Analyze and Reflect: The Art of a Good Lesson Plan

Analyze and Reflect

I. What did I learn from this time of planning?
   A careful thought out lesson plan saves teacher and students!
1. It saves time in the classroom.
2. It saves me from frustration.
3. It saves me from teaching on the fly.
4. It saves me from searching for needed material.
5. It saves me from having time at the end of class without something to do that will benefit the students.
6. It saves the students from wondering where we are going with this lesson.
7. It saves me from not using student's prior knowledge and future goals to guide students effectively.
8. It saves me from wasted time because of discipline issues.

II. What would I change?
     I still need to work on seating arrangements in this class. Once I begin using the lesson plan and we as a class are moving forward, the students will need to see each other. I have tried a couple of quick fixes. The challenge is that I only teach there for one period (1:10-3:00). Another teacher has the room for the other part of the day. I want to move my seats into a square or circle, but then everything must be put back before I leave. I believe I need to just take the extra time and let it be a benefit to the students.
     I want the students to do more leading. I need to allow more time in the plans for them to lead small groups. This would benefit them as well as their peers. This takes time to develop because students need to be trained to lead and then learn from experiences. I didn't really learn to teach until I actually had the opportunity. I learned what I was supposed to do in the credential program, but it took the student teaching, and then my own classroom before it all came together, experiences after experience, with successes and failures.
   
III. What did I enjoy?
     I enjoyed the success of the students. I was able to see them focus (for the most part), use their knowledge and feel good about it. At the end of the day, as the students are leaving with, "See you tomorrow Mr. Stow."  It is enjoyable to teach something that I am learning as well. Language is a daily process.

IV. What did my assessments tell me?
     I could see from small errors to full misunderstandings. Some students could be quickly guided from a sign that wasn't exactly correct to perfection. Sometimes the majority of the class was in that state of being..."AHHH what did you say?" That was the time to step back, repeat more clearly, practice again, and move forward.  On-going assessments keep all of us working toward the objective. I love it when we all arrive together!!

 ASSESSMENTS!!  This week, we are discussing the importance of assessments. I love the definition I found, "to sit beside". That is exactly what we are doing. Helping our students succeed. To do this we must make the time to sit with them, see what is going on, and guide them as needed. An assessment goal is to increase the quality of their work, by an on-going process of looking, asking, answering, encouraging, leading, helping to move in a better direction. We can't do that from our desk. We MUST sit beside them. Stand with them. Push them. Pull them. Walk with them until a goal has been achieved in the best way that student can do. One of my favorite assessments is to give my students a quick 5-10 question quiz. Then I have them share their answers with a partner. They must look at each other's answers. Is one right and the other Wrong? Who is right and why. Who is wrong and why. Can they both be right? In ASL both can be right. They can be expressing something, using a different choice of signs, and still be signing correctly. They must prove this to each other, or go to a third person and compare again. The vocabulary around the room is encouraging.
My instructions are to make sure their answers are correct before they turn in their paper. I then go over the answers and different choices with the class. A growing experience for all of them.

I am trying to decide if I like what the teaching personality test is telling me. Oh, ok, I don't have much choice right now. I can work on areas I would like to improve on myself. That seems like a worthy goal. That can be all of our goals, right?
On the positive side, I am a good model.It was my highest score.I do enjoy showing my students examples of what is correct. I believe I can show more than one way and allow choices that will be the best for them.  I have a tie for first as "export". Well, the meaning of the word that I know doesn't match what I believe. I still continue to learn so much in my field of teaching American Sign Language. Like other languages, ASL continues to change. Vocabulary/signs are being added and I am expected to know those changes. The only way I can even think of being accurate and staying up with the latest is to continue to socialize with the Deaf community.
But then, not too far away in the scoring, is that I don't let the students lead much. I am not a delegator, according to the test. I need to find ways of letting my students be responsible for specific achievements of goals. Sure I can lead them, but I need to let them fail and learn from it as well. That is the way I have learned.
We have different styles of teaching...and learning. As much as I need to look at my style, I need to understand how my style influences my students and adjust accordingly. 

Introduction Part 2

I was so happy that I achieved my goal, of creating a BLOG, I forgot to answer some of the questions. 
I chose my profession in teaching because I just enjoy the opportunity to teach new information. I especially love teaching ASL. I am working with Middle School Deaf and Hard of Hearing students too. I even have some Deaf students learning ASL in my class. I am working with middle school students. That alone is a challenge. Then I add the challenge of helping Deaf students in their mainstream classes. I also get to work with some awesome teachers,  para-professionals, and interpreters. It has been an adventure for sure.

Introductions

Here goes!!!   My first BLOG.
I am working on adding to my multi-subject credential, a  single subject credential in the area of World Languages, specifically in American Sign Language. I have used ASL for many years but only now am going to teach it in the public school system. I taught ASL for 7 years at a private high school called Jim Elliot Christian High School in Lodi, California. I loved it. Now I want to continue that experience in the public schools. I am not very confident in the world of tech, but I continue to learn. OK...I'm jumping in!