Stepping up Lesson Study

"In my research in the US and around the world, I have seen how teachers appreciate the collaborative learning offered by lesson study – and how their students benefit from their teachers’ growing expertise. This wonderful new book – Stepping Up Lesson Study: An Educator’s Guide to Deeper Learning – will extend those benefits. Combining the knowledge of lesson study experts across the globe with a wealth of resources and information, the book is filled with practical examples and guidance that will help teachers and teacher educators deepen their understanding of less study. I highly recommend this book to all who want to strengthen teaching practices and student learning."

-Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Teaching and Teacher Education at Stanford University, USA and Founding President of The Learning Policy Institute

"It’s easy to get started with Lesson Study, but then what? There are riches to be mined beyond those first steps. Stepping Up Lesson Study: An Educator’s Guide to Deeper Learning offers insights into how a professional learning community can move to the next level. That’s essential, because the more deeply you know about Lesson Study, the more you can grow as a teacher."

-Alan Schoenfeld, Elizabeth and Edward Conner Professor of Education at University of California, Berkeley, USA

"Lesson study has the power to transform teaching by focusing teachers’ attention on the teaching-learning process. It provides a clear structure for teachers to engage in a careful, critical examination of the impact of their teaching decisions on student learning. This collection builds on other lesson study guides by providing the next level of support for teachers who want to go deeper into their inquiry work. These chapters make visible the very particular aspects of Lesson Study that facilitators and teachers need focus on to strengthen the potential of this form of professional learning to improve classroom teaching. It is this level of detail that is so often missing – but so sorely needed – for professional development to make an impact."

-Elizabeth van Es, Professor, University of California, Irvine, USA

"It has been 20 years since Japanese lesson study has been introduced to the rest of the world which has subsequently developed independently in a variety of contexts. This book explores numerous ways lesson study has extended beyond the shores of Japan, causing it to blossom through collaborative networks of researchers and practitioners. The book contributors work at the forefront of lesson study and explore the most recent developments as they adapted and contextualized lesson study in their respective countries. They bring a wealth of knowledge on the initiatives teachers take to transform their lessons to ensure high-quality learning experiences for all children. This book serves as an excellent guide for lesson study that shows us the way forward by illuminating the future of education in a post-COVID-19 world."

-Kiyomi Akita, Dean of Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Japan