Lesson Study Network

I enjoy having academic conversations with my peers because sometimes in teaching you get stuck in kid mode. Lesson study lifts it up to, now I'm an adult, I'm learning, I'm bettering my practice, I'm talking to my colleagues and seeing what works and what doesn't, I'm trying new things. Yes, I'm teaching kids, but I'm also learning how to be a better teacher....I want to get better. I want to learn.

Why Lesson Study Network?

As a professional development model, Lesson Study addresses two of SFUSD’s critical needs: (1) raising student achievement in mathematics and (2) enhancing teacher recruitment and retention by establishing professional learning that teachers find powerful and professionally fulfilling.

For many years, SFUSD has struggled without success to improve student mathematics achievement and to close the significant gaps associated with race, ethnicity, income and language status. Lesson Study, combined with effective math teaching pedagogy, is what SFUSD needs to address the achievement of students who have been historically marginalized and increase all student learning.  

Investment in Teachers Leads to Increased Student Achievement

As SFUSD struggles with teacher shortages, problems in both recruitment and retention have plagued our schools and left thousands of students without qualified classroom teachers. Lesson Study improves student learning by investing in teachers, who develop powerful new routines of practice-based learning.  For example, teachers collaboratively study a curriculum topic, plan a lesson that honors what is known about effective teaching of the topic, and carefully observe students during a live classroom lesson, drawing out implications for future instruction.  As teachers take part in Lesson Study, they build powerful habits–such as closely studying curriculum content and carefully observing students.  Teachers also develop strong, trusting collegial relationships as they collaborate to bring to life their shared instructional vision. Lesson Study "puts the professional part back in teaching," as one teacher commented.