Technically, it wasn't even a full week out of the classroom, just 3 days of instruction time. The students noticed, and the material they are learning is so much farther than I thought it would be. The students were thrown off by my not being there one of the days I'm usually there. It's interesting to see the way students react to the smallest things.
After creating plans for a substitute teacher for one of my assignments, I realized how much work it takes to walk someone through an entire day of class. Also, it is a big task to prepare an entire day of lessons. I have learned so much more in preparing a full days worth of classes than I have learned in creating individual lesson plans. Although there are pros and cons to creating individual lesson plans versus creating overwhelmingly huge unit plans, I have learned so much in the way that I think and in the way that they work together by creating the big picture.
Throughout my education career, I have not seen a lot of the benefits of creating a single lesson plan that doesn't fit into anywhere. Not that we're practicing creating a plan for three weeks of instruction time with our students in student teaching, I'm continuing to see the form and flow of the classroom. Also, we have real life scenarios that we get to work through. Instead of trying to prepare lessons for the "what if" student, we have real students that we know and get to prepare for.
Also, there are very helpful when creating substitute lesson plans. Although some of them can be cookie-cutter lessons, for the overwhelming majority of them, you can differentiate the lessons to for to your classroom. A substitute teacher can look like a practiced teacher by carrying out your instructions!
Brittany,
ReplyDeleteI agree that up until I didn't realize that substitutes can really through off a teacher and her students the next day the teacher is present. The whole is pretty much gone to waste for instruction. The substitute may not be someone who can teach the lesson or feel comfortable teaching and therefore the backup lessons are used. Although these still provide good information that the students need to know, it stops the flow of the unit plan in session.
Britt,
ReplyDeleteI completely understand what you mean about the full day lesson planning being more beneficial than just individual lessons. Differentiation is something I've always struggled with in our "hypothetical" lessons. Now that I have certain kids who need extra help, I know exactly what to write in my plans, and exactly how to help them. It truly makes such a difference.
Brittany,
ReplyDeleteYes the unit in 435 is very different than other units! You do have that added lens and ability to visualize how the lesson will unfold in the classroom. Make sure you are making all adjustments to your lesson plans in order for them to be successful. How does this work with the NCTCS?