Outstanding Lessons 2: Planning

I recently read The Managing Workload Pocketbook from the brilliant Teachers' Pocketbooks series. The book was written by Caroline Bentley-Davies.

In my second in a series of posts, I take note of the author's advice about changing your mindset about planning.


Learning, not Doing

Before you start planning first consider what it is you really want them to learn. 

There is a significant distinction between learning and doing. Many lessons go awry because the teacher is too focused on the students completing a task or activity (doing), rather than on what they want the pupils to learn. 

The sequence for planning lessons should be:

1. Knowing where your pupils are in the learning.
2. Deciding what their next steps in learning are, i.e. the skill or knowledge you want them to develop in the lesson.
3. Planning a range of engaging lesson activities to support this.

The activities should give the children the opportunity to demonstrate and apply what has been learned. 'Nice' activities just don't cut it.