1. Lesson Study at Thornhill Primary  What is Lesson Study?  What makes it so effective?  How can schools develop professional learning communities? E-mail: matt.chappel@thornhill.islington.sch.uk

2. Professional development Think of the most effective professional development you have experienced… What made it effective?

3. Professional development must address all three dimensions of teaching: Knowledge of learners and their development Knowledge of learners and their development Knowledge of subject matter and curriculum goals Knowledge of subject matter and curriculum goals Knowledge of teaching Knowledge of teaching

4. What is Lesson study? 1. Form a small group of staff 2. Decide on an over-arching theme 3. Decide on a focus and plan a lesson 4. Observe the lesson being taught 5. Reflect and revise the lesson 6. Observe the revised lesson 7. Evaluate the whole process

5. Form a group… Phase or cross-phase groups Phase or cross-phase groups Subject or Phase Leaders Subject or Phase Leaders Need a facilitator Need a facilitator Establish purpose and ground rules Establish purpose and ground rules Different to usual observations Different to usual observations Keep as detailed notes as you can Keep as detailed notes as you can

6. Forming a group… Examples of ground rules at Thornhill: Listen to each other’s ideas Listen to each other’s ideas Adopt a non-judgemental approach Adopt a non-judgemental approach Focus on the children’s learning Focus on the children’s learning Be committed to the process Be committed to the process Display honesty and maintain trust Display honesty and maintain trust

7. Costa’s view of reflective dialogue: Trust. Trust. Risk-taking. Risk-taking. Collaborative skills. Collaborative skills.

8. Over-arching theme What are you aiming for? What are you aiming for? Something important to the whole school e.g. ‘Develop the quality of mathematical thinking.’ Something important to the whole school e.g. ‘Develop the quality of mathematical thinking.’ Something inspiring Something inspiring Something observable Something observable

9. Over-arching theme at Thornhill ‘How can we enable children’s mathematical thinking to move forward?’ ‘How can we enable children’s mathematical thinking to move forward?’ Considered in terms of structure, resources, interaction and expectations. Considered in terms of structure, resources, interaction and expectations. We compared what we would like to see children doing and what they actually do now in each of these areas. We compared what we would like to see children doing and what they actually do now in each of these areas.

10. Deciding the lesson focus Look at attainment data (class/school level, national) – what are the issues? Look at attainment data (class/school level, national) – what are the issues? Look at research – what are common misconceptions? What is hard to teach? Look at research – what are common misconceptions? What is hard to teach? Look at the children to be taught – what are their issues? Look at the children to be taught – what are their issues? What do the teachers find interesting or challenging? What do the teachers find interesting or challenging?

11. Three lesson foci at Thornhill Equivalent fractions in Y4: indicated by test scripts, teacher uncertainty and research Equivalent fractions in Y4: indicated by test scripts, teacher uncertainty and research Early place value in Y1: indicated by later insecurity and teacher uncertainty Early place value in Y1: indicated by later insecurity and teacher uncertainty Properties of 2D shapes in Y3: indicated by limited understanding, need for alternative teaching approaches Properties of 2D shapes in Y3: indicated by limited understanding, need for alternative teaching approaches

12. Planning the lesson Research around the focus Research around the focus Look at curriculum documents Look at curriculum documents Review previous practice – how have you taught this before? Review previous practice – how have you taught this before? Take as long as you need to plan Take as long as you need to plan Plan collaboratively Plan collaboratively

13. Three lesson plans at Thornhill Y4: Preparing a picnic – required halving and quartering a range of quantities, both discrete and continuous Y4: Preparing a picnic – required halving and quartering a range of quantities, both discrete and continuous Y1: aliens and their rings – introducing base 3 Y1: aliens and their rings – introducing base 3 Y3: finding and describing quadrilaterals in a school building being renovated Y3: finding and describing quadrilaterals in a school building being renovated

14. Teaching and observing The whole group observes one group member teaching the lesson – minimal interference The whole group observes one group member teaching the lesson – minimal interference One observer could focus on each group One observer could focus on each group Decide what to look for in advance – we focused on structure, resources, interaction and expectations Decide what to look for in advance – we focused on structure, resources, interaction and expectations Go back to the over-arching theme Go back to the over-arching theme

15. What was it like? Teacher did not feel ‘on show’ but part of a collaborative experiment Teacher did not feel ‘on show’ but part of a collaborative experiment Responsibility to the group – can be a challenge to adapt the plan on the hoof Responsibility to the group – can be a challenge to adapt the plan on the hoof

16. Reflect and revise Focus on the learning – what helped? What might have helped more? Focus on the learning – what helped? What might have helped more? Make changes to the lesson only where necessary e.g. different grouping Make changes to the lesson only where necessary e.g. different grouping

17. Examples of revisions In Y4 we wanted to put greater emphasis on collaborative skills and on recording In Y4 we wanted to put greater emphasis on collaborative skills and on recording In Y1 we made sure that the teacher did not model the recording before the children had had a go In Y1 we made sure that the teacher did not model the recording before the children had had a go

18. Teach the revised lesson Different teacher, different children works well Different teacher, different children works well Look out for the different responses of a different group Look out for the different responses of a different group How did any revisions affect the learning? How did any revisions affect the learning?

19. Evaluate Discuss what you learned about teaching the topic and about teaching in general Discuss what you learned about teaching the topic and about teaching in general Reflect on the process of working collaboratively – what helped? What was challenging? Reflect on the process of working collaboratively – what helped? What was challenging?

20. What did teachers think about the process of lesson study? Allowed greater focus on the core concepts being taught Allowed greater focus on the core concepts being taught Bouncing ideas off others Bouncing ideas off others People were willing to open up their mathematical uncertainties People were willing to open up their mathematical uncertainties One teacher very insecure in mathematics – found lesson study very supportive One teacher very insecure in mathematics – found lesson study very supportive

21. What features do you think make lesson study so effective?

22. Features of lesson study: Highly collaborative. Highly collaborative. Learning-focused. Learning-focused. Challenging but supportive. Challenging but supportive. Engages with research. Engages with research. Builds subject knowledge as needed. Builds subject knowledge as needed. Self-directed. Self-directed. A mini professional learning community. A mini professional learning community.

23. How can schools develop professional learning communities? Hargreaves and Shirley: ‘The Fourth Way’ Active trust; democratic; professional. Active trust; democratic; professional. Inspiring mission; transparent and responsible; mindful learning and teaching. Inspiring mission; transparent and responsible; mindful learning and teaching. Teachers as agents of change; mission-driven; evidence-informed. Teachers as agents of change; mission-driven; evidence-informed. Systematic and sustainable – demanding and responsive teaching. Systematic and sustainable – demanding and responsive teaching.

24. Costa talks about the 5 characteristics of a professional learning culture: Shared norms and values. Shared norms and values. A collective focus on student learning. A collective focus on student learning. Collaboration. Collaboration. Deprivatized practice. Deprivatized practice. Reflective dialogue. Reflective dialogue.

25. Shulman talks about six features of professions: Service to society Service to society A body of scholarly knowledge A body of scholarly knowledge Engagement in practical action Engagement in practical action Uncertainty Uncertainty Importance of experience Importance of experience Development of a professional community Development of a professional community

26. Martin-Kniep talks about six features of professional learning communities: Commitment to understanding Commitment to understanding Intellectual perseverance Intellectual perseverance Courage and initiative Courage and initiative Commitment to reflection Commitment to reflection Commitment to expertise Commitment to expertise Collegiality Collegiality

27. The next steps… More involvement of children in lesson study alongside their teachers. More involvement of children in lesson study alongside their teachers. Embedding lesson study across the school. Embedding lesson study across the school.