Introduction: Contextualizing the Lessons

Abstract

Volume 2—What Makes a Good Mathematics Lesson: The Lessons—contains 27 lessons written by Japanese junior high school teachers who used the framework described in Volume 1—What Makes a Good Mathematics Lesson: The Theory—to craft their lessons. Volume 2 also contains 4 lessons written by teachers in the United States who each adapted one of the 27 lessons written by their Japanese colleagues. They then reflected on the lesson using the same framework for a “good mathematics lesson” described in Volume 1. This introductory chapter contextualizes Volume 2 with a brief summary of the framework for creating a good mathematics lesson described in detail in Volume 1. In addition to summarizing the theory found in Volume 1, this introduction also outlines some key concepts about Japanese mathematics education that are referenced in this volume and are described in more detail in the introduction to Volume 1.