08 summer- heather, anne
reflection and refraction
Real lesson study (or perhaps something more like lesson study) began
when we started watching video. We were able to actually hear each other’s
video – quiet as it was on our computers - and we were able to offer each
other feedback about what we saw. We asked questions like “Why did you
do this here?” or “Do you think it could have been better if you had _____?”
From working together we learned about how difficult it is to offer video and
student work up for judgment by a colleague. The work I brought in for
examination was not as good as I had hoped it would be, and I assume that
would be a likely sentiment among new teachers, which of course, made the
experience a little embarrassing. The redeeming factor in that difficulty was
that we were both in a similar spot. We both were self-reflective enough to
know that our work could have been better. Without the trust that we had
developed over several years of working together, these revelations would
not have been possible.
As for our videos themselves, once we realized how much could be gained
from video we knew that the video quality would have to improve. Both of
our videos focused on us as teachers with little or no student appearances.
While the video certainly helped us examine our own teaching it did little to
inform us about what kind of learning happened during our lesson.
documents and resources
(c) 2009 ronnster/oharanator productions
