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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Learning Journey to Japan 13-23 June 2011 (Updated 8 Dec 2011)

This was unfortunately cancelled because of the earthquake situation in Japan.

Makoto Yoshida, Akihiko Takahashi and Tad Watanabe, three Japanese professors teaching in US universities and experts in lesson study are going to conduct a lesson study institute that will start in Singapore and continue in Japan. In Singapore, there will be sessions and workshop on the lesson study process. In Japan, there will be lesson study experience in four schools.

It will take place 13 - 23 June 2011.
If you want a copy of the first announcement, please mail yeapbanhar@gmail.com

The tuition fee for the course does not exceed USD1500.
The exact cost is being worked out. This excludes travel and hotel cost.
A local travel agent will be appointed to make the travel / hotel arrangements.
Details are in the First Announcement.

30 places will be available.

Course by Academy of Singapore Teachers

Previously, under TDD, a course on Lesson Study Overview has been conducted. This intermediate course for participants to experience Lesson Study is scheduled for 20-21 September at Da Qiao Primary School.

Experiencing Lesson Study (Intermediate)

Overview:
This is an intermediate course for teachers who are interested in carrying out Lesson Study in their schools.

Objective:
• To set norms for working in a lesson-study team
• To guide a team through the actual lesson planning
• To draft a lesson plan
• To critique the lesson plan
• To clarify areas of observation during research lesson

Content:
The course comprises the following components:
• Guidelines for planning a good lesson
• Develop a lesson plan using teaching materials
• Identify parts of the lesson plan which will support the research theme
• Identify obstacles which will hinder the development of competencies identified in the research theme
• Research lesson (first cycle)
• Post-lesson discussion

Lesson Study in Japan

In Feb 2010, a group of MOE officers, teachers and master teacher went to Japan to join the APEC Lesson Study Conference which include a chance to observe open research lesson.

In Nov (2-5 November 2010), lesson study specialists from these APEC economies will meet in Chiangmai to discuss the progress in their countries. There will be open research lesson by Thai schools. See http://www.crme.kku.ac.th/APEC/APEC%202010/APECLessonStudy2010_1.pdf

In Feb 2011 (the dates are to be announced), there will be another meeting in Japan. You are welcome to join me at the meeting. You just need to inform me and I will ask the organizers to let you join the conference. It is not a public conference in the sense that people can register and attend. It will include visits to Japanese schools to see open research lesson as well as presentations by different APEC countries. You need to pay for your own air ticket, accomodation at the conference venue (they will book for you - it cost less than $100 per night), your meals (typically Y1000 per meal). They usually do not charge anything for the conference itself. You can estimate how much it cost per person.

Those who went this year can also advise interested teachers on how much it cost per person.

I am also trying to work with Yoshida Makoto to organise a more in-depth learning experience for Singapore teachers. This will include a pre-trip workshop in Singapore followed by a week of lesson study experience in Japan. I am asking makoto to work out an estimate of how much this will cost. If you are keen please email me at yeapbanhar@gmail.com . It is likely to be a year end thing as June is not a good time for Japanese schools.