Building Our Understanding of Lesson Study

This publication builds upon the introduction to lesson study presented in Lesson Study: A Handbook for Teacher-Led Improvement of Instruction, by Catherine Lewis. It offers insights from a range of perspectives: teachers, facilitators, principals, and the outside "experts" called "knowledgeable others." The book contains a series of essays based on presentations from two years of RBS conferences on the subject. Experienced Japanese practitioners share their many years of experience. Individual schools offer their own perspectives and advice on how to overcome common obstacles and other strategies for success when implementing the practice in U.S. schools. This book continues RBS' ongoing work to support schools and school districts as they learn to implement the lesson study process.

A number of concrete tools are geared to helping practitioners: responses to Frequently Asked Questions, a template for lesson plans, guidelines for observing and discussing a research lesson, a sample school calendar that integrates lesson study into the school year, and an overall checklist for moving through a lesson study cycle.