Short and simple: Are there advantages to planning? If so, what are they? How far out do you need to plan to be most effective?
35 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I believe that there are many advantages to planning. PLanning allows the teacher to be prepared. It ables the teacher to have the materials gathered and ready for that day's activities. I strongly feel that you should plan at LEAST one week ahead of time. This give the teacher the opportunity to get her materials together and anything that she must buy. By planning ahead, there will be no down time for children and less accidents are a result. As a teacher, I would try to plan at least one wek ahead but two would be better. However, if your classroom believes in emergent curriculum then the curriculum and topics are decided by the children. In this case the teacher must learn to plan in about one afternoon to have lessons for the next day ready to go. Also by planning ahead, the director/ principal will have them (if you have to turn them in) and the plans can be posted for the parents. Planning is a smple was for a classroom to run smooth!
I know that most public schools that i have been to or observed at has to submit their lessons plans at the end of the week for the next week or at the beginning of the week. I feel planning about a week ahead would be most beneficial. For most projects that are planned, materials would be needed. A lot of the times teachers have to go and get their own materials. Also if taking a field trip related to something being learned may be beneficial. This would have to be planned way in advance so that parents and school's permission could be obtained. Planning ahead allows for a structured classroom. I think that planning ahead is a good thing, but I also feel that it would be okay to change things up if neccessary. Sometimes children get sidetracked and the lesson may not go exactly as planned, I think this is okay! At least having an outline of the weeks plan with space to add or subtract certain activities would be the way I would go.
Planning has its perks and its downside. First of all, like all things planning is not perfect. They don't always seem to go the way they're meant to but usually thats the best thing. The unexpected tends to be just as great as the expected, sometimes better. When lessons are planned it does give you an advantage for the unexpected because your prepared for it. Usually planning has a goal, there is something you want to get out of the planned lesson, and having an outline on how you are going to achieve that works best. Usually planning about a week in advance at best is effective but there is a random spur of the moment idea that flashes in your mind and works just as well. If an activity is going to us props and visuals usually planning in advance is the best way to go.
Planning is something that is a very important aspect to almost all parts of life. Planning give the teacher a chance to have some control about the day. You can only plan so far ahead because with all the children doing the same thing, someone will go in a different direction and change the suspected outcome. Planning can be tricky with a young classroom because the students will not stick to the curriculum as well as the older children. Regardless of the childrens age, planning ahead is a very important aspect to teaching and it is something that needs to be done for just about every activity.
I think that planning is good and it needs to be done. I also think that a teacher needs to be able to be flexable. Plans tend to not go as planned so a teacher must be able to be flexable and be able to go with the flow. Also children could go wrong and something the teacher thought would work doesnt. So i believe that teachers should plan at lease a week ahead but they also need the ability to be flexable. the advantages to planning is that things would go more smoothly and the parents would know whats going on. another advantage is that the teacher would have the materials that they need and not have to worry about it that morning, if they plan a week ahead. also planning a week ahead would alow the teacher to think about al the aspects of it and make sure things go as smoothly as possible.
Planning has an immense amount of advantages. The more you plan, and the better your plans are the more prepared you are to do your job successfully. When working with young children there are so many things that change on a daily basis. Having to deal with those things is hard enough, and then to throw in planning on top of that would be outrageous. Planning ahead of time lifts a huge weight off of the teacher's shoulders. Also, in order to have the students do certain activities there must be advanced planning and preparation of materials to carry out the activity. The last thing any teacher wants to be doing is trying to gather materials, make copies, etc. while dealing with young kids at the same time. Therefore, by planning a teacher is able to stay one step ahead of the students and is able to be prepared to deal with any other situations which may arise.
I agree with everyone saying that we need to plan ahead, but also be flexible because of things that aren’t planned for, but do arise constantly. I feel there needs to be levels to the planning. I personally will plan a whole unit out, so I have the objectives in place. Then break the unit down into sub-units that can be set for a week or so at a time. Then at the end of each day reflect on what has been accomplished and what hasn’t been accomplished, and from there rewrite the next day’s plans. I believe we need the planning to go for the length of the units being taught, so that we as teachers keep ourselves focused to what it is that we want the students to accomplish in the end. The objectives must be met, whether we are able to stay on the original plans or had to modify them.
I agree. Planning is one of the most important parts of teaching. Without a plan in place, things can get too unorganized. In many cases, haveing a plan "B" is important as well because with all things, not everything goes as planned.
Planning is very important and is a must in order to be an effective teacher. Not only do teachers have to plan but they should also practice. When developing lessons and activities it helps to practice them first. By doing this teachers are more likely to be prepared for unexpected circumstances that may arise when presenting a lesson. Planning ahead of time assures that you will have the needed materials, refrences, examples, and will be able to better answer students questions.
A certain amount of planning is necessary in EVERY situation in life, teaching children especially. But, on the flip side, a certain amount of flexibility is also necessary. To be able to change plans on a whim is, in my opinion, a true mark of a successful teacher. It is good to have a general outline for what needs to be covered so certain things aren't left out (especially the lovely TEKS :P ) but creativity and student interest should also mold the daily curriculum. Going into teaching is MUCH different from what I expected. I knew nothing about the crazy documentation necessary for each and every lesson plan. I think the details are what bogs down potentially wonderful teachers who are ready to throw the towel in instead of dealing with the mountains of red tape. So, in a nutshell, yes, I do believe planning is necessary. But no amount of planning will help a teacher that does not have the heart for the job and ability to think on her(or his) feet.
I completely agree with Barbra that it is important that the peacher muct be flexible and have the heart for the children. Planning is important so there is schedule and routine throughout the day. However, in college, professors stress on the importance of lesson plans. My mother has been teaching for 25 years in many districts and every grade level. She has never seen nor has to do all the different aspects of lesson plans that we do in college. Lesson plans are used as a guide. From that guide, the teacher should be able to think on her feet and most importantly be flexible.
I think planning should take place at least a week in advance, however the further out you plan the better. I know many school districts require teachers to turn their lesson plans in by a certain date in order for them to be reviewed before the teacher actually teaches those lessons. Planning in advance has many advantages, but a major advantage is that no two days in the teaching world are ever the same. I have worked as a substitute teacher and I have seen firsthand the benefits of planning. I have subbed for teachers who have had everything planned out and set up where I can easily access any necessary information and feel prepared when the students walk through the door. I have also subbed for teachers who have had nothing planned out and I have been unable to find lesson plans anywhere. In this situation, I have to take time to find something for the students to do somehow and at the same time the students are suffering because I am not prepared to teach when school starts. Planning in advance is a smart way for the teacher to be prepared for whatever may happen.
I appreciate the comments about substitute teaching, Heather. I subbed for a couple years in the Huntsville district. It always made for a better day when the teacher had planned activities to keep the students in a routine. It is so true that the further out you can plan, the better. Planning creates structure for the teachers and students. There can be consistency in the classroom, which I think should be the main priority when it comes to working with children. We have to teach early on the benefits of coming to class prepared and ready to learn. There are going to be days that make an exception to that rule, but it is still important to strive for consistency in planning.
Planning can help the teachers, parents, coordinators, and others determine the position of the students, figure it out where they are in their academics now. This helps plan goals for the future regarding where they would like the students to be later that week, months, or year. With goals in mind, then the teacher in my opinion can plan according to what she needs to do, in order to get where she want the students to be.
I think that planning is great because it help us prepare for the future. It helps teacher set up the expectations for the day. Of course! Because the future is unknown and the probabilities that what was plan is going to work is not 100%, it is important to plan for different possible “futures” because this will help teacher be ready to change her plan at any time.
In my opinion, it is also important to remember that planning it’s not easy. It is a skill that takes time to develop. It takes time when it comes to establishing goals and developing a good plan for children. The teachers’ expectations must be realistic and have a time period in which they are achieved, because if it seems that the planning does not works, the teacher needs to be able to understand, and move up to a different plan. In my opinion, planning helps teacher: •Manage their time better.
•Know what materials are going to be needed or might be needed in the class
•Be prepare for different outcomes (if the teacher had in mind different possible “futures”)
•What to expect for the day
•Keep the class more in control
•Set specific goals for the week and focus on those goals
•Feel prepare
•Reflect on what words or not in her or his classroom
There are many other advantages of planning. I must say thought, that when it comes to planning, the teacher should always also be able to plan for the plan not to work. Teacher should be understanding and have patience because when working with children, everything can change in 3 seconds. It is important to plan for some flexibility and know that some parts of the plan might have to be different if the child seems to not be adjusting, or the time, or the materials, etc. (Even plan for the plan not to work at all and develop a plan B C or even D)
I agree with Barbara that a teacher needs to be able to think on their feet. You never know when something could go wrong in your lesson and you will have to change something. Also, thinking on your feet as a teacher help you not miss important teachable moments that you do not have planned out. I think that a good teacher is well rounded and is able to plan what needs to be done but also modify according to their students needs.
Planning is very necessary if you are going to be a teacher. I too feel that you should plan at least one week ahead of time. If you have a big assignment that includes a lot of detail and careful instruction then it's important to plan ahead as much as possible to make sure you have enough time to accomplish everything. I also believe a good team of teachers will do their planning together so they're all on the same page. This is even more important if you are departmentalized. Planning ahead does not mean everything will be perfect, and if you expect perfection when you work with kids then you will be disappointed. You have to be flexible as a teacher and change things sometimes to make it all work. The school district I will be working in, the teachers have to submit lesson plans every week. Planning is something we will all have to do, and it's the smart thing to do.
A lesson plan is a guide to be used by all who will be working with a group of students. Teachers write them out to guide them as to what they need to focus on. They are left for subs to know what the students should be working on. They help specialty teachers know the subjects being taught to the whole group, so they can focus the same content to the children they work with from those rooms. A teacher can also use the lesson plan as an outline for parents to know what is being taught. This works when a parent wants to help in their child’s development. The teacher does need to make sure the parents are aware that sometimes the plans have to change to accommodate the group. Many teachers will write their newsletters based on the lesson plans. Planning is necessary and you have to be flexible to have your classroom manageable.
I appreciate the list Maria of how planning can help teachers. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and lose sight of how planning can have a positive affect on the caregivers and the children they care for. It is a very hard job to plan and see the plan through, but very worth it in the end. Off topic for just a moment, does anyone have any suggestions on how to plan better for our classes this summer??
I like what Maria posted about planning being good for students because it helps with consistency. Children do better if they know what to expect and can count on certain things happening at approximately the same time each day. I also like how she said teachers need to have a plan B, C, and D incase the original plan does not pan out for some reason. I think planning is great for some, but just like the different learning styles, it is not for everyone. I had an amazing professor last semester that had no schedule of activities. He would guide the classroom however we chose and pull information from his brain on a whim. Creative teachers like this don't need to stick to a "set in stone" schedule because they know everything will be covered, just not exactly when.Unfortunately because of the TEKS, NCLB and school mandates, the nature of the beast in school is to document everything.
There are advantages to planning in advance in the classroom. By planning classroom routines or activities will allow the classroom to run efficiently. According to our textbook, “planning time gives children a consistent, predictable opportunity to express their ideas and intentions to adults and to see themselves as individuals who act on decisions”(Roopnarine & Johnson, 2005, pp.238). When children have set routine/plan and know the transitions throughout the day, it will be easier for them and the teacher. I believe the teacher should plan a week in advance. By planning a week ahead she/he can get the material and/or the approval from the director or principal (field trips). Center time, reading time, and recess should remain consist from day to day. I believe that the teacher should have an alternate plan just in case something will go wrong; she/he can easily get back on track.
Roopnarine, J., & Johnson, J. E. (2005). Approaches to early childhood education (4th ed.). Pearson.
Planning ahead is best for both the student and the teacher. Depending on the age children they will find a way to entertain themselves if everything is not well prepared. I remember trying to do an activity in the first couple of week I started working at a child care facility and I was not fully prepared and they found something to do while I stepped away for just a few seconds. From this experience I an agree and saw planning ahead is very beneficial. I haad to turn in lesson plans at least one week in advance. I think also that depending on the ativity, or situtation planning can vary. But like many people have said already planning as much as possible gives you better results.
I agree with Maria in that planning is not always easy and it's a skill that will take time to develop. Great planning involves practice, patience, organization, and flexibility. I guess one of my main concerns is being able to always implement a plan that is best for all of my students needs. There are so many different needs in the classroom, it overwhelms me sometimes to think about it.
Mostly everyone has stated that planning ahead is a very important part of teaching. It is also very important to pay attention to the parts of the day that you do not plan for. There will always be something that will make the day go off track or a student that will not listen to what you want them to do. With planning backing up the teacher, then she will have an easier time getting her class back in order because she will know what they are supposed to be doing and where they should be doing it. Planning is a must for all teachers if you ask me.
Everyone has said that planning is important and i compleatly agree. I also agree on that teachers need a plan b. It does help with subs, i remember in high school when we would have subs and we would give them hell because our teachers wouldnt have things compleatly planned. Some of my classes made the teachers cry..so i think that all teachers need to have their weeks and days well planned because you never know whats going to happen, and you dont want to give a sub a bad day!
Life is unexpected and planning always gives us a little advantage of making the best of the the unexpected. Not all unexpected pop ups are bad, some of the best teachable momments are unexpected. I think always leaving a little room for those teachable momments is also great to be considered when planning. Like always open centers for twenty minutes that way it gives the children time to expand their imagination and allows teachers to take full advantage of what the children are open to learning that we may not of considered.
Tammy you are so right when writing about students having different needs in the classroom, and that it can be overwhelm for teachers and in my opinion, this is why i believe planning is so important. Teachers need to be able to think about the different needs and plan activities according to those needs. Teachers need to be open minded and understand that different approaches are going to be needed when working with children. Planning gives teachers the oportunity to develop activities that can benefit all students and in cases where the child's need seems not to be met, the teacher can then think about implementing plan B ...
Honestly its complicated. I am not a teacher but I think that as the school year passes, the teacher gets to know the child in a more personal way everyday and start to understand some of each particular need for each child and maybe planning allows the teacher to meet some of these needs.
I like what Tammy and Maria said about planning according to the individual needs of the child. This is not always easy, unless the teacher is very familiar with the child. As the school year goes on maybe the teacher could plan activities based on what each child enjoys doing. That way the classroom can also get to know each child better and learn something new. I also agree with Kodie when she pointed out about having open centers in a child care. This allows the children to choose where they want to go and allows for the teacher to see where each child usually goes to. This can show the teacher the individual child's interests and strengths. This allows allows for the teacher to go and interact with each child and formulate activities for another week based on the children's desire.
Yes, there are plenty of advantages in planning. Planning ahead especially for children gives you a set back on what to look for in the mind of a child's criticla thinking on a project, question, or activity. How far out in planing something for the class depends on how big the activity is.
I like what Jennifer Boyd says in regards to the child's age, that planning ahead is a very important aspect to teaching and it's something that needs to be done for just about every activity. I totally agree with that.
The person I interviewd talked about when she started how she planned and planned and for some reason something would go wrong and throw her lesson out the window. She explained that closer to the end of the year when she started to learn each child's abilities and personalities she was able to plan accordingly. So like all have agreed know the children helps tremondously.
I think planning daily activities out at least a week ahead of time is essential to consistency and routine in an early childhood clasroom. Simple daily plans, such as basing recess time aroudn the weather, can allow wiggle-room for the unexpected and prevent chaos. Things such as weekly themes should be planned out at least before the week begins, but there is no set-in-stone way to conduct a classroom. Some teachers may prefer the creativity that going-with-the flow of the day allows, but others may find a classroom hard to control if routine is not present.
I agree with Kodie's view about planning being a protectant against the unexpected. If you don't know how you day is going to progress, the children will see right through that and run all over your authority.
THERE ARE MANY ADVANTAGES IN PLANNING. FOR ONE, YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR MIND IN WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO FOR THE DAY!! LOL. FOR TWO, IT HELPS YOU BECOME MORE ORGANIZE AND MORE SITUATED WITH ANY SITUATION. FINALLY, ITS STRESS OFF OF YOUR MIND. WHEN THINGS ARE KAOTIC, YOU NEED TO HAVE A PLAN SO YOU WON'T BE STRESSED OUT. AND IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, YOU SHOULD PLAN WAY AHEAD OF TIME LIKE MAYBE A MONTH. THAT WAY YOU HAVE TIME TO GO OVER YOUR PLANS UNTIL THE DEADLINE GETS THERE.
Of course there are many advantages to planning things in advance. I can definitely say that when I started making a monthly budget it made my life easier. I knew how much money was coming in and out of my banking account and any plan is better than no plan at all. So yes there are some advantages
35 comments:
I believe that there are many advantages to planning. PLanning allows the teacher to be prepared. It ables the teacher to have the materials gathered and ready for that day's activities. I strongly feel that you should plan at LEAST one week ahead of time. This give the teacher the opportunity to get her materials together and anything that she must buy. By planning ahead, there will be no down time for children and less accidents are a result. As a teacher, I would try to plan at least one wek ahead but two would be better. However, if your classroom believes in emergent curriculum then the curriculum and topics are decided by the children. In this case the teacher must learn to plan in about one afternoon to have lessons for the next day ready to go. Also by planning ahead, the director/ principal will have them (if you have to turn them in) and the plans can be posted for the parents. Planning is a smple was for a classroom to run smooth!
Ashley Mooneyham
Mooneyham2006@aim.com
I know that most public schools that i have been to or observed at has to submit their lessons plans at the end of the week for the next week or at the beginning of the week. I feel planning about a week ahead would be most beneficial. For most projects that are planned, materials would be needed. A lot of the times teachers have to go and get their own materials. Also if taking a field trip related to something being learned may be beneficial. This would have to be planned way in advance so that parents and school's permission could be obtained. Planning ahead allows for a structured classroom. I think that planning ahead is a good thing, but I also feel that it would be okay to change things up if neccessary. Sometimes children get sidetracked and the lesson may not go exactly as planned, I think this is okay! At least having an outline of the weeks plan with space to add or subtract certain activities would be the way I would go.
Planning has its perks and its downside. First of all, like all things planning is not perfect. They don't always seem to go the way they're meant to but usually thats the best thing. The unexpected tends to be just as great as the expected, sometimes better. When lessons are planned it does give you an advantage for the unexpected because your prepared for it. Usually planning has a goal, there is something you want to get out of the planned lesson, and having an outline on how you are going to achieve that works best. Usually planning about a week in advance at best is effective but there is a random spur of the moment idea that flashes in your mind and works just as well. If an activity is going to us props and visuals usually planning in advance is the best way to go.
Planning is something that is a very important aspect to almost all parts of life. Planning give the teacher a chance to have some control about the day. You can only plan so far ahead because with all the children doing the same thing, someone will go in a different direction and change the suspected outcome. Planning can be tricky with a young classroom because the students will not stick to the curriculum as well as the older children. Regardless of the childrens age, planning ahead is a very important aspect to teaching and it is something that needs to be done for just about every activity.
I think that planning is good and it needs to be done. I also think that a teacher needs to be able to be flexable. Plans tend to not go as planned so a teacher must be able to be flexable and be able to go with the flow. Also children could go wrong and something the teacher thought would work doesnt. So i believe that teachers should plan at lease a week ahead but they also need the ability to be flexable. the advantages to planning is that things would go more smoothly and the parents would know whats going on. another advantage is that the teacher would have the materials that they need and not have to worry about it that morning, if they plan a week ahead. also planning a week ahead would alow the teacher to think about al the aspects of it and make sure things go as smoothly as possible.
haha sorry forgot to put my name the one above is Erin Hall's...haha sorry
Planning has an immense amount of advantages. The more you plan, and the better your plans are the more prepared you are to do your job successfully. When working with young children there are so many things that change on a daily basis. Having to deal with those things is hard enough, and then to throw in planning on top of that would be outrageous. Planning ahead of time lifts a huge weight off of the teacher's shoulders. Also, in order to have the students do certain activities there must be advanced planning and preparation of materials to carry out the activity. The last thing any teacher wants to be doing is trying to gather materials, make copies, etc. while dealing with young kids at the same time. Therefore, by planning a teacher is able to stay one step ahead of the students and is able to be prepared to deal with any other situations which may arise.
I agree with everyone saying that we need to plan ahead, but also be flexible because of things that aren’t planned for, but do arise constantly. I feel there needs to be levels to the planning. I personally will plan a whole unit out, so I have the objectives in place. Then break the unit down into sub-units that can be set for a week or so at a time. Then at the end of each day reflect on what has been accomplished and what hasn’t been accomplished, and from there rewrite the next day’s plans. I believe we need the planning to go for the length of the units being taught, so that we as teachers keep ourselves focused to what it is that we want the students to accomplish in the end. The objectives must be met, whether we are able to stay on the original plans or had to modify them.
I agree. Planning is one of the most important parts of teaching. Without a plan in place, things can get too unorganized. In many cases, haveing a plan "B" is important as well because with all things, not everything goes as planned.
Planning is very important and is a must in order to be an effective teacher. Not only do teachers have to plan but they should also practice. When developing lessons and activities it helps to practice them first. By doing this teachers are more likely to be prepared for unexpected circumstances that may arise when presenting a lesson. Planning ahead of time assures that you will have the needed materials, refrences, examples, and will be able to better answer students questions.
A certain amount of planning is necessary in EVERY situation in life, teaching children especially. But, on the flip side, a certain amount of flexibility is also necessary. To be able to change plans on a whim is, in my opinion, a true mark of a successful teacher. It is good to have a general outline for what needs to be covered so certain things aren't left out (especially the lovely TEKS :P ) but creativity and student interest should also mold the daily curriculum.
Going into teaching is MUCH different from what I expected. I knew nothing about the crazy documentation necessary for each and every lesson plan. I think the details are what bogs down potentially wonderful teachers who are ready to throw the towel in instead of dealing with the mountains of red tape.
So, in a nutshell, yes, I do believe planning is necessary. But no amount of planning will help a teacher that does not have the heart for the job and ability to think on her(or his) feet.
I completely agree with Barbra that it is important that the peacher muct be flexible and have the heart for the children. Planning is important so there is schedule and routine throughout the day. However, in college, professors stress on the importance of lesson plans. My mother has been teaching for 25 years in many districts and every grade level. She has never seen nor has to do all the different aspects of lesson plans that we do in college. Lesson plans are used as a guide. From that guide, the teacher should be able to think on her feet and most importantly be flexible.
Ashley Mooneyham
Mooneyhamn2006@aim.com
I think planning should take place at least a week in advance, however the further out you plan the better. I know many school districts require teachers to turn their lesson plans in by a certain date in order for them to be reviewed before the teacher actually teaches those lessons. Planning in advance has many advantages, but a major advantage is that no two days in the teaching world are ever the same. I have worked as a substitute teacher and I have seen firsthand the benefits of planning. I have subbed for teachers who have had everything planned out and set up where I can easily access any necessary information and feel prepared when the students walk through the door. I have also subbed for teachers who have had nothing planned out and I have been unable to find lesson plans anywhere. In this situation, I have to take time to find something for the students to do somehow and at the same time the students are suffering because I am not prepared to teach when school starts. Planning in advance is a smart way for the teacher to be prepared for whatever may happen.
I appreciate the comments about substitute teaching, Heather. I subbed for a couple years in the Huntsville district. It always made for a better day when the teacher had planned activities to keep the students in a routine. It is so true that the further out you can plan, the better. Planning creates structure for the teachers and students. There can be consistency in the classroom, which I think should be the main priority when it comes to working with children. We have to teach early on the benefits of coming to class prepared and ready to learn. There are going to be days that make an exception to that rule, but it is still important to strive for consistency in planning.
Planning can help the teachers, parents, coordinators, and others determine the position of the students, figure it out where they are in their academics now. This helps plan goals for the future regarding where they would like the students to be later that week, months, or year. With goals in mind, then the teacher in my opinion can plan according to what she needs to do, in order to get where she want the students to be.
I think that planning is great because it help us prepare for the future. It helps teacher set up the expectations for the day. Of course! Because the future is unknown and the probabilities that what was plan is going to work is not 100%, it is important to plan for different possible “futures” because this will help teacher be ready to change her plan at any time.
In my opinion, it is also important to remember that planning it’s not easy. It is a skill that takes time to develop. It takes time when it comes to establishing goals and developing a good plan for children. The teachers’ expectations must be realistic and have a time period in which they are achieved, because if it seems that the planning does not works, the teacher needs to be able to understand, and move up to a different plan.
In my opinion, planning helps teacher:
•Manage their time better.
•Know what materials are going to be needed or might be needed in the class
•Be prepare for different outcomes (if the teacher had in mind different possible “futures”)
•What to expect for the day
•Keep the class more in control
•Set specific goals for the week and focus on those goals
•Feel prepare
•Reflect on what words or not in her or his classroom
There are many other advantages of planning. I must say thought, that when it comes to planning, the teacher should always also be able to plan for the plan not to work. Teacher should be understanding and have patience because when working with children, everything can change in 3 seconds. It is important to plan for some flexibility and know that some parts of the plan might have to be different if the child seems to not be adjusting, or the time, or the materials, etc. (Even plan for the plan not to work at all and develop a plan B C or even D)
I agree with Barbara that a teacher needs to be able to think on their feet. You never know when something could go wrong in your lesson and you will have to change something. Also, thinking on your feet as a teacher help you not miss important teachable moments that you do not have planned out. I think that a good teacher is well rounded and is able to plan what needs to be done but also modify according to their students needs.
Planning is very necessary if you are going to be a teacher. I too feel that you should plan at least one week ahead of time. If you have a big assignment that includes a lot of detail and careful instruction then it's important to plan ahead as much as possible to make sure you have enough time to accomplish everything. I also believe a good team of teachers will do their planning together so they're all on the same page. This is even more important if you are departmentalized. Planning ahead does not mean everything will be perfect, and if you expect perfection when you work with kids then you will be disappointed. You have to be flexible as a teacher and change things sometimes to make it all work. The school district I will be working in, the teachers have to submit lesson plans every week. Planning is something we will all have to do, and it's the smart thing to do.
A lesson plan is a guide to be used by all who will be working with a group of students. Teachers write them out to guide them as to what they need to focus on. They are left for subs to know what the students should be working on. They help specialty teachers know the subjects being taught to the whole group, so they can focus the same content to the children they work with from those rooms.
A teacher can also use the lesson plan as an outline for parents to know what is being taught. This works when a parent wants to help in their child’s development. The teacher does need to make sure the parents are aware that sometimes the plans have to change to accommodate the group. Many teachers will write their newsletters based on the lesson plans.
Planning is necessary and you have to be flexible to have your classroom manageable.
I appreciate the list Maria of how planning can help teachers. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and lose sight of how planning can have a positive affect on the caregivers and the children they care for. It is a very hard job to plan and see the plan through, but very worth it in the end. Off topic for just a moment, does anyone have any suggestions on how to plan better for our classes this summer??
I like what Maria posted about planning being good for students because it helps with consistency. Children do better if they know what to expect and can count on certain things happening at approximately the same time each day. I also like how she said teachers need to have a plan B, C, and D incase the original plan does not pan out for some reason. I think planning is great for some, but just like the different learning styles, it is not for everyone. I had an amazing professor last semester that had no schedule of activities. He would guide the classroom however we chose and pull information from his brain on a whim. Creative teachers like this don't need to stick to a "set in stone" schedule because they know everything will be covered, just not exactly when.Unfortunately because of the TEKS, NCLB and school mandates, the nature of the beast in school is to document everything.
There are advantages to planning in advance in the classroom. By planning classroom routines or activities will allow the classroom to run efficiently. According to our textbook, “planning time gives children a consistent, predictable opportunity to express their ideas and intentions to adults and to see themselves as individuals who act on decisions”(Roopnarine & Johnson, 2005, pp.238). When children have set routine/plan and know the transitions throughout the day, it will be easier for them and the teacher. I believe the teacher should plan a week in advance. By planning a week ahead she/he can get the material and/or the approval from the director or principal (field trips). Center time, reading time, and recess should remain consist from day to day. I believe that the teacher should have an alternate plan just in case something will go wrong; she/he can easily get back on track.
Roopnarine, J., & Johnson, J. E. (2005). Approaches to early childhood education (4th ed.). Pearson.
Planning ahead is best for both the student and the teacher. Depending on the age children they will find a way to entertain themselves if everything is not well prepared. I remember trying to do an activity in the first couple of week I started working at a child care facility and I was not fully prepared and they found something to do while I stepped away for just a few seconds. From this experience I an agree and saw planning ahead is very beneficial. I haad to turn in lesson plans at least one week in advance. I think also that depending on the ativity, or situtation planning can vary. But like many people have said already planning as much as possible gives you better results.
I agree with Maria in that planning is not always easy and it's a skill that will take time to develop. Great planning involves practice, patience, organization, and flexibility. I guess one of my main concerns is being able to always implement a plan that is best for all of my students needs. There are so many different needs in the classroom, it overwhelms me sometimes to think about it.
Mostly everyone has stated that planning ahead is a very important part of teaching. It is also very important to pay attention to the parts of the day that you do not plan for. There will always be something that will make the day go off track or a student that will not listen to what you want them to do. With planning backing up the teacher, then she will have an easier time getting her class back in order because she will know what they are supposed to be doing and where they should be doing it. Planning is a must for all teachers if you ask me.
Everyone has said that planning is important and i compleatly agree. I also agree on that teachers need a plan b. It does help with subs, i remember in high school when we would have subs and we would give them hell because our teachers wouldnt have things compleatly planned. Some of my classes made the teachers cry..so i think that all teachers need to have their weeks and days well planned because you never know whats going to happen, and you dont want to give a sub a bad day!
Life is unexpected and planning always gives us a little advantage of making the best of the the unexpected. Not all unexpected pop ups are bad, some of the best teachable momments are unexpected. I think always leaving a little room for those teachable momments is also great to be considered when planning. Like always open centers for twenty minutes that way it gives the children time to expand their imagination and allows teachers to take full advantage of what the children are open to learning that we may not of considered.
Tammy you are so right when writing about students having different needs in the classroom, and that it can be overwhelm for teachers and in my opinion, this is why i believe planning is so important. Teachers need to be able to think about the different needs and plan activities according to those needs. Teachers need to be open minded and understand that different approaches are going to be needed when working with children. Planning gives teachers the oportunity to develop activities that can benefit all students and in cases where the child's need seems not to be met, the teacher can then think about implementing plan B ...
Honestly its complicated. I am not a teacher but I think that as the school year passes, the teacher gets to know the child in a more personal way everyday and start to understand some of each particular need for each child and maybe planning allows the teacher to meet some of these needs.
I like what Tammy and Maria said about planning according to the individual needs of the child. This is not always easy, unless the teacher is very familiar with the child. As the school year goes on maybe the teacher could plan activities based on what each child enjoys doing. That way the classroom can also get to know each child better and learn something new. I also agree with Kodie when she pointed out about having open centers in a child care. This allows the children to choose where they want to go and allows for the teacher to see where each child usually goes to. This can show the teacher the individual child's interests and strengths. This allows allows for the teacher to go and interact with each child and formulate activities for another week based on the children's desire.
Yes, there are plenty of advantages in planning. Planning ahead especially for children gives you a set back on what to look for in the mind of a child's criticla thinking on a project, question, or activity. How far out in planing something for the class depends on how big the activity is.
I like what Jennifer Boyd says in regards to the child's age, that planning ahead is a very important aspect to teaching and it's something that needs to be done for just about every activity. I totally agree with that.
The person I interviewd talked about when she started how she planned and planned and for some reason something would go wrong and throw her lesson out the window. She explained that closer to the end of the year when she started to learn each child's abilities and personalities she was able to plan accordingly. So like all have agreed know the children helps tremondously.
I think planning daily activities out at least a week ahead of time is essential to consistency and routine in an early childhood clasroom. Simple daily plans, such as basing recess time aroudn the weather, can allow wiggle-room for the unexpected and prevent chaos. Things such as weekly themes should be planned out at least before the week begins, but there is no set-in-stone way to conduct a classroom. Some teachers may prefer the creativity that going-with-the flow of the day allows, but others may find a classroom hard to control if routine is not present.
I agree with Kodie's view about planning being a protectant against the unexpected. If you don't know how you day is going to progress, the children will see right through that and run all over your authority.
THERE ARE MANY ADVANTAGES IN PLANNING. FOR ONE, YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR MIND IN WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO FOR THE DAY!! LOL. FOR TWO, IT HELPS YOU BECOME MORE ORGANIZE AND MORE SITUATED WITH ANY SITUATION. FINALLY, ITS STRESS OFF OF YOUR MIND. WHEN THINGS ARE KAOTIC, YOU NEED TO HAVE A PLAN SO YOU WON'T BE STRESSED OUT. AND IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, YOU SHOULD PLAN WAY AHEAD OF TIME LIKE MAYBE A MONTH. THAT WAY YOU HAVE TIME TO GO OVER YOUR PLANS UNTIL THE DEADLINE GETS THERE.
JAVETTA JONES
Of course there are many advantages to planning things in advance. I can definitely say that when I started making a monthly budget it made my life easier. I knew how much money was coming in and out of my banking account and any plan is better than no plan at all. So yes there are some advantages
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