Lesson planning is always fun, actually it's hardly ever fun, in my experience about two-thirds of lesson plans end up being a waste. As much as you try you will probably never be able to stick to the specifics of your plans. Questions will come up or the expected questions may not come up, someone may need something else explained to them, someone may want to bring something up that you didn't think of. At the end of the class you are hardly ever where you thought you would be or where you think you should be.
With that being said lesson plans can actually pretty useful, but in my opinion they have to stay away from specifics. I think lesson plans can be more useful if you keep them general and allow them to be flexible. The classroom can not be a completely rigid place, structure has its place, but we need to be able to move in different directions all the time.
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I agree with most of what you said, but what about when a substitute takes over? Can he or she be expected to know what to do without a specific plan?
ReplyDeleteI guess I'd like to think I won't be absent, but I guess we all need a day every now and then. We are actually required to keep emergency/alternate lesson plans on file "just in case." In my case I often leave items like Supreme Court Case studies or a series I have called "Then and Now" which compares technologies from different time periods, so they are generally relevant.
ReplyDeleteIf I know I'm not going to be in my plans usually include work from the book from the current chapter, keeps the sub from being over-whelmed.
I agree that a teacher can never map out an entire lesson, minute by minute, but I approach lesson plan writing with that in mind, using them as a structure. I know full-well that the class may veer off, yet I always know where the "main road" is to get back on when necessary.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dan. Lessons will never be "perfect". If you try to map out minute-by-minute plans, you will go crazy. Instead, a description of what you want and how you want to get there is the best method.
ReplyDeleteAlso, this will help in your assessment design. How you assess really reflects the lesson and if you met the objectives.
Great discussion...