| When it comes to lesson planning, new teachers | | | | since they take a long time to plan and check. |
| need to avoid the temptation of planning just a | | | | Projects are an excellent motivator especially for |
| few lessons because they've survived the week. | | | | lower-performing classes. Like lesson plans, they |
| Lesson planning is a skill which takes focus and | | | | too are painstaking skills. For starters, spend time |
| organization. It's not too late to start getting into | | | | practicing the enabling skill-builders students need |
| the habit - make it one of your spring goals until | | | | to tackle the demands of a project. Don't assume |
| the end of the year. For starters, you should get | | | | that they know how to write a research paper if |
| into the habit of planning beyond the lesson itself. | | | | they haven't been taught how to summarize |
| But in order to plan an entire lesson unit in | | | | research type articles. |
| advance, you also need to know what to plan. | | | | Books and Materials |
| Spend some time looking through the unit. Make a | | | | Some textbook units need a great deal of |
| note of those skills that you would like to spend | | | | supplementary activities and materials because |
| time teaching. These are your instructional goals | | | | they are not suitable for the classes. Students |
| or skills for the lesson unit. Examples of | | | | might need more skill builders in order to tackle |
| instructional goals are: teaching reading strategies | | | | the tasks. In these scenarios, consider |
| such as scanning, skimming and inferencing with | | | | supplementing your lesson plan units using readers, |
| an expository text. You should have no more | | | | graphic organizers, additional activities, worksheets, |
| than 5 instructional goals for the unit. | | | | games and perhaps even computer sessions. |
| Remember, planning a lesson unit doesn't | | | | Writing Worksheets |
| necessarily mean using only the textbook. Here | | | | Writing and the actual preparing of worksheets is |
| are some tips on how to plan a lesson unit. | | | | another skill in itself. In addition to clear headings |
| Assessment Strategies | | | | and format, worksheets should supplement a |
| Assessment strategies include which types of | | | | teaching skill. Here's a sample on what you can |
| assessment you will use. If you are an ESL or | | | | find on supplementary worksheets: |
| English teacher, plan on using some form of | | | | * Simplified reading texts and simple questions |
| assessment to measure vocabulary, reading, | | | | based on the textbook (reading and ESL) |
| writing and possibly either listening or speaking. | | | | * Additional vocabulary activities |
| Also vary your assessment formats by using | | | | * Measuring the circumference of circles |
| dictations, quizzes, tests check-ups also in an | | | | (Geometry) |
| alternative assessment format. | | | | If you get into the habit of getting organized, you |
| Associated Projects | | | | will find that it is easier to plan lesson units, which |
| Traditional testing is not the only way to | | | | can save you valuable time in the long run |
| accumulate knowledge. Plan on implementing at | | | | especially as a first year teacher. |
| least one mini-project for every other lesson unit | | | | |