ABSTRACT
The steps of lesson study by Lewis et al. in 2019 are interrelated and reinforce one another, especially when teachers engage in multiple cycles. Given structures and goals underlying teacher preparation, we suggest particular aspects of the prepare step are critical to productively engaging preservice teachers (PSTs) in lesson study. These include introducing PSTs to lesson study by discussing the goals, format, and history of lesson study; developing cooperative learning norms; paying careful attention to how research groups are formed; and negotiating with field partners the target standards and instructional materials the PSTs will use to design their instruction. In this chapter, we elaborate on each aspect and provide recommendations for adaptations of the prepare step. Recommendations are based on our review of literature regarding goals of initial steps of traditional lesson study, research on lesson study with PSTs, and artifacts generated by participants who attended the Lesson Study for Mathematics and Science Teacher Educators Conference (LMSTEC) conference. For example, our review revealed instances where teacher educators spent insufficient time developing cooperative learning norms and provided inadequate scaffolding to support PSTs to determine a research goal. We recommend that teacher educators enacting lesson study purposefully plan out the prepare step to maximize learning.
