Lesson Study Home

Funded by a Title IIA Professional Development Grant from the Board of Regents of the State of Iowa, with additional support from Loras College, the Dubuque Community School District, and Dubuque Holy Family Catholic Schools. Computer equipment and teacher materials provided by a grant from the Dubuque Racing Association.

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PROJECT DIRECTORS

	Dr. Daniel Willis, Associate Professor Mathematics, Engineering, & Computer Science Loras College 1450 Alta Vista P.O. Box 178 Dubuque, IA 52004-0178	Phone: (563) 588-7708 Fax: (563) 588-7292 Email: daniel.willis@loras.edu Web: http://myweb.loras.edu/dw078774
	Christina Nugent Mathematics Instructional Strategist Dubuque Community School District 2300 Chaney Rd. P.O. Box 178 Dubuque, IA 52004-0178	Phone (563) 552-3079 Fax (563) 552-3102 Email: christina.nugent@loras.edu

ABSTRACT

The goal of the project is to increase the mathematics achievement of elementary school students through their teachers’ participation in a long-term school-based professional development process based on Japanese-style lesson study

Each year we will recruit 48 K-6 public and parochial school teachers from high-need LEAs in AEA1 and AEA9. Participating teachers will attend two 4-day summer workshops at Loras College in Dubuque. The first workshop (in June) will focus on content knowledge and problem-based instruction (the NCTM standards). The second workshop (in August) will focus on lesson study. This will include collaborative planning, teaching real students, and debriefing in model lesson study groups.

During the school year, participating teachers will meet with their lesson study team in their building for an hour a week on average. In addition, the full group will meet for six 2-hour sessions (three in the fall and three in the spring). Formative and summative evaluations of students and teachers will be used throughout.

Teachers who participate for all three years will have the opportunity to receive the 24 credit Iowa K-6 Math Endorsement. In year one the content focus will be Number and Operations; in year two, it will be Geometry and Measurement; in year three, it will be Data Analysis, Probability, and Algebra. Participating teachers will be equipped to lead reform efforts (such as Every Student Counts) in their buildings and districts. Near the end of the three-year project cycle, the project directors will publish in book form a compilation of the polished lessons and research reports that have been generated by participating teachers.