Lesson Plans Tips and Strategies

HELLO THERE!!

There are so many things to remember when you are writing a lessons and I think that sometimes teachers forget some of the important items because they are too focused on just writing the content out rather than looking at the big picture. In Fulfilling the Promise it gave a few really good tips and strategies to remember when writing your lesson plans that I just want to put in this post for my own benefit and maybe possibly for yours. I'm not going to say how to write a lesson plan because most of us already know how to do that...and if we don't, then we should!

So when writing a lesson plan, the standard and objectives are very important.

Be specific on what it is you want your students to know, understand and be able to do. By being prepared on what you want the students to know, understand and do, the teacher will gain a better understanding on if the students actually grasped the concept taught.

Having questions ready is a process that helps teachers develop clarity about what is enduring and important in the lesson.

Pre-assessments of student readiness is very simple yet vital! They help with knowing where the student needs to start and as they progress where they need to be heading.

Key vocabulary with brief definitions for students who need a reminder and especially those who have disabilities with problems decoding or for your English language learners.

Always have an EXTEND for your fast learners so they will always feel challenged.

Plan multiple ways to teach especially for your struggling learners.

Always try to connect teaching to REAL-LIFE for better learning and grasp of concepts.

Before I jump in to the strategies, this picture just reminded me of the Hallmark I did in class about different pathways and how students could all be on a different road to learning and how as a teacher you need to be willing to make adjustments and scaffold students learning because there are many different ways to learn one concept and students are different and so is there learning. Anyways, back to the strategies.

Focus student products around significant problems and issues (real life).

Use meaningful audiences

Help students discover how ideas and skills are useful in the world.

Provide choices that ensure focus.

Look for fresh ways to present and explore ideas.

Share your experiences and invite students to do the same.

Use tiered approaches.

Incorporate complex instruction.

Use a variety of rubrics to guide quality.

Provide learning contracts at appropriate times.

Aim high.

Take a "no excuses" stance.

Become computer savvy. 

Help students realize success is the result of effort.

Use the new American Lecture format

Designate a "keeper of the book"

Try think-dots.

Directly teach strategies for working successfully with text. 

Use Think alouds.

Use small group instruction as a regular part of instructional cycles.

Establish peer networks for learning. 

Promote Language Proficiency.

Use weekend study buddies. 

Make peer-critique or peer-review sessions a regular feature. 

Cue and coach student responses.

Team with resource specialists. 

WOAH! That was a heck of a lot of strategies!! I didn't realize there was so many until I got reading the chapter! This may seems like a lot, but in reality, there are hundred of thousands more! So there really isn't a reason for teachers to not try and help each individual student. There are thousands of strategies that they can use to help get to students! I know all these may seem a little overwhelming, so just focus on a few of them and get really good at the ones you choose. In my next post, I'll zero in on a few of them just so you get a better idea. So go and read that post! :)

SEE YOU LATER!