School systems around the world are adopting more intellectually ambitious academic content in the hopes of improving their educational productivity. In the United States, these efforts have required significant changes to teachers' instructional practices, and increased attention to teachers' formal and on-the-job professional learning…

This study investigates the use of Lesson Study in three U.S. schools. Lesson Study is part of the culture of teaching in Japanese K-8 schools. Researchers in the United States brought the practice of Lesson Study ("jugyokenkyo" in Japanese) to light in the late 1990's while investigating reasons for differences in the performance of…

This report examines the top Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R) performers and compares Delaware classroom environments with those of the top performing students. Data analyses show that Delaware's average class size is larger than any of the top performers, and student attendance, skipping, and tardiness problems…