Collaborative Professional Learning ~

1. Collaborative Professional Learning ~ Impact of Lesson Study on Professional Development of Preschool Educators Presenter: Peggy Foo

2. Content • Origin and Role of Lesson Study in CPD Framework for Early Childhood Educators • Lesson Study @ Sparkletots (Braddell Heights) • Impact on pedagogical knowledge and skills for effective teaching & observing children’s learning • Issues in Implementation • Alignment to SPARK

3. Background “Regardless of the duration and quality of pre-school education a teacher receives, it is not sufficient to prepare them for the challenges they face throughout their careers. As such quality continuing professional development is necessary to ensure that teachers are able to meet the demands of diverse children needs, engage parents, as well as become active agents of their own professional growth.” Foreword in CPD Framework for Early Childhood Educators Dr Chan Lin Ho

4. Lesson Study in CPD Framework One type of CPD activities (Peer-related activity) Collaborative Research Can be incorporated in the professional development planning cycle outlined in the framework

5. Origin of Lesson Study Originated from Japan in the Meiji era (1880’s) Since Jim Stigler’s “The Teaching Gap” was published in 1999, Lesson study has been made known to world educators outside Japan.

6. Origin of Lesson Study • Watch a video on Japanese Lesson Study • How is Lesson Study different from conventional professional development activities?

7. Task Conventional Professional Development Lesson Study

8. Lesson Study • Professional development activity that teachers engage in to systematically examine their practices. • Lesson Study cycle • Align with recent PD trends •  Job embedded •  Collaborative learning vs. individual •  Teacher-driven/ initiated

9. Lesson Study Cycle Identify Research Theme Plan Lesson Lesson Plan Revision Research Lesson Post-Lesson Discussion

10. Lesson Study @ Sparkletots (Braddell Heights) Research project funded by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) ~ Early Childhood Research Fund (ECRF) Research Question: “What is the impact of Lesson Study on the professional development of preschool educators?”

11. Profile of Pre-School Educators

12. Identify Research Theme Plan Lesson Lesson Plan Revision Research Lesson Post-Lesson Discussion

13. Identify Research Theme/ Professional Development Goal Study centre’s vision and mission Study curriculum goals Identify Ideal students’ behaviours Identify students’ behaviours Identify the gap(s) Identify professional learning goal/ research theme to close the gap(s)

14. Identify Research Theme Lesson Planning Lesson Plan Revision Research Lesson Post-Lesson Discussion

15. Lesson Planning • Think of 4 Critical Questions:  What do we want the children to learn?  How do we know they have learnt it?  What if they have not learnt it?  What if they have already learnt it? • Anticipate children’s responses to learning task(s)

16. Lesson Planning

17. Lesson Planning

18. Identify Research Theme Plan Lesson Lesson Plan Revision Research Lesson Post-Lesson Discussion

19. Research Lesson • One of the team members (research teacher) conducts the lesson • Other team members becomes observers • Can include non team members like teachers from other centres and/or knowledgeable other • Observers take detailed notes and collect data related to the research theme

20. Watch a segment Individual work: Guess and count the actual number of toy counters Predict the number of toy counters in the bag

21. Identify Research Theme Plan Lesson Lesson Plan Revision Research Lesson Post-Lesson Discussion

22. Post-Lesson Discussion • Facilitator transforms data collected during the research lesson into professional learning • Reflect on observations • Study children’s work samples • Knowledgeable other provides theoretical underpinnings and insights to enrich professional learning

23. Identify Research Theme Plan Lesson Lesson Plan Revision Research Lesson Post-Lesson Discussion

24. Lesson Plan Revision • Reflect what went well and what did not • Consider conjectures: •  What if thee same lesson is taught to a group of struggling learners? •  What if the same lesson is taught to a group of advanced learners? •  What if the same lesson is taught using learning centres?

25. Data Collection

26. Impact on Professional Learning • Content (amount) • Use of language • Children’s thinking and learning • Differentiation (for advanced learners and struggling learners)

27. Issues in Implementation • Time constraint • Manpower shortage • Teachers’ mindset change

28. Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework (SPARK) Alignment to SPARK

29. SPARK – Criterion 1

30. SPARK – Criterion 3

31. Reaching out to the Community • Paper presentations at local/ overseas conferences • Article in Digest • Article in Straits Times • Publications • Open lessons • Videos on Lesson Study journeys • Partnership with primary schools to facilitate smooth bridging from K2 to Primary 1

32. Thank You! peggyfoo@hotmail.com