Teaching Children Well: Self Reflection Journey #4

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Today's self assessment path was more complex than I expected making me realize that this journey and the MA Teacher Evaluation Rubric are good resources for a pre-service or professional learning 4-credit course.  

To reflect well, it does take time, and each of the 33 elements on the Massachusetts' teacher evaluation rubric has taken me in excess of one-hour to thoroughly analyze and respond to.  I've been teaching for a long time, and if it's taking me this long to dig deep and unearth the essential points and intent of each element, I can only imagine how long it will take a preservice or novice to grasp all of these elements.

Hence, I continue to welcome any interested educator to join me on this journey.  The prior posts can be found via these links:

Reflection #1

Reflection #2

Reflection #3

Today's element, 1A4, focuses on apt lesson planning.  To plan a lesson well is a complex process.  I analyzed the standard, culled the key points, added to the evaluation document, updated my own self assessment document, and most importantly created the lesson planning document below to guide lesson planning with inclusion of all the key points (and one additional point, room design) on the evaluation rubric.  I plan to continue to revise and enrich this document as I read the many posts I've saved for learning design study this summer. As always, I welcome your comments, ideas, and thoughts. 

To reflect today, first review the standard, indicator, element, rubric, criteria statement, key points, and element chart. Next make a copy of the element chart, and add your own reflections and implications for practice. After that survey the lesson planning template and my assessment if interested.  This is a hefty element--one that will take time if analyzed well. 

Standard I: Curriculum, Planning, and Assessment. The teacher promotes the learning and growth of all students by providing high quality and coherent instruction, designing and administering authentic and meaningful student assessments, analyzing student performance and growth data, using this data to improve instruction, providing students with constructive feedback on an ongoing basis and continuously refining learning objectives.

Indicator I-A. Curriculum and Planning: Knows the subject matter well, has a good grasp of child development and how students learn, and designs effective and rigorous standards-based units of instruction consisting of well-structured lessons with measurable outcomes.

Element 1A-4: Well Structured Lessons

Criteria: (from proficient/exemplary descriptors)
Develops and models well-structured, highly-engaging lessons with measurable objectives, appropriate student engagement strategies, pacing, sequence, activities, materials, resources, technologies, and grouping to meet every student's needs.

Key Points/Questions:

• Well-structured, highly engaging lessons. What is the best way to structure a lesson so that students are learning with engagement?
• Measurable objectives. How will I assess student learning at the end of a lesson?
• Appropriate student engagement strategies. What engagement strategies are motivating, appealing and productive for the students in my charge?
• Pacing. What is a student-centered, brain-friendly way to pace the lesson?
• Activities. What activities will foster student discussion, inquiry, problem solving, practice, and ultimately learning?
• Materials: What are the best materials to use in order to develop student learning?
• Resources: What resources will support and enrich this lesson?
• Technologies: How can I embed technology in the lesson to help students learn?
• Grouping: In what ways will I group students to foster optimal learning?

Standard 1A4: Well Structured Lessons (Lesson Planning)

Key Points	Question	Effective Efforts	Implications for Your Practice	Results
Well- structured, highly engaging lessons.	What is the best way to structure a lesson so that students are learning with engagement?	Use a lesson design template to guide lesson creation. (see example at the bottom of the page)
Measurable objectives	How will I assess student learning at the end of a lesson?	Be explicit both in your planning and with students about the lesson objective. Write the objective on the board, and share the objective with students at the start of the lesson. At end of the lesson, reflect and measure student learning by charting efforts, observations, assessing with students, using exit tickets (written statements), giving a short quiz or other method.
Appropriate student engagement strategies.	What engagement strategies are both appealing and productive for the students in my charge?	Wake up students’ brains and bodies to the lesson objective with a lesson starter that creates connections, questions, and curiosity. Use short videos, storytelling, artifacts, questioning, paradoxical connections, “aha” shares, fascinating facts and more to excite, interest, and motivate student learning.
Pacing.	What is a student-centered, brain-friendly way to pace the lesson?	10-15% focus lesson 70%-80% active learning led by a visual menu. 10%-15% closing share, next steps discussion.
Activities.	What activities will foster student discussion, inquiry, problem solving, practice, and ultimately learning?	Encourage student choice and voice. Include teamwork, collaboration, discussion. Multi-sensory activities--learn through as many senses as possible. Multiple paths to learning to meet all learner’s needs. Engaging, developmentally appropriate Break activities into manageable steps so students move from one to another. Have a host of activities that move from review to grade level to enrichment for that lesson or over a number of days.
Materials:	What are the best materials to use in order to develop student learning?	Multiple learning materials should be available and accessible to learners. Materials should include hands-on, paper/pencil, tech-related. When possible students should be encouraged to create or adapt their own materials for solving problems. Model material thinking, use and care during focus lesson. Choose materials that best meet the lessons objectives.
Resources:	What resources will support and enrich this lesson?	Lesson research and review will help you to access the best resources for planning, implementing, assessing, and revising lessons. Use your in-house PLN and online PLN to help you access best resources. Keep a resource file or list online so that students and families may access the resources before or atter the lesson if interested in order to extend the learning.
Technologies:	How can I embed technology in the lesson to help students learn?	Have tech available for all lessons if possible. Use tech for teacher/student research, fact finding, recording, calculating, and support lessons. Find best tech resources for each lesson. When possible choose tech that is available 24-7 so that students may access that tech at-home and throughout the day to extend their learning related to the specific lesson and further inquiry.
Grouping	In what ways will I group students to foster optimal learning?	Grouping according to objective. Like ability grouping usually leads to good conversation, pacing, and challenge. “teacher”-student, stronger-challenge grouping leads to a teaching situation where one student leads the other. Role grouping provides every student with a specific role that matches their learning need, challenge, or strength to build learning for all. Social grouping can be made to help students gain confidence and trust in working together. Random grouping is sometimes appropriate during an initial, exploratory lesson--a lesson where a teacher is assessing the learner’s interests, skills, and needs in a particular content area.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson Planning Template

Standard 1A4: Well Structured Lessons (Lesson Planning)

A unit frameworks should be planned about a month or more prior to implementation.  The unit document should be placed on a website for all in the learning community (students, families, educators, leaders, and the community) to access for review, learning, and enrichment before, during, and after the unit roll-out.  As the unit rolls out, specific lesson details and plans can be added to the website since good lesson planning responds to student learning acquisition, need, and interest.

Start lesson planning by creating or revising the unit framework:

How, when and where will we create and publish this unit of study.

Technologies Create an online transparent and easily accessible website for every unit.

Online Unit Website Unit Title, Purpose Unit Objectives Unit Roll-Out: Lessons, Events, and Field Studies Unit Extensions and Enrichment

Unit Website Link See example

After that research the lesson, keep a list of the resources on the website so the learning community can easily access the resources before, during, and after the lesson.

What resources will inform this lesson with strength?

Resources: What resources will support and enrich this lesson?

Lesson research and review will help you to access the best resources for planning, implementing, assessing, and revising lessons. Use your in-house PLN and online PLN to help you access best resources. Keep a resource file or list online so that students and families may access the resources before or atter the lesson if interested in order to extend the learning.

Resource List Books: Videos/Films: Games, Problems/Projects (online and off) Websites/Online info: Experts, Name, Contact Info Extensions: Field Study Special Events Other

Next plan the specific lesson.  Start with lesson objective: 

What learning objectives and standards will students achieve?

Objective (standard(s))

Write an easy to measure, meaningful objective. set goals with students when possible.

Students will  learn __________________________________________________________

Then begin planning the lesson specifics, start backwards with assessment:

How will I assess the lesson’s success and student learning?

Measurable objectives How will I assess student learning at the end of a lesson?

Observation Exit Ticket Writing Quick Quiz Class Share Assessment of Activity Results Explain evaluation procedures with students.

Students will demonstrate learning by ________________________________________________, and student learning will be assessed by ______________________________________________.

After that, plan the lesson roll-out.

Imagine, what will this lesson look like in the classroom?

Lesson Introduction: What engagement strategies will I employ at the start of the lesson?	Capture learners’ attention. Make connections. Tap into students’ emotions/experiences. Use narrative. Good questioning: perplexing, paradoxical, unexpected. Short videos, artifacts. or multi-sensory introduction.	Circle chosen technique(s) on left-hand list.  Then write specific links, details below.
Pacing. What is a student- centered, brain-friendly way to pace the lesson?	10-15% focus lesson 70%-80% active learning 10%-15% closing share, next steps discussion.	Focus Lesson Activity Closing, Share, Assessment
Grouping In what ways will I group students to foster optimal learning?	Like ability grouping Stronger-more challenged grouping Role grouping Social grouping. Random grouping	Grouping Type: __________________________________________________ Reason: _______________________________________________________ List of specific groups:

Once the lesson plan is set, then set the stage for learning.

What will the classroom look like and where will the materials be?

Classroom Set-Up How will I set-up the learning environment to support student learning success?	table arrangement intro/share space set-up visuals displayed including learning objective, activity menu, vocabulary and other important resources technology ready to go.	Draw a map or make notes about the learning environment set-up.
Materials: What are the best materials to use in order to develop student learning?	available and accessible to learners. hands-on, paper/pencil, tech-related. create or adapt materials for solving problems. Model material thinking, use and care during focus lesson. Choose materials that best meet the lessons objectives.	Materials List: (Including Technology)

My Self Assessment and Lesson Planning Document

Standard 1A4: Well Structured Lessons (Lesson Planning)

Key Points	Question	Effective Efforts	Implications for Your Practice	Results
Well- structured, highly engaging lessons.	What is the best way to structure a lesson so that students are learning with engagement?	Use a lesson design template to guide lesson creation. (see example at the bottom of the page)	Use lesson planning template when planning.
Measurable objectives	How will I assess student learning at the end of a lesson?	Be explicit both in your planning and with students about the lesson objective. Write the objective on the board, and share the objective with students at the start of the lesson. At end of the lesson, reflect and measure student learning by charting efforts, observations, assessing with students, using exit tickets (written statements), giving a short quiz or other method.	Develop a pattern of lesson reflection, revision, assessment, and next steps in your practice.
Appropriate student engagement strategies.	What engagement strategies are both appealing and productive for the students in my charge?	Wake up students’ brains and bodies to the lesson objective with a lesson starter that creates connections, questions, and curiosity. Use short videos, storytelling, artifacts, questioning, paradoxical connections, “aha” shares, fascinating facts and more to excite, interest, and motivate student learning.	Collect a host of student engagement strategies--keep a handy list for lesson planning.
Pacing.	What is a student-centered, brain-friendly way to pace the lesson?	10-15% focus lesson 70%-80% active learning led by a visual menu. 10%-15% closing share, next steps discussion.	Generally follow the pacing strategy on the left.
Activities.	What activities will foster student discussion, inquiry, problem solving, practice, and ultimately learning?	Encourage student choice and voice. Include teamwork, collaboration, discussion. Multi-sensory activities--learn through as many senses as possible. Multiple paths to learning to meet all learner’s needs. Engaging, developmentally appropriate Break activities into manageable steps so students move from one to another. Have a host of activities that move from review to grade level to enrichment for that lesson or over a number of days.	Follow the strategies to the left.
Materials:	What are the best materials to use in order to develop student learning?	Multiple learning materials should be available and accessible to learners. Materials should include hands-on, paper/pencil, tech-related. When possible students should be encouraged to create or adapt their own materials for solving problems. Model material thinking, use and care during focus lesson. Choose materials that best meet the lessons objectives.	Have materials clearly marked and organized in the classroom for students’ independent access and use.
Resources:	What resources will support and enrich this lesson?	Lesson research and review will help you to access the best resources for planning, implementing, assessing, and revising lessons. Use your in-house PLN and online PLN to help you access best resources. Keep a resource file or list online so that students and families may access the resources before or atter the lesson if interested in order to extend the learning.	Keep an online list of resources for the entire learning community in the unit document--collect and share resources with transparency to inform the entire learning community.
Technologies:	How can I embed technology in the lesson to help students learn?	Have tech available for all lessons if possible. Use tech for teacher/student research, fact finding, recording, calculating, and support lessons. Find best tech resources for each lesson. When possible choose tech that is available 24-7 so that students may access that tech at-home and throughout the day to extend their learning related to the specific lesson and further inquiry.	Similar to resources keep a list of tech connects. Also have all lesson/unit materials available online for easy learning community access.
Grouping	In what ways will I group students to foster optimal learning?	Grouping according to objective. Like ability grouping usually leads to good conversation, pacing, and challenge. “teacher”-student, stronger-challenge grouping leads to a teaching situation where one student leads the other. Role grouping provides every student with a specific role that matches their learning need, challenge, or strength to build learning for all. Social grouping can be made to help students gain confidence and trust in working together. Random grouping is sometimes appropriate during an initial, exploratory lesson--a lesson where a teacher is assessing the learner’s interests, skills, and needs in a particular content area.	Anticipate the “groups” activity and match that grouping with learning objectives.