Through the Looking Glass: Lesson Study in a Center School

Abstract

This article examined the role of Lesson Study in a center school located in the southeastern United States through an analysis of a narrative by the school principal. This methodology allowed a level of reflexivity across the research team, who appreciated hearing about the powerful first-hand enactment of the initiative. The paper begins with an analysis of Lesson Study, particularly in special education, and the key tenets of Lesson Study followed by a narrative account of the principal. Subsequent to her story, we explored lessons learned in relation to implementing a system change in a school, namely Lesson Study. We learned that a deeper understanding of school culture, sustaining professional development, and collaborative practice, were significant factors enabling the principal and teachers at the center school to embrace, plan, and implement a successful Lesson Study for learners with significant disabilities. In addition, we learned that Lesson Study plays an important role in teacher and student engagement in teaching and learning at the center school and supports teachers to design lessons that are efficacious in meeting the individual needs and higher expectations of students.

From competition to collaboration: Unraveling teachers’ lesson study experiences

“…The foregoing claims are found to be similar with those of studies [2], [7], [16], [25], [33]. Mon, Dali, and Sam [25] claimed the LS made Malaysian-implementers to become reflective and keener in promoting students to become active and participative in the planned lesson.…”

“…Moreover, Butun [7] cited the case of Turkey's LS in transforming teachers to be more active in making students to think. These concordances of Butun [7], Ebaeguin and Stephens [16] aroused teacher-implementers to be more enthusiastic to be more focused in learning than in teaching: all because of their encounters in the LS group [25], [33].…”

“…It can be noted that one of the facets of LS is an avenue for indirect learning by the teachers as teaching is claimed to be a cultural activity [24], [32], [34], [35]. Furthermore, LS in the framework of educational standpoint is geared towards the development of a shared professional culture and not just a professional development activity [3], [15], [33], [36]. Purportedly, professional development programs like LS enables the development of progressive traits of teacher that will hone their efficacy as classroom facilitators.…”

“…Similarly, teacher B and J explicated that the LS is beneficial to the students due to the optimized teaching-and-learning activities. Teachers D, H, and I came to realize that the lesson is fortified with activities that promote better learning outcomes [8], [31], [33].…”