Lesson Planning Procedures
by: Source Unknown
Time -- we only have so much
of it. The effective teacher cannot create a single extra second of the day --
any more than anyone can. But the effective teacher certainly controls the way
time is used. Effective teachers systematically and carefully plan for
productive use of instructional time.
One of the primary roles that
you will perform as a teacher is that of designer and implementer of
instruction. Teachers at every level prepare plans that aid in the organization
and delivery of their daily lessons. These plans vary widely in the style and
degree of specificity. Some instructors prefer to construct elaborate detailed
and impeccably typed outlines; others rely on the briefest of notes handwritten
on scratch pads or on the backs of discarded envelopes. Regardless of the
format, all teachers need to make wise decisions about the strategies and
methods they will employ to help students move systematically toward learner
goals.
Teachers need more that a
vague, or even a precise, notion of educational goals and objectives to be able
to sequence these objectives or to be proficient in the skills and knowledge of
a particular discipline. The effective teacher also needs to develop a plan to
provide direction toward the attainment of the selected objectives. The more
organized a teacher is, the more effective the teaching, and thus the learning,
is. Writing daily lesson plans is a large part of being organized.
Several lesson plan outlines
will be presented. You as a teacher will probably begin by choosing a desirable
outline and sticking fairly close to it. Planning and classroom delivery
innovations usually come once you are in the classroom with your own set of
learners, have developed your own instructional resources, and have experimented
with various strategies. Although fundamental lesson planning elements tend to
remain unchanged, their basic formula is always modified to suit the individual
teacher's lesson preparation or style of presentation.
The lesson plan is a dreaded
part of instruction that most teachers detest. It nevertheless provides a guide
for managing the learning environment and is essential if a substitute teacher
is to be effective and efficient. Three stages of lesson planning follow:
Stage 1: Pre-Lesson
Preparation
1. Goals
2. Content
3. Student entry level
Stage 2: Lesson Planning
and Implementation
1. Unit title
2. Instructional goals
3. Objectives
4. Rationale
5. Content
6. Instructional procedures
7. Evaluation procedures8. Materials>Stage 3: Post-Lesson
Activities
1. Lesson evaluation and revision.
Lesson planning involves much
more than making arbitrary decisions about "what I'm going to teach today." Many
activities precede the process of designing and implementing a lesson plan.
Similarly, the job of systematic lesson planning is not complete until after the
instructor has assessed both the learner's attainment of the anticipated
outcomes and effectiveness of the lesson in leading learners to these outcomes.
One final word. Even teachers who develop highly
structured and detailed plans rarely adhere to them in lock-step fashion. Such
rigidity would probable hinder, rather than help, the teaching-learning process.
The elements of your lesson plan should be thought of as guiding principles to
be applied as aids, but not blueprints, to systematic instruction. Precise
preparation must allow for flexible delivery. During actual classroom
interaction, the instructor needs to make adaptations and to add artistry to
each lesson plan and classroom delivery.;
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