I do the same and I make great notes on the lesson plan, so that I can make changes for the better. Documenting has made my teaching so more effective.
In any educational institution the documented lesson plans allow substitutes and instructors that may be teaching the course for the first time an a successful detailed guideline that gives everyone on point.
Documenting your lesson plan is necessary, so to ensure not only someone else could lead your class, but is a helpful tool for improving aspects that could be improved for the next class. It also will be a great template for adding new material when formats change.
What are the best ways to create your lesson plans? Is there a good template that you can follow or do teacher copies textbooks give a format?
Becky,
Excellent question. In the past (with new courses), I have asked other instructors to borrow their lesson plans or templates. This is a good starting point, which can be used to develop and revise for yourself.
Tremayne Simpson
Good Evening:
Documentation is valuable in almost any setting.
Briefly, I can cite three good reasons for maintaining good documentation:
Having a 'record' of what transpired is valuable from a legal perspective in the event something should be proved; it is also valuable from a practical perspective to keep one "on course" since teaching requires interaction with an audience, one has a tendency to veer "off course" depending on the group dynamic; and finally it has value from a development perspective in that modifications are often a requirement and having the original model documented is an asset when trying to determine what aspects of a course should be changed. thank you
Susan
I once had a new instructor who came to me and had a mental block on how to teach a class at night with a subject I've taught during the day. Lesson plans as a collaborative tool really helped this instructor out not that she "took" everything I did, but it helped get her "un-stuck".
Theson plan helps me to stay on track with the content of what I am teaching. I reduce my stress by reading my lesson plan prior to my teaching the class to refresh the information in the class. This also helps me with my time management.
Jason,
For instructors that teach several different courses and at different institutitions, this is actually a common occurance. Lesson plans can assist an instructor with remembering some of the distinct "tidbits" that they used, in teaching a particular course. Therefore it is best to provide as much detail as possible, to assist in remembering the course.
Tremayne Simpson
I have found it very helpful to look over my lesson plan after each class and document what was done, what I didn't cover and whet worked well and what didn't work well. I teach a condensed course so i find that I usually run out of time in class but I usually have extra material as back up so if I have time to fit it in I will.
I document my lession plans for the same reasons that you did. I am always reading & looking for information regarding to the items that I teach. When I come accross something new, product, technique etc. I include it with the lession plans that is relevant to and at a later point in time I will alter what I am already doing to include this new information
I document my lesson plans so that I can improve that next time I teach the subject. I will go back and look at what and how I taught the subject and make any necessary changes..
I am a new Adjunct Instructor and I am one week into teaching at the college level. I was given an electonic folder with PowerPoint slides outlining each lesson. This was given to me by the Department Chair. I used the PowerPoint slides to get through my first week. Luckily for me, I was able to get through each lesson (2.5 hours) and cover all of the material. However, are PowerPoint Slides considered a lesson plan or should I have another document?
I think that documentation shows that you value standards and also it will show how the course has developed, progressed and stayed current. It is hard to know where you are going if you do not know where you have been.
The lesson plan provides the outline of what students are expected to learn and the activities that will support their learning. My personal preference is to use a lesson plan with five columns (landscape orientation), one for each day of the school week. That way it is easy to re-sequence activities and continue activities to other days. There is much less detail than in most lesson plan templates, but with experience teachers just need the basic information (learning objectives, rationale, learning activities, assessment methods), and that all can fit easily in a column.
Rob
The purposes of documenting your lesson plan are numerous. It helps you as the instructor stay on task, be sure all topics necessary are covered , act as a guide for substitutes, and solidify the process for the administration.
The value is harder to substantiate. I provides a level of assurance to the instructor and administration that all necessary content is being covered. It also acts as a template for the next time the course is taught. It allows for modification of the time structure. If one lesson took longer than expected or less time was used etc.
I document my lesson plans to keep myself organized during my teaching phase. I go back to my lesson plan to often make sure my students take good notes. My students respect the content of the work when they can go back and look at a plan.
As a fairly new teacher, I find that documenting my lesson plans helps me to keep on track when teaching a specific lesson. I have my lesson plans outlined and as I teach I make notes on them for future reference (things like didn't hold their attention, or, need more ways to stimulate discussion). Then in subsequent terms where I am teaching the same subject I can repurpose my lesson plans and improve on what I will be teaching.
First off documenting is essential for the success of a class when server access is down. In our day and age of information i have found a portal or server is not as reliable as detailed lesson plans in a binder. The binder and paper method as i call it allows for notes in the margins that can be adjusted later on in the system( electronic) Also the paper form allows you to track a class specific... meaning each class has a different dynamic. Adjustments must be made as you go for each individual class. The idea is to cover the material effectively when teaching the same class to several groups. You may not have a class like the one you have now for another 3 to 6 months. If you have your notes labeled properly you can effectively make the adjustment without reacting because you can see it comming with a solid reference as a foundation toward success.
to use them for future classes or references
