Teaching – Week 2-3

[cs_section parallax=”false” separator_top_type=”none” separator_top_height=”50px” separator_top_angle_point=”50″ separator_bottom_type=”none” separator_bottom_height=”50px” separator_bottom_angle_point=”50″ style=”margin: 0px;padding: 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Lesson planning is a necessity. If you don’t think it is try teaching a class without one. Sure, you may know your subject inside and out, and yes, you may be able to get in front of the class and just start sharing. However, if you don’t have any idea of where you are leading your students and to what end then all you are doing is talking, not teaching.

The Guidance of Lesson Planning

Lesson planning is exactly that, planning out a lesson. Yet, it is more than planning out just one lesson, it is figuring out the end game and how to get there. When I am planning out for my students I am looking at where it is I want them to end up, what knowledge base and skill sets do I want them to have. Once I know that then I can start mapping out the lessons and assignments that will help them on their journey.

I have mentioned some of this in my previous post but it has been an ever present and pressing need since day one. If I never looked at what the end would be, if I never took the time to map out the journey I could lead my students into confusion – the opposite of what I am trying to achieve. If I test my students on the importance of the Civil War but never mentioned it in class I have not prepared them. If they need to know that the IRS constantly changes the tax laws but never tell them I am setting them up for failure. Lesson planning provides that guidance for both the student and teacher.

This is my first semester teaching and I am green to the whole experience. My goal and hope is that by looking at where I want my students to end up I can map out those lessons and assignments that will help them along the way. In turn, those maps will also help me to stay on point and explain things as clearly as I can. The whole purpose is for my students to learn, not be confused. That’s what lesson plans are for.

So I will look to be better at lesson planning. I will look for better ways to explain and teach. At the end of the day it’s not about me and what I do and know but about what my students will end up knowing and doing. And it’s exactly that for which lesson planning is a necessity.

Attempt it. Chance it. Try it. Get to It![/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section]