Lesson Study Resources

Thoughts on Lesson Study by our Participants

On this page you can read reflections written by teachers and administrators participating in the lesson study project. These reflections are specifically about the lesson study process, and generally fall into the categories of about students, about working with colleagues and about teaching. To read about participant reflections specifically related to the mathematics they are working on and teaching, check out the Math Resources section of this site.

	Thoughts about students
	Thoughts about working with colleagues
	Thoughts about teaching

Thoughts about students

December 4, 2002, Andrea Knight, (Wareham High School)
“When observing, I got to see a side of students that you miss when teaching. I think this was insightful to see questions the students have but don’t always express to me….”

December 4, 2002, Phil Wolfson (Watertown Middle School)
“The most valuable part of the lesson study is the time to work with my team. Sharing our ideas about ‘the lesson’ is useful, but of even greater value is sharing our ideas about our students. I find it helpful to see our children from multiple perspectives.”

back to top

Thoughts about working with colleagues

December 4, 2002, Julie Goldberg (Danvers High School)
“Discussion of learning issues with other math teachers helps me in two ways. First, I find out that students’ misunderstandings and frustrations are not necessarily peculiar to them and don’t necessarily result from my own lack of skill or attention. Second, working with others stimulates my thinking. Hearing what other teachers have to say teaches me that not only do we have common problems, but that we can work to solve tough problems in teaching.”

December 4, 2002, Barbara McEvoy (Watertown Middle School)
“Every time we meet I come away with a few more new ideas. I’m a veteran teacher and the new teachers feel they learn so much from me, but I also am learning so much from them.”

December 4, 2002, Dea Haupt (Lexington High School)
“It helps me to have other teachers bring up ways they see students understanding or not understanding presented material and to work to find the ‘best’ way.”

back to top

Thoughts about teaching

December 4, 2002, Suzette Holmes (Wareham High School)
“Lesson study is increasing the depth to which I teach a topic. It allows me to focus on reaching my goals with a variety of actions. It is fostering a student and teacher interaction to a greater extent.”

December 4, 2002, Betty Strong (Brookline High School)
“[Lesson study] is reminding me of the way I’d really like to teach – thoughtfully, carefully, purposefully, which I don’t always feel that I have time to do.”

December 4, 2002, Martha Moyer (Newton South High School)
“I believe that working on a lesson, performing it with a class and then going back and reworking it is a fabulous opportunity that we NEVER normally get. We usually work alone, toss a lesson together, and if it works we hope we remember to do it that way again the next time we teach the course.

back to top