Now that I have an appreciation of what lesson plans are all about, it is hard to imagine that any educator would be bold enough in conducting classroom sessions without them. From my perspective, they are indispensable in assuring classroom sessions are administered in an efficient manner.
While lesson plans themselves are vital parts of the learning process, I think it is a given that lesson plans must be well thought out [including stated objectives, clear expectations, projected outcomes], appropriately tailored to the desired grade level, effectively incorporates technology, and have the all important "hooks" to keep learners engaged.
With so many lesson plan resources available [virtually covering every educational topic], there is really no excuse in not being thoroughly prepared once you enter the classroom setting.
In doing some additional research on my lesson plan, I stumbled across an awesome site for lesson plans [daily and archived samples]:
The New York Times Learning Network
http://nytimes.com/learning/index.html
I urge you to take a look, you may find it useful.
Good luck with your lesson plans!
Great points Ron! I think of a lesson plan as a roadmap. It tells you where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there!
ReplyDeleteI think that the "hooks" are one of the most important skills we use as educators. If you can think of a good hook before you present your lesson, you will have the attention of your students. This in turn allows for the lesson and objectives to play out much smoother.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you defined lesson plans "Lesson plans are written and binding contracts between educators and students".
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the idea that lesson plans are required to prior instruction. I cannot imagine myself walking to the classroom without having prepared my lesson plan.
Thanks for the New York Times Learning Network article. It's really useful!