Lesson Study
in Science and Mathematics Education in the Philippines
Soledad A. Ulep Eligio C. Obille Jr.
University of the Philippines
National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development (UP NISMED)
The Collaborative Lesson Research and Development (CLRD) Project
of UP NISMED
It introduces lesson study to mathematics and science teachers and administrators
of elementary and secondary schools and uses it to promote teaching mathematics
through problem solving and teaching science through inquiry.
Lesson Study in 2006 to 2009
• On Mathematics only
• In 4 schools in the National Capital Region (NCR):
1 school in Pasig City:
- Rizal High School (in all 4 year levels) 3 schools in Quezon City:
- San Vicente Elementary School - Krus na Ligas Elementary School
• A total of about 60 teachers and 10 UP NISMED Mathematics staff were involved
A Case of Effective Implementation of Lesson Study in Rizal High School
Full support provided by the department head
• She coordinated the meetings of the teachers and the UP NISMED staff.
• She observed the implementation of the research lessons of all the 4 lesson study groups, 1 group per year level.
• She actively participated in the post-lesson discussion that followed.
Lesson Study in 2010 to present
• On Mathematics and Science
• In 4 schools in the National Capital Region (NCR):
2 schools in Pasig City:
- Sta. Lucia High School (all 4 year levels)
- Rizal High School (HS Earth & Environmental Science;
HS Biology; HS
Chemistry)
2 schools in Quezon City:
- Commonwealth Elementary School - North Fairview High School
• A total of 52 teachers and 29 UP NISMED science and mathematics staff are involved
Accomplishments
• Presentation of 13 lesson study-based papers in the 2010 International Conference in Science and Mathematics Education by teachers of 3 CLRD
Project schools (Rizal, Sta. Lucia, and North Fairview) and their UP NISMED facilitators
• The papers highlighted how their research
lessons exemplified assessment for learning. The Conference theme was Assessing Learning:
Innovations and Practices.
• Conducted a seminar workshop on Teaching Mathematics through Problem Solving Using Lesson Study with GeoGebra for 20 teachers of Ligao National High School (LGNHS) in
Region 5 on May 9 – 13, 2011. This was the first case of that teachers from a school
outside NCR learned about lesson study.
• For 1 week in September 2011, a UP NISMED staff followed through the teachers of LGNHS as they did lesson study on their own with the staff serving as knowledgeable other.
• In Jan. – Feb. 2012 a total of 40 science and mathematics teachers of Nueva Ecija High
School in Region 3 and 13 UP NISMED staff did lesson study.
Positive Effects of Lesson Study
• Both teachers and students appreciate the opportunities created for them to think
independently and deeply by the research lessons.
• Students are more responsive and interested to learn science and mathematics.
• Lesson study enhanced the teachers’ content and pedagogical content knowledge through sharing of ideas during planning and post-lesson
discussions and observation of classes.
• Teachers appreciate the trust, openness, unity, and camaraderie that they experience which give them confidence in teaching the research lesson.
Challenges
• Teachers find difficulty in:
- developing activities or problems that can be used in the research lessons
- anticipating the questions that students will pose
- processing students’ unexpected responses - eliciting responses from the students
- implementing the research lessons in lower sections.
Future Plans
• Organizing a national symposium on lesson study in 2013
• Offering short term courses on lesson study
• Publication of a book on lesson study on science and mathematics education
• Development of teaching and learning materials on problem solving and
mathematical modeling in the context of disaster preparedness, etc.
