Consistency. Knowing what you are going to teach and being prepared helps to stay on message. Also , researching and preparing your plans keeps you current in the subject matter. I try and introduce something new every time the next class comes around.
Documenting my lesson plans keeps me organized,saves time and I'm more efficient in the class room.
Extremely important especially if your going to be out for a period of time and you want your lesson plan to continue to flow the way you want it to.
Documeting your lesson plans allows for others (substitute instructors, administrators) so see what material is being covered in the courses. Also, the class you are teaching may have accredidation standards and it is essential that you are covering the correct material to meet those standards.
Crystal,
Excellent point. In addition, it is important to add notes to daily lesson plans, after the class session is over. Sometimes, there is a student question that may lead to an impromptu discussion/lecture of an unplanned topic.
Tremayne Simpson
THIS THE BEST TOOL AND REFERENCE AT ANY TIME IF LESSON PLAN IS DOCUMENTATED AND FILED APPROPRIATELY.
You always have something to refer back to and save time.
Excellent point, Erin! Documenting your lesson plans and making annotations on them is vital when you are teaching the same class in different groups. When I was teaching Spanish as a foreign language - one hour in each group - from 5th to 12th grade, I felt the need to print a hard copy of the lesson plan for every class of the same grade level because, even when you plan the same class, every class has its own "personality" and sometimes the class does not flow evenly in every one of them.
neelam,
Do the instructors at your institution collaborate and share lesson plans?
Tremayne Simpson
For different reasons, first I like keeping track of what I have covered. Second, it helps me keep organized and to reflect back on that class in case I need to teach it again. I can add or remove when I teach it again.
The purpose of me docmenting a lesson plan is to help me plan for future class and reflect on the pervious lesson plans I've docmented. One value of a prepaired lesson plan would help you be prepared for times when you are absent. The documented lesson plan help assist the subsitute instructor to keep the class on subject and on course.
Amos ,
I agree. It is also important to remind substitute instructors, to document course lesson plans as well. This information will be useful for the instructor, once they return to the class.
Tremayne Simpson
I agree documentation of your lesson plans ensures continuity and this way the students don't feel as if they wasted their time coming to school when an instructor is out and their is no back-up plan.
It is very important because is going to help to a substitute instructor if needed, also helps me to keep on track on the course.
Documenting L.P.s provides a ready reference and source of information and history of prior lesson plans. Somestimes I actually rework some new ideas (improvement) in to the plans after reviewing "old" L.P.s.
The lesson plan document organizes the class and assists the instructor in completing their objectives. A lesson plan helps to promote effectivness and efficiency for the instructor and allows administrators and subs the ability to see what is being covered and how it is being covered.
I document my lesson plans in case I need a substitute. I also document my lesson plans for the college and so that I can have the information available for the next time I teach the class. I like to write down what I expect from the lesson plan and what actually happened with the lesson plan. I also like to add suggestions and comments from my students to the lesson plan for future use.
Hello, It's true that teaching multiple groups of the sanme class leads to some confusion and makes us look clumsy and not well organized. For me, another challenge is in switching away from a class and then later having to teach exactly that class again. I'm a better teacher when i have those plans to prompt me. With a quick review of what I did in this class last year, plus any additions or changes noted, I feel comfortable to going in to teach it with ease and confidence. -- Gary O. Ackerman
TIMOTHY,
I agree. After you have taught the same course for several terms, it is interesting to review old lesson plans, to see how much content you have added since you first taught the class. Also, you may want to re-implement assignments that you used several terms ago, due to the needs of the current student group.
Tremayne Simpson
Jacqueline,
In addition, with the new standards for "credit ascription" (justifying out-of-class assignments) it is important to document lesson plans to serve as evidence, if requested by the institution's accreditor.
Tremayne Simpson
