In class we discussed the different paradoxes of planning. Here is a short list of pros and cons of lesson planning. Do you think it is necessary to have a written lesson plan for every single class we teach? Post a comment explaining your answer and do not forget to comment on other people´s opinions.
Some advantages and disadvantages of lesson planning - HIMANSHU MALLICK
Advantages of Lesson Planning
1. It inspires the teacher to improve the further lessons.
2. It helps the teacher in evaluating his teaching.
3. It develops self confidence in the teacher.
4. Proper care is taken on take into consideration, the level and previous knowledge of students.
5. The teaching matter is organized in a time-frame.
6. It inspires the teacher to ask proper and important questions.
7. It provides guidance to the teacher as to what and home he should teach.
8. It helps in creating the interest of students towards the lesson.
9. It stimulates the teacher to think in an organized manner.
10. It helps the teacher to understand to objectives properly.
Limitations of Lesson-Planning
1. In new or odd situations teacher feels himself helpless.
2. Sometimes simple matters become complicated.
3. More time is required to plan a lesson.
4. Teacher cannot work/teach independently.
5. There is lack of flexibility in lesson-planning.
6. The teaching process becomes more difficult.
I think that having one lesson plan it's very useful, and we all should have one before teaching a class but i don´t think that having one EVERY class it´s a good thing, because we can get attached to it, so it might became our whole world, and without it we will be lost and we couldn´t teach the class. So, it´s good, but not for EVERY class.
ReplyDeleteHi Manuel,
DeleteThanks for being the first one on posting in our blog. I see where you are coming from when you say we should not have a written lesson plan for every class we teach but I'd like to know what your suggestion is. How often would you suggest we should have a written lesson plan?
Take care
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteYou know? I think having a lesson plan for every class we teach would be really useful especially to see if the learners felt comfortable with it, if they understood. As we saw in the class, it doesn't have to be a very detailed one but it can help you to make sure you're not teaching the same thing, the same way over and over again.
DeleteI was trying to say what Camila did, we do not need to have one like "the teacher who's always prepared" but a little one might help, Camila put in better words what i was trying to say. Thanks btw!
DeleteHonestly, it depends on each teacher. Whatever is more comfortable for you. I think that as long as you have a plan that you can follow and how to follow, you'll do great.
DeleteI think that Manuel´s idea is that sometimes, you can teach or you have to teach the same thing (one topic) in two o three classes in a week; but you don´t have to teach in the same way, like Cami said. In that case and if you are a committed teacher, a "shopping list" would be useful.
DeleteI think it is always a good thing to have at least a guideline of where you want to go, if you are pressed or time jot down something as a guide. You will feel so much better about your self-confidance and your peace of mind will be so much better.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAs we were discussing in class, students know when the teacher is prepared. I remember when I was in college I had a teacher who was always improvising, sometimes it was good for us because we just wanted to relax a little bit. But after a while we stop taking him seriously. The opposite happened with a teacher who always showed us what the lesson plan was. We knew what we were going to learn and what was expected from us, which gave us confidence in the teacher. From my experience as a student I prefer the well prepared teacher. So I think it is definitely necessary to have a written lesson plan.
DeleteI believe having a written lesson plan is necessary, because you should never walk into a classroom not knowing what your gonna do,it doesn't have to be very detailed, but you should at least write down the important points of your plan, and also, having a back up plan isn't a bad a idea.
DeleteI agree with Diego..when you walk into your classroom you should have a lesson plan, but it does not need be very detailed. As long as it has a brief description on the important points on your plan I think you are good to go, and also taking in consideration a back up in your plan just in case something happens.
DeleteTbh when I was working as a teacher I would only have a schematicof the thing I needed to teach the class for the trimester, I already knew what I had to teach, so really what was left was how... I had tons of fun coming up with activities to teach the subjects,but apart from knowing what order I was teaching the subjects in, I would never write anything else down, that way I could choose what activity to do once I could feel the vibe of the classroom. I mean, it's not something that works for everybody, but it did for me... SO I don't really believe in lesson plans, and therefore can't agree with Maira, because not having something written down doesn't mean someone is not prepared.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think a lesson plan is necessary for me because as teachers, we need organization, we need a structure, same as the learners do. This being said, it is beneficial for both teachers and learners. So having a written lesson plan for every single class can help us to keep track of what we are doing, teaching and how we are teaching it with this we can have a record of it and be able to see what we need improve and change. We can also create new alternatives using some of the ideas or techniques we’ve already tried and collected. We are not going to teach the same class every single class, things have to change or it will become repetitive, robotic and mechanic for the students, which could make the class boring and not entertaining at all. Classes are not only supposed to be fun and catchy but educational, they must have a main focus or a goal so the class can be useful. Our main goal is to help the learners understand what we are going to teach them and I think the best way to get to achieve this main goal is keeping track of what you’re doing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Camila when she points out that having a lesson plan for every class helps us to improve and be better each time we teach, part of being or becoming a teacher is to keep that in mind, as well as being creative.
DeleteCami. I think you wrote something very important. To have a lesson plan, for the teachers should be an initiative, not an obligation. We all know there are some teachers that don´t prepare a lesson plan; due to this action (low level of professionalism), I think that our profession is going down.
DeleteI totally agree with Camila when she says that classes should be educational, not only funny and catchy, having a plan lesson helps you out to mantain a main goal which is (Camila just said it) to help the students understand the language and learn it, that´s the main idea of a class.
DeleteI think one of the most important things to keep in mind about lesson planning is to always keep them communicating/talking as much as possible. Also keep in mind that this is their only time that they are able to use the language.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteYou have to create certain activities according to the topic. I don't consider a class is worse or better if the students practice all the skills in one class. You have to work on a great lesson plan to be able to get them work on each skill, or mix them all in some activities. As teachers, we should consider how overwhelming a class can be or how much they can take, it also depends on the time. For me, it is better to have a well planned class focused on writing and listening, that trying to put all of those things together in one class and not get the students' attention.
DeleteIf you have to teach every week from Monday to Thursday for example, I think doing the week you'll have plenty of time to create activities each day that can focus on one or more skills.
I really liked what you wrote, because it is similar to my point of view, teachinng is a profession where teachers must be constantly updated and we also need to constantly improve our methods, actvities, creativity and skills. Not all that comes out of our minds is "gold", and keeping a track of what has been "gold" and what hasn't will allow us to not repeat the same mistakes or non-effective things we've done previously.
DeleteI'm concerned with the way some of us are saying that not having a written lesson plan equals unprofessionalism. I think that is a very narraw minded way to see the problem at hand, that's just like saying that if a student doesn't do well in written tests he is not good. There are plenty of ways to prepare a class just as there are plenty of ways to learn... some students will rather give oral presentations, some teachers way be more comfortable doing the planning in their heads or carrying a diary, that doesn't make them less professional.
DeleteHi Camila,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. I think you have expressed many important points that support the idea of having a written lesson plan for every class we teach. I agree with what you said. I think not all the teachers reach such level of professionalism but lesson planning is indeed a great tool for growing in many ways.
Thanks for sharing
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWell yeah, definitevly in my opinion it is very important and useful to have a written lesson plan for every class because it will help me be focused on what I want to teach and how to get to the final objective that the student should finally accomplish.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what I mean. Also it is easier to have a daily record. Every class is different and keeping a record can help you to identify easier what activities suit your students better. Having everything prepared doesn't mean you will do everything in a robotic or not interesting way.
DeleteHi Connie,
DeleteYou have pointed out how important it is for teachers to keep in mind both processes and products. A great teacher is always looking for possibilities to improve and learning from your lesson plan can help you to do so.
Thanks for sharing.
Connie. I think you wrote something very good. Sometimes, as teachers, we create a lesson plan but according to our favorite way of teaching. As a result, we forget to keep in mind, the form that the students have for learning.
DeleteTo be honest, I never thought about saving my lessons plans. IT never occurred to me to look back over them and to tweak what didn't work or more importantly what did work. I have been overworking myself. Thanks for bringing that up.
DeleteI think a lesson plan can be your back up because you can reuse the same ideas and change what didn't work or keep trying what worked. It would help you also to not overwork yourself or get out of ideas.
DeleteYes, we should keep them! As I mentioned before we can use them for self-evaluation. After we take the lesson plan into action, we can evaluate how it worked, and then we decide what should be modified so we can use it the next time we are going to teach the same topic
DeleteI agree with keeping track of our plans, nowadays, it's very easy to this with all the technology we have at our hands
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi everybody! In my opinión, the principal tool as teachers, is the organization, not only when it´s about to create a lesson plan; also, in how you write on the board, notebook or on a test (among other things), because if you think about it, we are a continuous model for the students, and in a certain way, we are showing them a life´s style. Now, to have a lesson plan for each class, gives you confidence in two ways: how you´re going to teach and what you´re going to teach. Besides, having a lesson plan, allows you in the process of the classes, to realise what the student´s level is and with what english skill (speaking, writing, reading and listening) they learn easier.
ReplyDeleteFreyder. I think what you´ve written there it´s the most important thing to think as a teacher, we´re models for´em, they will be able to see a confident teacher and a professional one if they see that you think of them even outside the class.
DeleteI have a problem with that last part about seeing which way they learn better i.e. reading, writing,reading, listening. I think that all students should develop each one equally. After all English is a very difficult language to master.
DeleteGreg. At the end, we all know they have to handle the 4 skills. What I wanted to say it´s that with a lesson plan, you can identify in what skill the student is better or the student likes. With that in mind, we can encourage students to practice english inside or outside of the class using that skill (because the student feels more comfortable with it) but you must be creative as a teacher in how to relate that skill with the others, using activities, extra work, exercises on line, or something that you consider appropriate. Take care man.
DeleteI think before wanting the students to learn or practice all the skills at once, you have to at least know their level. I think it is perfectly fine to work on two skills each class, it would be overwhelming for the student if you don't prepare it properly. Depending on the level, you can get to make the practice all the skills, either way, it is easier to have a skill to focus on in each class without letting the rest behind.
DeleteI agree that is not mandatory to practice the 4 skills in a class, but it is important to consider that sometimes students just go to English class once or twice per week, so the more you can practice the four skills during that time, the better for them. Maybe one day you can focus on one of the skills, but still practice the others with short exercises. :)
DeleteIn my humble opinion, one of the most important points we have to keep in mind is the level of the students we are teaching to, in my case, I have kids, young adults and old people, so, I would have to come up with a lesson plan that would fit all 3 categories, not just one
DeleteFreyder went over something i also briefly mentioned in my comment, We, as teachers, are role models and students look up to us all the time, thus showing we are not well-prepared or not prepared at all for the lesson is something they will immediatly notice and it's also something they will not appreciate because it will show a careless attitude from us, as teachers about our classes' importance, consequently they will no longer care either about participating nor doing their job since we seemed to not do ours on the first place either.
DeleteYou're right Freyder when you say that the lesson plan gives you two ways of gaining confidence as a teacher, what and how you're going to teach, that is exactly what keeps us focused and achieve through the process the students objective.👍
ReplyDeleteHi, ever ybody. In my humble opinion, I think it depends on the topic on whether or not a lesson plan is needed. Also keep in mind what level you are teaching. For example, if a topic is pretty basic then a lesson plan would be suggested in order to keep time in perspective for each activity. If it is a topic like emotions, you would frown upon a lesson plan because it would stifle the students interaction that this is sure to produce during the class time and therefore you can focus on keeping them talking/communicating while not worrying about time. Expressing themselves through communication and not depending on different activities to keep the students talking.
ReplyDeleteI am the Unknown just in case somebody is wondering. Gregory
DeleteFor me, one of the most important things when you are going to teach, is what Gregor said: the level. And sometimes you have to teach something in a class (especially in a school) with different types of levels. So, creativity is the key word when a case like this, comes to you. Good luck.
DeleteYou can create activities to help them communicate, such as debates, discussions. To be organized in a class, having a lesson plan where you are already supposed to know what you're going to teach doesn't mean you will be robotic and go straight to what it says they will do during the class. It should be at least a mix of some skills or all of them depending on their level. The lesson plan for me is just a guidance to be able to work better and check yourself, I don't think teachers should follow it word by word since things are obviously going to teach when you get to the classroom.
DeleteIn reference to what Gregory said, I actually think that it doesn't matter what the topic or the level of the students is; you should have a lesson plan. At least you need to set an objective and focus on it, then decide what are the activities or actions you'll do in order to accomplish that goal. Anyways in your lesson plan you are considering the level and the topic.
DeleteI agree with Freyder its important to keep in mind the level of your students when yo teach in school, as the age of learners when you teach in a english intitute specially if the group is combined with students from different ages. You need to think in all these to set your objetives and decides the activities you will have in class.
DeleteI disagree with Maira, how are you gonna teach a student, who is just learning the verb to be, the use of present perfect?
DeleteThere has to be a target and objectives as well
I think she meant that it doesn't matter the level of the learners, a teacher should make a lesson plan, activities for learners in a Basic Level can be as challenging as ones for learners in a Independent level, they both request a plan and good activities to help the learners understand.
DeleteYes what I meant was that we should have a lesson plan always. If our students are begginers or if we want to practice conversation one day, it doesn't mean that we don't need a lesson plan. We should always have it.
DeleteOk, I guess I saw it in a different way, thanks
DeleteYou're right Freyder when you say that the lesson plan gives you two ways of gaining confidence as a teacher, what and how you're going to teach, that is exactly what keeps us focused and achieve through the process the students objective.👍
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think that having a written lesson plan for each class we teach is really important. It shouldn't be seen as a requirement to please directors but instead we should see it as an effective tool to strengthen even more our teaching skills. My classmates have already mentioned the benefits for students, but I would like to take a minute to talk about the good impact it can have if we use it as a way for self-evaluation.
ReplyDeleteWhen we write, we focus on providing information as clear as possible which force us to think about every single detail of what we are going to do, what are the resources we need, the characteristics of our target of learners, how much time we will spend on each activity, how are we going to evaluate the comprehension of the topic and how to keep learners interested and motivated to participate in everything we have planned.
All these aspects we take into consideration when we are planning, at the end can become in indicators of our performance as teachers. We can analyze if the activities were appropriate, how was our time management, how was the participation of the students, if all the objectives were accomplished, and the most important if the students understood the lesson.
It is said, that we can only improve what we measure. By using our lesson plan we can recognize what are our opportunities of improvement and make the corrections needed.
I agree completely with your opinion. As I said in my first statement, it is good for both learners and teachers. People in general tend to think lesson plans have to be super long and detailed but it should be the way it works for each teacher.
DeleteIt would be a good exercise of self evaluation, it will probably help us to make classes even better, and stay updated with what our learners enjoy and help them learn the best.
Well said Maira, indicators that will help us to improve was the thing i identify with the most, nevertheless i differ slighty from the "every single detail of what we are going to do", this, in my opinion, will enslave us to spend tons of time being descriptive in things that could be more simple, and it will also make our lesson plan a bit more rigid, that is why i go with a "shopping list" style in some cases. All styes work gret though.
DeleteAs we saw it in class teaching planning is very important. It shows your student you are well prepared, help you to anticipate any problems. Also to change an activity if you see your students are not participating. Also helps the teacher to see what activities work better an which one does not. Its shows you care for your student that you care about the way they will learn. You dont need to be very specific with every point you write on your lesson plan, but definitly you need to do its worth value.
ReplyDeleteI believe having a written lesson plan is necessary, because you should never walk into a classroom not knowing what your gonna do,it doesn't have to be very detailed, but you should at least write down the important points of your plan, and also, having a back up plan wouldn't be a bad a idea, You never now what could happen to the written one. We also need to be prepared for the unexpected, things sometimes don't go as plan
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement Diego. It gives organization to your classes, to your activities. As you say, it doesn't have to be extremely detailed but it is up to each teacher.
DeleteIn fact in the reading from page 210 is is mentioned that, Adrian Underhill and Alan Maley pointed out "lesson plans rarely, if ever, work out the way they were planned" then i couldn't agree more with your point, though the outcome may not be the expected one from our lesson plan, having a lesson plan will allow us to have a direction and a goal for our class.
DeleteGreetings to everybody,
ReplyDeleteAs it is in life paradoxes are everywhere and teaching, lesson planning specifically, was not going to be an exception.
I strongly believe improvisation can be easily noticed by students and as a teacher i do not think this is what we want the students
to learn from us, on the first place because it may imply lazyness or irresponsibility from the teacher and a second consequence will be
having students improvising as well on serious topics as having a lesson plan is.
Now, going over the academic matters, when we have a written lesson plan it is indeed a more effective way to keep on track
of our activities, topics taught, warm ups, approaches used and more; therefore a follow up to improve our teaching will be
more accurate and will have a basis to start from. When i studied marketing i learnt that what can't be measured cannot be improved,
in that order of ideas if we happen to not have written anything of what we do or what we have done, improving will be more difficult.
Having said that, i encourage teachers to have written lesson plans, keeping in mind that not EVERY class needs a two front an back
paper lesson plan because not all classes will require it, but some notes or a "shopping list" style will definately help us.
Sincerely,
YUJAD SAENZ AMELINES (i tell you my name in case greg's situation happens to me)
Hi! So to answer the question: no, I don't think that having a written lesson plan is necessary for every class. It would be helpful, sure, but it isn't indispensable. I mean, even though you should have a plan in your head for the class you are going to teach, have something prepared, writting it down sometimes requires too much extra work, and speaking from experience you don't always have the time to do that. If you are a public school teacher you're probably going to have to teach 20 hours of class a week, plus grading papers and doing other extra activities in the day to day so really writting a lesson plan for every single class you inpart is a little nuts. I think you can take the time to prepare your lessons, but not having them written doesn't make you less of a teacher.
ReplyDeleteLike I said before, you should have something written down, ideas, objectives, activities, something you can use as a guide, so far we had 3 teachers, all 3 had their objectives and a plan, I saw all 3 looking at notes and using the computer, and they have been teaching for a long time, we are no way near their level.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't have to be detailed, but should definitely have something.
Hi everybody,
ReplyDeleteI followed this great discussion with lots of enthusiasm. You guys have taken this seriously and I can tell by the level of the comments. There are lots of great opinions and I can see evrybody has different reasons to agree keeping lesson plans and having a roadmap is vital for a teacher.Lesson planning is indeed the backbone of our craft and there are many advantages of getting used to have a written lesson plan. Of course there are different situations that can take you to teach and suceed without a lesson plan but it is the fact you are used to plan what saves your life in those situations.
Great job, everybody!