Lesson Planning Philosophies
Example lessons can be found at the bottom of this page!
Lesson planning is one of the most important aspects in the teaching profession. To me, there are so many aspects that must go through your head when planning to make sure that a clear goal is set and that all of the students are differentiated for and engaged. Below are my thought processes and components that are present and/or taken into consideration during the creation or review of each of my lessons. By following this framework, I am able to thoroughly look at my class at a whole class level as well as think of my students on in individual basis to set each student up for success.
1. Learning
Outcomes
When writing my lessons, I think to myself, "What do I want my students to take away from this lesson?" Writing these goals out allows me to thoroughly think about what skill or content I am exposing my student to. Making sure that each objective has a measurable outcome ensures that my scope for the lesson will set my students up for success.
2. Standards
When building a lesson or referring to a curriculum guide, it is always important to keep in the back of your head how the learning outcomes link to Pennsylvania's State Standards. Being able to link your learning outcomes to standards ensures that you are teaching content that is developmentally appropriate and follows a general guideline that is already set in place to reach student success.
3. Anticipatory Set
In my opinion, the anticipatory set is one of the most crucial parts of a lesson. This first part of the lesson that is introduced to the students sets the tone for what is to come. That is why it is important for me to critically look at what I am teaching and think of a creative way to introduce the skill or content. A successful anticipatory set will impact student attitude, engagement, and success. That is why an anticipatory set needs to be full of energy, access prior knowledge, and peak interest.
4. Procedures
This section of the lesson takes time and consideration as this is where the educator is presenting new content and or skills. My philosophy on planning, which comes mostly into play in this section of a lesson is, "If I am not an expert on the content, how can I expect my students to learn what I am trying to teach?" Through my experience, I have found that researching the content and making sure I have a grasp on the content is an indicator for how successful a lesson is going to be.
When setting up the body of the lesson, I often follow the frame work, "I Do, We Do, You Do" which allows for the gradual release of responsibility. Teaching new content, especially in reading, requires modeling and scaffolding. Strategically planning how to support my students with this technique in the procedure section of a lesson.
5. Differentiation
Differentiation is such an important aspect of lesson planning and is something that an outstanding educator will try to do in order to meet the needs of individuals in the classroom. Whether this be differentiating for a student who has an IEP which is a given requirement, to differentiating for struggling students, to enriching advanced students, all the way to appealing to different learning styles, DIFFERENTIATION IS A MUST! Getting creative, and keeping in mind that all of the faces in front of you learn differently is the key to success for all students. The extra time that it takes is all worth it.
6. Closure
Bringing the lesson to a close is a must. As short or as long as it may seem, summing up the information that I taught is essential. This section of the lesson is the final takeaway and as an educator, it is important for you to leave your students with a lasting thought as well as get a gauge on how the students grasped the content. Whether this take the form of reviewing the big takeaways, to completing exit slips, to sharing out about what was learned that day, even taking a minute to bring that lesson to a close will be impactful for the students and bring the lesson full circle.
7. Assessment
Assessment is so very important to have in a lesson as it will gauge how the students grasped the content as well as drive further instruction. Whether this happens in the moment or comes at the end of the lesson or unit, it is essential. I believe in taking the time to plan how you can assess the students and vary the means in doing so. Whether this be whiteboards, paper slips, thumbs up or down if you understand the content, to quizzes, tests, or projects, assessment can take many forms and can guide an educator with instruction. It is also important to take into consideration HOW you will assess the different students in you class. Whether this involves modifications or accommodations for varying leveled students, assessing students fairly takes time and planning as well on my behalf.
8. Reflection on Planning and Instruction
As I have progressed as an educator, I have learned that one of the most important aspects of teaching is reflection. The wheels in my brain are always turning, "Am I prepared? Is this lesson working right now? What could I have done differently?" Being objective and looking at your teaching practices is imperative. Implementing detailed lesson planning as seen in the steps above truly gets you thinking about your class and the content as one. Once planning is complete, one must ask him or herself if this will work when it comes to life in the classroom and if you did everything in your power to set your students up for success. Once the lesson is taught, it is time to move forward and reflect on how you taught the lesson. Asking yourself, "Were the students engaged? Did they meet my objectives? Who needs additional help? Who needs to be enriched?" are great ways to guide your teaching. Taking that leap forward and being self critical and reflecting on what can make you a better teacher is movement towards success for yourself as an educator, and success in your students.
Check out my work using this framework in lessons that were taught and reflected upon during my teaching experiences! Detailed lesson planning allows for teacher AND student success!
Click on any of the PDF icons to view a lesson plan!
