Lesson Study Day 1

Summer 2012 Workshop

History

FIMSS 1967

SIMS 1980

TIMSS 1995

Math Results of 4th and 8th graders International

average 529, 513

US 545, 500

Singapore 625, 643

Japan 597, 605

History continued

TIMSS-R 1999

Math Results of 8th graders

international average 487

US 502

Singapore 604

TIMSS Released Items

Science: The weathering of rocks can be caused by both physical and chemical processes. Write down one physical process and one chemical process. Explain how each can cause the weathering of rocks.

Science: Look at the list of organisms (plants and animals) below. They all live in the Neritic Zone of the ocean. [Six organisms are listed with a short description of each]

Complete the food web on the chart below to include all the organisms listed in the table.

TIMSS Released Items

Math: [A 2cm x 8cm rectangle is shown.] On the grid provided, draw a rectangle whose length is three-fourths the length of the rectangle given, and whose width is two and one-half times the width of the rectangle given. Label the length and width of the new rectangle in cm on the figure.

TIMSS VIDEOTAPE STUDY

U.S., Japan, and Germany

CLIPS

www.TIMSSvideo.com

What did you observe about the US lesson? the Japanese lesson?

How might these differences translate to higher levels of student achievement?

PRIMARY FINDINGS of the TIMSS Videotape Study

Recorded by the researchers in the book The Teaching Gap, James Stigler & James Hiebert, 1999

“…American mathematics teaching is extremely limited, focused…on a very narrow band of procedural skills” Other nations “teach mathematics in a deeper way, teaching for conceptual understanding.”

PRIMARY FINDINGS of the TIMSS Videotape Study continued

The U.S. lacks a comprehensive plan for delivering quality professional development for teachers

There is “[no] coherent system of professional development for teachers of mathematics.” - Barbara Reys

TIMSS Quotes“Less emphasis is needed on computation, because

of the advent of calculators and an the need for an emphasis on strong understanding.”

“The United States seems to either have way too much focus on…test prep, [and ] not enough focus on… thinking.”

“Japanese teachers think that learning the process of thinking is the most important thing to learn in the classroom.”

“US classrooms are more focused on the right answers and whether or not a student can take a specific formula, apply the formula to a problem, and find the correct answer. The focus in [other some other countries] is most importantly how to find that answer.”

Liping Ma

Comparison of Chinese vs. U.S. teachers

Problem #3: 1 ¾ ÷ ½

perform computation and write story

Approx. 1/3 of U.S. teachers performed the calculation correctly; all Chinese teachers did

No U.S. teachers could give a story; most Chinese teachers could

PISA PISA assesses Mathematical Literacy:

Mathematics literacy is the capacity to identify, understand and engage in mathematics, and to make well-founded judgments about the role that mathematics plays in an individual's current and future private life, occupational life, social life with peers and relatives, and life as a constructive, concerned and reflective citizen. (OECD – PISA) Students need to bring to bear

mathematical skills in situations which are not presented in mathematical terms.

2009 PISA Results

2009 Math Results

international average 496

US 487

Shanghai China 600

Korea 546

Japan 529

PISA Sample Problem

To complete one set of bookshelves a carpenter needs the following components:4 long wooden panels,6 short wooden panels,12 small clips,2 large clips and14 screws.The carpenter has in stock 26 long wooden panels, 33 short wooden panels, 200 small clips, 20 large clips and 510 screws. How many sets of bookshelves can the carpenter make?

Note:

Shift in what matters:

SkillsProblem-solving

Procedures Critical thinking

Communication

Application

What does this shift look like in practice?

Some examples…

Promoting Higher-order Skills

Challenge students withVisual problems

NAEP Question:

Sally walks 5 blocks north, turns left and walks 2 blocks west. She turns left, what direction is she facing?

Promoting Higher-order skills

Challenge students with

Open-ended problems

John has 34 marbles, Bill has 27 marbles and Sue has 23 marbles. How many marbles do they have altogether?

vs.

John has 34 marbles, Bill has 27 marbles and Sue has 23 marbles. Write and solve as many problems as you can using this information.

Promoting Higher-order skills

Challenge students with

Critical Thinking problems

A snail is at the bottom of a 10-foot well. Every day he crawls up 3 feet but at night slips down 2 feet. How many days will it take for him to get out of the well?

What can assist us in making this shift:

SkillsProblem-solving

Procedures Critical thinking

Communication

Application

Japanese-Style Lesson Study

Lesson Study is a form of classroom-embedded professional development.

collaboration + action research = LS

Emphasis on developing higher-order skills to improve achievement

For years, has been a respected form of PD on east and west coasts in the U.S.

Loras was a pioneer in its use in the Midwest

Primary Components of Lesson Study

Primary Components of Lesson Study

Study

Primary Components of Lesson Study

Plan

A sample Lesson Plan

http://www.lessonresearch.net/Seatlessonplan.pdf

Primary Components of Lesson Study

Teach Research Lesson

What data?

Focus is on the students

their connections, observations

their misconceptions

What changes to the lesson might improve student understanding?

Primary Components of Lesson Study

Reflect

Video

Makoto Yoshida and Clea Fernandez, Global Education Resources

Activities to Improve Instruction

Rank the four activities below according to how often you engage in them.

1 = most often, 2 = next most often, etc

Plan lessons collaboratively

Plan lessons alone

Watch other teachers teach and discuss your observations

Curricular activities: write or choose curriculum, align with standards

Warning!

Lesson Study is not a “quick fix.”

Lesson Study as a model for PD

Traditional PD

• Delivered by experts

• Research of “others” informs practice

• Hierarchical structure

Lesson Study

• Participant-centered

• Practicing teachers are DOING the research

• Cooperative structure

How Many Seats?

We have a long skinny room and triangle tables that we need to arrange in a row with their edges touching, as shown. Each side can hold one “seat,” shown with a circle. Can patterns help us find an easy to answer the question: How many seats can fit around a row of triangle tables?

How Many Seats?

Pretend you are one of your students.

Your challenge: How many seats can fit around a row of triangle tables?

How Many Seats?

There are two patterns to be observed:

+1 pattern going vertically

+2 pattern going horizontally

Which is more apparent?

Which is more useful?

Questions?