Lesson Study from Developmental Studies Center: Support Kit Snapshot

“How do I start lesson study at my school?” is a question I hear a lot from teachers and administrators. With all there is to know and do to get started, and without the support of experienced practitioners, beginning lesson study at a school can seem daunting.

With that in mind, Developmental Studies Center has created the Lesson Study Support Kit—a set of materials that teachers, curriculum coordinators, and administrators can use to begin the lesson study process at their school. The kit is designed to support a two-year guided implementation of lesson study and includes support for continuing lesson study after year two. The overarching goal of the first two years is for schools to establish a focus on students’ thinking.

The Lesson Study Support Kit includes a Facilitator’s Kit and four grade-level Teacher’s Kits.

The Facilitator’s Kit, Grades K–12 contains:

1) Facilitator's Manual, providing (1) an overview of lesson study, and (2) a two-year implementation plan, including six meeting agendas and six lesson study protocols
2) Lesson Study Overview DVD, following a grade-level team as it works through a lesson study cycle
3) Five Data Collection Instruments pads to use during each lesson study cycle
4) Facilitator's Kit Reproducible MaterialsCD-ROM of all blackline masters needed to implement the planned activities
5) The Lesson Planning Handbook: Essential Strategies That Inspire Student Thinking and Learning by Peter Brunn, a helpful resource for planning lessons with the student in mind

The four Teacher's Kits (one each for grades K–2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12) contain:

1) QuickStart Guide for Teachers, an overview of the program, highlighting important features of the kit, designed to help teachers understand what is in the kit and how to use it
2) Teacher’s Guide, providing (1) an overview of lesson study, and (2) information and materials to help teachers successfully participate in a Lesson Study group
3) Lesson Study Overview DVD, following a grade-level team as it works through a lesson study cycle
4) The DSC Way DVD, which explains Developmental Studies Center’s pedagogy and materials
5) Teacher's Kit Reproducible Materials CD-ROM (grade-range specific)
6) Research Lessons in Reading Comprehension, Writing, and Mathematics
7) Trade book(s) to accompany the lessons

Optimally, a facilitator has the full Lesson Study Support Kit and an additional grade-level Teacher’s Kit for each teacher in the lesson study group. The individual Teacher’s Kits available for grade levels K–2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12 contain the same materials as the sample Teacher’s Kits provided to the facilitator.

Lesson study won’t look exactly the same in any two schools (see my earlier post on the Chicago Lesson Study Conference), but the Lesson Study Support Kit is a great way to get started!