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!!