Lesson Study Communities: Increasing Achievement with Diverse Students by Karin M. Wiburg, Susan Brown

Product Details

Synopsis

Educators have been examining the Japanese lesson study model for years, but the dissimilar environment in U.S. Schools has prevented a widescale adoption of this effective form of professional learning.

Lesson Study Communities demonstrates how to translate each step of the Japanese lesson study process to the educational environment of U.S. schools. Offering specific strategies that have been tested and successfully used with ethnically diverse students, this book incorporates a culturally responsive approach to curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Working in impoverished schools with ELL and low SES students, Wiburg and Brown's program made significant progress toward closing the achievement gap in poorly served communities.

Applicable to math, science, reading, language arts, and social studies, programs, this implementation guide

• Explains how to connect lesson study to school or district instructional goals
• Provides case examples and step-by-step guidance
• Reveals how lesson study can be integrated into daily work
• Offers extended learning activities and exercises

Addressing the challenge of changing student demographics, this book includes guidance on assessing readiness for lesson study, planning the research lesson, gathering data, modifying the lesson, and sharing findings.

Staff developers, teachers, and administrators will find this to be a significant stride toward increasing student achievement and ensuring academic success.

Biography

Susan W. Brown, PH.D.:  Currently is Principal Investigator/Project Director for several grants, including the Southern New Mexico Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Aerospace Academy, in the College of Education at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM.   Her research focus is science education and the under-representation of minority students and females in the fields of science, math, and engineering, and the grants reflect this focus.  Besides the grant work, she teaches early childhood and elementary science methods at New Mexico State University, as well as work with NASA as an Aerospace Education Specialist. Throughout her teaching and research career she has earned numerous awards such as the 2004 New Mexico State University Outstanding Research, Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching, the Disney/McDonald Award, Who's Who Among America's Teachers, and special recognition from the New Mexico legislature.  She is nationally board certified and has facilitated many educator's workshops, presented and published nationally and internationally.