I am currently leading my school's (primary) lesson study efforts.
I would just like to seek your expert advice on the number of cycles of Lessons Study. Right now, my school currently embarks on two lesson study cycles. Some teachers have actually asked if the second cycle itself can be done not by observing just one teacher, but by taking the improved lesson plan back to their classes and conducting it.
Would such a practice dilute the essence of lesson study given that there will thus be only one lesson during the first cycle where teachers observe teaching and understanding?
I would greatly appreciate your expertise and take on this subject matter.
Brenda, Singapore
You can have teachers taking the lesson and then teaching it to their own classes after the lesson refinement stage. In this case, the team has completed one cycle of the lesson. It is fine. Of course, going into the second cycle offers teachers with another opportunity to observe and talk about the lesson. If the team is motivated and can afford the time, doing a second cycle should offer them new things to see and should enrich the professional learning.
