September 2011

Lesson Study Symposium : A Da Qiao Primary School 30th Anniversary Event

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Opportunity to Attend Lesson Study Open House in Tokyo

IMPULS International Seminar on Lesson Study: Key Elements and Effective Support of School-based Lesson Study

Are you attending WALS2011 in Tokyo? If you are you should consider this seminar.

On behalf of Project IMPULS (International Math-Teacher Professionalization Using Lesson Study) I would like to invite you to the IMPULS International Seminar on Lesson Study, November 30 & December 1, 2011. Venue: JICA Research Institute, Tokyo.

Project IMPLUS is a newly established project funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology of Japan.

The Project is housed in the Mathematics Education Department of Tokyo Gakugei University, Tokyo, Japan. The director of the project is Professor Toshiakira FUJII and the project members include all the faculty members in the mathematics education department, Professors Koichi NAKAMURA, Shinya OHTA, and Keiichi NISHIMURA. Dr. Akihiko Takahashi of DePaul University joined the project as a specially-appointed professor. Ms. Naoko KATSUMATA, a former Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) officer also joined the project as a project staff.

The purpose of the project is two-fold. First, as an international center of Lesson Study in mathematics, Tokyo Gakugei University and its network of laboratory schools will help teacher professionals from throughout the region learn about lesson study and will thereby prepare them to create lesson study systems in their own countries for long-term, independent educational improvement in mathematics teaching. Second, the project will conduct several research projects examining the mechanism of Japanese lesson study in order to maximize its impact on the schools in Japan.

This international seminar is designed for lesson study researchers and practitioners to discuss and learn about the key elements of effective school-based lesson study and how to support schools in using this form of lesson study as part of a system for long-term, independent educational improvement in mathematics teaching.

This seminar will consist of two parts. One day will be a seminar with leading lesson study researchers from Japan, the U.S. and Singapore to discuss school-based lesson study.

The second day will be an immersion experience through the participation of a half-day research open house given by a local public school in Tokyo. The research open house is the end of a two-year school-based research project and all the classes at the school will have public research lessons on mathematics, addressing the school’s research theme, so that the seminar participants may observe the results of the school’s two year efforts to improve their teaching practices in action.

Tentative Seminar Agenda
Day 1: Wednesday, November 30
Place: JICA Research Institute
10-5 Ichigaya Honmuracho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8433
http://jica-ri.jica.go.jp/about/access.html

8:30 Registration and Coffee
9:00-9:30 Opening Remarks
About the Project and the Purpose of the Seminar
Toshiakira Fujii (Japan)
9:45-10:30 What kind of support makes school-based lesson study effective?
Catherine Lewis (USA)
10:45-11:30 School-based lesson study in Singapore
Christine Lee (Singapore) President of WALS
11:30-12:30 Lunch
12:30-1:15 How Japanese school administrators support their teachers in conducting school-based lesson study
Akihiko Takahashi (Japan / USA)
2:00-3:00 Short Presentations and Panel Discussion
Short presentation: Maitree Inprasitha (Thailand)
Panelists: Ban Har Yeap (Singapore), Catherine Lewis (USA), Christine Lee (Singapore)
& Toshiakira Fujii (Japan)
Moderator: Akihiko Takahashi (Japan / USA)
3:15-4:00 Q & A Session with the Panel
4:00-4:30 Preparation for the school open house visit
Akihiko Takahashi (Japan / USA)
5:00-7:00 Reception & Networking


Day 2: Thuesday, November 30
Afternoon at the schools (details will be announced later)


The registration fee of 5000 yen includes:
• Simultaneous English translation of the selected research lessons and talks during the school open house,
• English translation of the school’s research report with all the lesson plans
• Reception on November 30.


Registration procedure
• Visit Lesson Study Alliance website to register for the conference. We accept payment by major credit cards. Confirmation of the registration will be sent by e-mail. Deadline for registration is Sunday, November 25, 2011. Because of the nature of lesson study process, we may limit the number of participants BEFORE November 25.


Click Here to Register Now!
http://lsalliance.org/impuls_lesson_study_seminar_registration


• Cancellation: Cancellation notices must be submitted by November 25, 2011 for a partial refund of 4500 yen. No refunds are available for cancellations after November 25.






Akihiko Takahashi, Ph.D.


Project IMPULS (International Math-teacher Professionalization Using Lesson Study)
Tokyo Gakugei University
4-1-1 Nukuikita, Koganei,
Tokyo, JAPAN zip184-8501
Tel&Fax :81-42-329-7549
http://www.impuls-tgu.org/

APEC-Ubon Ratchathani International Symposium 2011

APEC-Ubon Ratchathani International Symposium 2011:
Innovation on Problem Solving Based Mathematics Textooks and e-textbooks
2-6 November 2011, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand

Conference date
1 November, 2011 Arrival Day
2 November, 2011 APEC-Open Ceremony & Lesson Study Session:
2-5 November, 2011 Keynote Speakers, Specialist Sessions & Panel Discussion
5 November, 2011 Afternoon Depart Ubon Ratchathani for Cultural Visit
6 November, 2011 Cultural Visit in Laos (Jampasak)
7 November, 2011 Back to Ubon Ratchathani
Important Days
July 27, 2011
First Announcement
August 25, 2011
Deadline for accepting APEC specialists nominated and supported by each economy.
This is for preparing accommodation in the university.
October 1, 2011
Deadline for submission of the conference paper (8-12 pages)

Further Information and Contact Persons
For Singapore participants, please contact country specialist at yeapbanhar@gmail.com

Project Website: http://www.crme.kku.ac.th
Contact Persons about the conference
General Chair: Maitree Inprasitha (Project Overseer), Khon Kaen University
Local Chair: Utith Inprasit, Ubon Ratchathani University

Lesson Study in Action at Northbrooks Secondary School

Lesson Study in Action by Academy of Singapore Teachers

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Lesson Study Across Levels

See Marshall Cavendish Institute's Facebook for details

At this moment, I am working with lesson study teams in Kong Hwa School - one on Mathematics and one doing English. They are doing their research lessons this week. Pathlight School has completed one cycle - on word problems in mathematics for fifth graders. Pathlight School is an autism-oriented school. Two other teams are starting their lesson study this term at Pathlight School - secondary ,maths and primary four science. Junyuan Secondary two teams (Biology and History) are well on their way in their lesson planning which they do once a week during the one hour they have for professional learning. Sembawang Secondary School's three mathematics teams have just started the process. Two kindergartens are in the process and one of them will be having their research lesson next week. These are PCF Kindergartens Geylang Serai at Balam Road and PCF Kindergarten at Towner Road.

Lesson Study Programme Junyuan Secondary School

I am working with a history team and a biology team. In the first meeting, they clarified their professional learning goal (research) theme. The hsitory team is interested to improve students' attitude in a way that it translates into better performance. The biology team is interested for students to articulate their thoughts better in written form.

In the second meeting, the history team discussed the emphasis on personalities and the use of emphathy for students to learn about Stalin. The biology team has gone to thinking about teaching students to develop a thought structure when dealing with information such as data.

Open Lesson at Junior High School Attached to Tsukuba University

I had a chance to teach a reserach lesson in a Japanese junior high school. It was for a graduating class waiting to sit for their final examinations next week. Thus, I chose a general problem that allows for review of several concepts.

The problem was to use the geoboard to form polygons with (a) no dots inside the polygon and (b) 4 dots on the sides of the polygon. The ideas was to find how the area is related to the number of dots in both cases with the hope that some students will make a conjecture for the general relationship. Would they try to find a proof too?

The lesson went through four parts. Part 1 involved students finding the area of a 5 square unit square. This introduces students to the key variables, area, x and y where x is the number of dots inside the polygon and y is the number of dots on the perimeter. Part 2 involved a problem shown in the photograph - draw a polygon with no dots inside the polygon. This is a platform for students to look for some relationship involving area. Part 3 is another problem - draw a polygon with 4 dots on the perimeter. This was the point where one student gave a general relationship involving area (S), x and y. I ended the lesson by asking students to find cases that does not satisfy the general relationship given. One girl did and I urged the class to check if the girl was right and to find other figures where the relationship does not hold.

Lesson Study Open House Elementary School Attached to Tsukuba University, Tokyo, Japan

The main problem is to find the masses of chocolate of different shapes (all have the same thickness). The square piece weighs 400g.

The first two shapes given (1) and (2) were triangle (obviously half) and square (less obvious that it is half).

The last problems were (3) and (4). Do you see how the two are related?

I was fortunate to participate in the open house. This research lesson is for grade five and was attended by thousands of teachers from all over Japan.

Open Lesson Da Qiao Primary School

The open lesson on primary five fractions for a remedial class was attended by teachers from the schools as well as guests from Pathlight School, a Chilean teacher who is in Singapore to learn more about Singapore Math and the executive director of CME Group Foundation in Chicago.

The lesson was designed to facilitate authentic professional learning related to students who struggle. What are their major weaknesses? How can they be helped?




One key point that emerge during the lesson is how fast such students arrive at their (often incorrect) responses. During the lesson I tried to get students to talk to each other and using materials to facilitate their talking. I noticed that some students arrive at improved responses after they were allowed to talk more. Sometimes, the correct themselves. Sometimes they evoke prior learning. Sometimes they became (reluctantly) convinced by their friends' explanations.

Such students do need to cultivate a habit of deeper thinking. When hat becomes a habit, things will fall in place.

Lesson Study on Philosophy

Raffles Institution decided to modify the lesson study process for their teacher mentoring process. I work with a team of teachers teaching philosophy (this is not a common subject in Singapore schools). Three of them including a new teacher and two others with significant experience in teaching the subject.

I started the session by getting the team members to identify their professional learning goals. One of them wanted to learn if the lesson are at the right level for the students. Another wanted to explore more student-centred ways to teach the subject and yet another wanted to learn more about ways to assess students during the lesson in formative ways.

Generally, the discussion was based on the lesson planned, getting the team members to think about if the lessons were able to achieve what it set out to achieve.

I will write more after the research lesson and post-lesson discussion. The discussion video will later be used to provide professional development of senior teachers who are mentors to new teachers.

WALS2011

This is the website for World Association of Lesson Studies 2011 in Japan.

See the latest program on the website.

WALS2012 will be in Singapore.

WALS2010

This was my presentation at WALS2010 in Brunei. The 2011 edition will be held in Japan and the 2012 one will be in Singapore.

WALS2010 yeap

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