So yesterday and the day prior, my posts were spotty due to poor internet performance. Today's post shall be much better but hopefully brief. By better I mean some more resources, by brief I mean short.
As I mentioned yesterday, lesson planning is important. It allows you as a teacher to create a map of where you want to head with your students. We can't all just "wing it." Some teachers can do this a few times over a year and get by; but, if you are really into teaching and learning, it is recommended to be well planned for the kids.
Once you have an idea, how do you put it onto paper. There are several different models to follow: gradual release, 5-E, lecture and copy, etc. You know the drill. Every one has a different model that they prefer to use. Personally, I don't care what model you use as long as you are writing something down in an understandable format. Sticky notes could be used, if one places them in a specific order to show how the lesson will flow. They won't work if you just jot them down and put them on the back of a worksheet.
I have worked at several schools that have asked teachers to use a certain template. I like that idea. Being asked to use a template provides a challenge. Take what you know and show it in a different way so if someone wants to read it they can understand your thinking for the lesson. I used to grumble, "I am a science teacher and I need to use the 5-E model...blah, blah, blah." Then I realized that the template I was asked to use could be made into a 5-E model by moving some parts around. When I asked if I could do that, my principal gave me the go ahead and it worked. I never looked back.
Planning lessons is important for multiple reasons. First and foremost, it is fair to the kids that depend on you to give them the knowledge they so yearn for each and every day. Two: it will help you, the teacher, think things through so when something goes wrong with the lesson you have a way to think through to fix it. Three: it will keep you the teacher happy. As you progress from year to year, you will have an encyclopedia of work that you have accumulated and you can easily pull from and change in order to meet your students' needs. You can then start your own blog and share that information with educators around the globe. :)
For some related articles and resources, I created a Symbaloo webmix. If you have not tried this tool yet, I recommend you check it out. It is a great way to organize websites in such a manner that it is easy to access. It is easy to update and share websites. We are using it in our school to provide professional development, so why not use it here in the same way. Think flipping your classroom.
Check it out here:
Lesson Planning Tips and Resources
Thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment.
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