Norwegian educators visiting schools in Malta on lesson study
Collaborative Lesson Study Malta (CLeStuM) hosted four Norwegian secondary school educators – two school leaders, a deputy school leader and a teacher from Høyland and Bogafjell secondary schools – to discuss the initiation, development and support for sustaining lesson studies within schools in Malta. The aim of this visit was to compare and contrast lesson study experiences, to share lesson study resources among Maltese and Norwegian schools, and to explore possibilities for future collaboration.
On Tuesday 15th November 2022, our first visit was at Sacred Heart Junior School starting off with a meeting with a Year 2 teacher, literacy teacher and a learning support educator about their experience doing lesson study. We then met the school leadership team to discuss school-wide lesson study implementation and how it can shape the way educators develop professionally. Following a school tour, our Norwegian guests visited classrooms to observe lessons. Finally, with James Calleja, Michelle Attard Tonna, Michael Buhagiar and Laura Formosa representing CLeStuM, our discussions focused on lesson study in teacher education programmes and our two lesson study courses offered at postgraduate level.
On Wednesday 16th November 2022, we visited Mellieha Primary School. Following a one-hour school tour and a classroom observation, we had an intensive and engaging meeting with the school leadership team who presented their three-year school-wide lesson study implementation plan. Besides the role of teachers, a key feature in this plan is the role of pupils and their parents and how the school is involving them for the improvement of teaching and learning practices.
We have committed ourselves to further this collaboration through the planning of a professional development session for educators within the two primary schools in Malta and those in the two secondary schools in Norway.
The organising team:
James Calleja (Leader of CLeStuM, Faculty of Education, University of Malta)
Arild Nyvoll (Teacher at Høyland Secondary School, Norway)
