I see so much value in The Lesson
Study process, and believe that it mirrors our PLC process in many ways,
however, I think it also has the potential to strengthen and align our analysis
process as a school, and strengthen educational outcomes for our students. What
I appreciate most about this process, is that it empowers teachers to select
the best method of instructional delivery to meet the needs of students, based
upon research, and data. Lewis, Perry, & Murata (2006) explain the process
in four steps consisting of studying the curriculum, and formulating goals,
plan, conduct research, and reflect. I believe that this is the work that
effective PLC teams should be immersed in on a regular basis. This process
includes consistent analysis of instruction, and teaching strategies with the paramount
goal of improving instruction. This process also considers the teacher as a
learner, studying curriculum, planning instructional delivery, conducting
research, and reflecting as a team through peer feedback, and data analysis.
This process also takes a backwards planning approach in that the beginning
stages involve studying the curriculum and selecting a critical task, or
particularly difficult task and planning instruction as a team considering the
most important “enduring understanding” and most valuable learning
opportunities for students. Teachers then select a research question, and
conduct research through instructional delivery. The final stage, and arguably
the most important, is the reflection stage. As a team, data is used to dictate
student’s misunderstandings, or weaknesses, and strengths. This leads the team
back to the beginning of the process of developing a new question to research.
My school is currently collaborating
at varying degrees of effectiveness. While every grade level team meets,
creates agendas, and reports data weekly, the protocols and structures used
look different on every grade level team. Each team uses a reflection tool that
promotes goal setting, generating scaffolds and interventions, and sharing
data, but this process looks very different, and is completed to varying
degrees depending upon the grade level leader, and PLC team. I envision The Lesson Study Process strengthening
this element of our practice, as it has specific steps to follow to facilitate
this critical work. Currently, there is a relatively broad understanding of
best practice in terms of PLC work, and I believe that we need a more specific
protocol to follow. I believe the lesson study process is valuable as it mirrors
the work we are already doing, but would give teachers more structure, and
support when it comes to lesson delivery, and data analysis.
Challenges to implementing this
model at my school would simply be that all teachers are not always willing, or
excited about embracing new models, or changes. This is not a critique of
teachers. Teachers are extremely hardworking, passionate, committed
professionals, immersed in a profession that is constantly changing, and not
always positively. It can be difficult to discern valuable protocols that are
worth investing in, from simply an additional task to add to our overflowing
plates. I think a way to combat this resistance, is simply through illustrating
that it works. When we tighten up our practice, and are extremely intentional
about team planning, data analysis, and changing our approaches as a result,
students benefit from stronger instruction. It would also be important to
illustrate that this process is incredibly similar to the work we are already
doing, and should require just small tweaks to strengthen our practice. It is
important to highlight the strengths of our teams, and empower their will to
improve, rather than mandating a new practice.
I do believe that many teams at our
school align well to best PLC practices, and that intention of our PLC system
mirrors best practice, and that a few teams engage in exceptional PLC work.
However, I also recognize that this is not a schoolwide practice. We have the
resources and protocols to make this work impactful, however our expectations
as a school are far too broad. I believe that as we become more common in our
approach, our work will become more meaningful, and will be more likely to
positively impact the education of our students.
