Lesson Study as a Teaching Methodology - Essay Example

The process of  Lesson Study can be categorized under four stages, which are unique to this methodology and also cater to the improvement if student achievement in the school curriculum; while promoting detailed analyses of the subject matter as well. The stages are as follows:

Study Curriculum and Formulate Goals. This stage consists of a study of the academic curriculum, by weighing the topics and subject matter of study. In addition to this, the authorities and teachers also keep in mind the futuristic interests of the students and the betterment of the quality of education transmitted. In doing this, they formulate the goals for this methodology.

Formulate a Plan. This stage comprises the planning for the research that comes along with this methodology of instruction. It included analyzing the comprehension and absorption levels of students. Based on this, the extent of data collection, the mode for collecting it, and the plan of action to carry forward the approach are planned and scheduled.

Conduct Research. This method is the actual practical component of this methodology of Lesson Study, wherein one of the teaching faculty members conducts the research classes and the others sit down, make observations and collect data about the module and the methods of instruction. Based onof this, deductions are made. Since observations in U.S. classrooms have traditionally been conducted in the context of performance evaluation, it is not surprising that American teachers report feeling anxiety about publicly teaching lessons to their peers. The important difference here is that, unlike traditional classroom observations, lesson study is generally conducted in a way that shifts the focus from evaluating the performance of the teacher to assessing the instruction (Sonal Chokshi, and Clea Fernandez; Challenges to Importing Japanese Lesson  Study: Concerns,  Misconceptions,  and  Nuances).

Reflect. This final stage of the process consists of the sharing of data regarding the subject matter and the teaching module. It also explores the subject and raises numerous questions and also challenges the restricted mental framework, by expanding the comprehension horizon of students.

A few of the main prerequisites for the successful implementation of Lesson Study are extensive knowledge about content, among the instructors and teaching, a good peer-to-peer relation between the faculty members, and a good comprehension level regarding mindset-set comprehension levels and the psychological functioning of students.

Thus, Lesson Study is a rather comprehensive methodology of instruction, that deals with research and analyses, besides proficiency and acquiring in-depth knowledge about the subject matter. It is an essential part of escalating the quality of education, as it keeps in mind the comprehension levels of students and also formulates the module by that.