Date of Award:

12-2008

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

School of Teacher Education and Leadership

Department name when degree awarded

Elementary Education

Committee Chair(s)

Jim Barta

Committee

Jim Barta

Committee

Jim Cangelosi

Committee

Gary Carlston

Committee

Jim Dorward

Committee

Sherry Marx

Abstract

This study investigated the learning of middle school mathematics teachers as they worked in a student-sensitive lesson study group. Three mathematics teachers collaborated to develop and teach student-sensitive math lessons. The original Japanese lesson study model was extended to involve a diversity consultant with experience and expertise in providing student-sensitive instruction. Collaboratively, the members of the lesson study group tailored their mathematics lessons to provide enhanced mathematics instruction to the diverse groups of students in their classrooms. The lesson study team held weekly meetings to develop three student-sensitive lessons over a six-month period.

A case study design was used to allow an in-depth examination of teachers’ participation in the student-sensitive lesson study, with the researcher being the tool of investigation. Data were collected from observations, interviews, and group-produced documents. The findings of the study indicate that the student-sensitive lesson study stimulated in-depth mathematical discussions among participants and prompted a re-evaluation of the teachers’ own mathematical knowledge. While in collaboration with the diversity consultant, the teachers worked to include student-sensitive context in mathematics lessons, and considered the critical role of high student expectations as part of student-sensitive mathematics teaching. The group engaged in reflection on their participation in student-sensitive lesson study, and they further considered factors that affected their knowledge and practice of improved mathematics teaching.

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