Ch. 3

Planning curriculum is very important and I do strongly agree that it lies at the heart of good teaching. Lesson plans should be carefully organized and developed, and enriched through activities, technology and manipulates. I am intimidated that teachers plan their entire year of curriculum before the school year begins. It is then narrowed down into units, and finally into a weekly and daily basis. I do find it comforting that we cannot expect to follow our year plan exactly, but we review the progress of our class and the students as individuals to vary the pace, reteach and revise the lessons. It is important to write out a detailed lesson plan to make predictions and to use as a way to assess your own teaching. Also, if the lesson plans are written out instead of just planned in our minds we are better able to share ideas, and receive feedback from others. I also find it comforting that the state standards and school districts provide a framework of the curriculum to be taught. Having an outline to go off of is going to be very helpful in planning an entire years worth of class activities, tests and homework. I am also hopping that when I become a teacher my colleagues will share fun and effective lesson plans with me, so I am able to use them to help my students have fun and be engaged while learning.