plans

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Home : 2003 : January : 5

plans
By Tia

I guess I do fairly detailed plans in order to keep myself organized, honest, and on-task. I always write my "set" so I know how to hook the kids in; I always write the topic/objective and page # (if we're reading out of
a book) and/or the name of the activity we're doing, the in-class assignment, and the homework assignment (if there is one) circled with a bumpy line (so I remember to assign it!!) I have even gone so far as to write the specific wording I want to share. (And when I teach, a lot of times, I bring a 3 X 5 card or post it with me so I remember all the important things I want to get across,

definitions, examples, or good ways of explaining things--especially when it's a lesson that's new or that I'm not comfortable with--or when I'm being observed!!!)

I do my lesson plans by hand--at the beginning of the year, when my schedule was all squared away, I made extra lines where I needed them and erased lines that I didn't need, wrote in all my specials, times and labels for all subjects, wrote in consistent activities: DOL week #, spelling lesson #, spell/DOL test, reading buddies.... Then I only have to fill in the specific things we're doing.

It's important to me that my lesson plans are specific enough that if there were an emergency, anyone (especially the principal!) could come in, read my plans, and conduct the day accordingly. (Now, whether or not they could find the books, worksheets, and other materials they might need, that's another matter!)

Also, I copy my plans for other staff members who work with my students. I actually don't copy my planbook, because who would be able to read it but me? I have another grid made up showing the whole week and broken down into language, reading, math, and science/health (I don't teach S.S.--my partner does) and then I write the topic/objective for each subject on each day. Sometimes I even write specific information about upcoming tests and vocabulary words that the students will be needing to know. This helps all the resource room staff, the ELL teacher, and the speech teacher know what we're working on. I also write down when schedules will be compromised due to field trips, special activities, and assemblies. (I also put examples of what we're working on when necessary--I teach 6th grade, and some of the stuff we do isn't at the forefront of ancillary teachers' brains--pronouns and antecedents, artificial selection, how to divide fractions.) This actually helps me to remember what I'm teaching during the week, and these teachers who work with my special needs students really appreciate it.

I've taught under 3 principals, and none of them have asked to see my lesson plans, but I have heard stories...

I guess I make it sound like I have too much free time on my hands. Well, here I am at school on the last day of Christmas break!