Ever since I started with the educational courses at the University my teachers always pointed out the importance of lesson plans, I learned different ways to plan my lessons and I think each teacher has different “formats or patterns” to do it. I have to be honest but when it was about making lesson plans in class it was a nightmare for me, I didn’t like it at all. We had to set the topic first, then we had to develop the objectives and we had to relate each activity with the objectives, and the worst part: there was always something wrong.
But now I think it’s a matter of practice, and I know each school has its own way to plan. Even though we spend time planning a lesson it’s very important to do it because it’s there where we have the goals to be accomplished , we cannot get to our class and improvise, we need to prepare activities, projects, exercises to help the students understand and apply the topic.
Paola,
ResponderEliminarI agree with you on the fact we have to be prepare for each class in order to have a track on what needs to be improved by the students.
Planning is useful; there can be no questions about that. How useful it is will depend on the carefulness with we prepare our plans in order to make them practical for the use we intended to give them.
ResponderEliminarThe problem is that many times they become a formality; you know that all the required detail is a waste of time and paper (or computer space) unless it is used to provide guidance during the class and feedback with regards to the teacher’s performance.
The very detailed plans take time to prepare, time that teachers prefer to use doing other important things. Experience teacher’s plans, often look like telegrams, everything is in their heads, but what happens when they are unable to teach the class? How can substitute teachers pick up where the last class finished?
My experience is that with plan or without it, they very seldom can. Mostly it is because of lack of experience, but also because students use the opportunity to try to do even less than normal!
Paola,
ResponderEliminarAUGUST 2003—How to Start A Lesson Plan (http://teachers.net/wong/AUG03)
Key Idea: Creating Effective Lesson Plans. Discover how to begin lesson planning when there is no curriculum guide to steer you. Many districts do not have curriculum guides, and most teachers do not leave behind collections of curriculum and activities to assist a beginning teacher. Follow the Steps to Creating an Effective Assignment and begin your lesson planning with confidence.