Teaching Powerful Problem-solving in Math: A Collaborative Approach Through Lesson Study
Date: 2 March 2026
Time:
1700 – 1800 GMT
0900 – 1000 San Francisco, CA, USA
1100 – 1200 Chicago, IL, USA
1700 – 1800 London, United Kingdom
1800 – 1900 Amsterdam, Netherlands | Stockholm, Sweden | Zürich, Switzerland
0100 – 0200 Singapore
0200 – 0300 Tokyo, Japan
Talk with Catherine Lewis and Akihiko Takahashi about their recently published book Teaching Powerful Problem-solving in Math: A Collaborative Approach Through Lesson Study (Teacher’s College Press, 2025), co-authored with Shelley Friedkin, Sara Liebert, and Nora Houseman. We will present a few slides and then open up to discussion of several key themes of the book, including:
- What is School-wide Lesson Study, and how does it differ from Lesson Study conducted by independent teams?
- How does Teaching Through Problem-solving differ from other forms of math teaching, including other forms of problem-solving?
- What changed at schools taking part in School-wide Lesson Study and Teaching Through Problem-solving, and why did student mathematics achievement change so profoundly?
- How can educators explore Teaching Through Problem-solving and School-wide Lesson Study?
Chairperson
Catherine Lewis (United States) Research Scientist at Mills College at Northeastern University, Oakland, CA, USA. Former president of WALS.
Speakers
Catherine Lewis (United States)
Akihiko Takahashi (United States) He is the President of the Board of Directors of the Lesson Study Alliance and Professor Emeritus at DePaul University, where he taught mathematics and mathematics education for 21 years. Prior to his academic career, he accumulated nearly two decades of hands-on experience with Lesson Study as a classroom teacher and teacher leader in Japan.
His extensive research in mathematics education has resulted in more than 80 journal articles and book chapters, focusing on teacher professional development and the application of Lesson Study in both English and Japanese.