One of the things I've been wrestling with ever since I started thinking about lesson plans way back in the beginning of my education classes is getting my mind around the scope of an entire unit, or semester, or year. Every lesson I've planned so far has been in the context of an education class--an isolated thing. I've rarely had to think about things like what I would teach the next day, or the day after that, or how this lesson would fit into something larger. So, in planning out this unit one of my (many) challenges has been figuring out how to build lessons on each other to reach a bigger whole.
Being in a classroom so much this semester has been a big help on that front, as I can see for myself how those individual lessons add up to a whole. Still, it's hard because there are days at a time where I don't see what's going on. I also look for examples in my own life, with mixed results. High school was too long ago for my memories to be very detailed, and most of my college classes are structured very differently than how we've been talking about structuring a class. The best example I have for reference in trying to put together individual lessons into a whole is probably our very own English 381. Looking back on this class, I can see how what we do every day builds on what happened the days before. In reflecting on how that works and in getting more experience myself I hope to get a better grasp on making my lessons parts of a larger whole.
Dory, I too find it can be challenging to work lessons into bigger picture. I find it helpful to revisit the Five Big Ideas reading. This reminds me that I shouldn’t be building small lesson plans on top of each other but rather I should be working backward and designing individual lesson plans that will work to achieve very specific learning goals that are needed according to the big picture. I know it seems like a small change in focus but I found the mental exercise to be helpful.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Dory! I hadn't thought about the "next day." You make a good point, one lesson at a time does seem isolated and not reality. Boy, that is a thought to grapple with. I don't think there is a clear answer to it. I think it is one of those "wait and see" scenario's. We simply won't know the realistic nature behind what we are in training for until we are doing it ourselves. It puts internships into perspective, doesn't it? Lets just hope that next semester, we will experience enough of teaching to give us a better idea of what it means to plan a full year. I think it will be crazy, but I am choosing to believe the craziness will subside with experience. I think I would have rather stayed in the "moment", but now, thanks to you, I have to think ahead... Hmmmm
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