PLANNING FOR SUCCESS!!

Preparing for this teachers' conference has brought back a lot of memories.   I look back to the days when I was teaching full time and wonder how I did it (especially since I feel a bit on overload right now!).   As I looked through my various papers. . activities, resources and student work . . I was reminded that I didn't only plan for how my students could learn the concepts and facts I was expected to teach them, but also how to help them succeed as students and in life.    One of activities we did either at the beginning of the year, or at the new year, was to set goals.    I have a worksheet where I explained why goals are so important and how to set appropriate ones.   It reminded me that this is something I need to do more in my own life.   

But then I ran across the attached paper and my mind raced back to those days of trying to everything PLUS put extensive plans into my planner.   And I remembered that my planning book looked like a skeleton with very little muscle on its bones, but a lot of papers stapled in.   The very most important paper that got stapled into my planbook was the list of objectives I made for each and every unit.   Not only did I use the objectives list for myself, but my students got a copy of it, especially for long and involved units.    And the first test I gave each year was made up word for word from those objectives so the students (and my student teachers) could see the links.  The smarter students (and I don't mean smart as in IQ) learned to study from that objective list.   And having those objectives for each unit allowed me to plan smarter and make sure my instruction was reinforcing all of them and avoiding rabbit trails.     And by using the attached form, I reminded myself to be sure I was reaching all the different types of learners. . . not just the audio or visual learners.    And of course, it also helped me differentiate classroom work from home work.  

Likewise, my good friend Tom O'Brien taught me that using the five E's would enhance my learning.   I need to tell Tom that I still use that plan on occasion. . . and should probably use it more as I teach at Camp, in Sunday School, at teacher conferences, etc.   Over the years I have had lots of learning theories and TYNTs (This Year's New Thing) thrown my way at inservices, conferences and by student teachers, but the five E's have stuck.   (Proximity and emotional barriers to learning have stuck, too.)   My planning sheet had the objectives/activities/day/code/intelligence in a chart on one side and the five E's on the other.   And by the way, it could take 3-7 planning sheets to plan one unit.

So. . .If I can figure out how to attach the planning chart, here it is.  (And if I can't get it attached, email me!!  Or look for me on facebook at Ida Baumgarth Swenson and send me a message.)  And at minimum below is a summary of the five E's:

PLAN WITH THE FIVE e’S

 

Engage: Get their interest, ‘frame’ your topic, stir curiosity, assess or challenge Preknowledge

Explore: experiments, hands on, simulations, cooperative research

Explain: give information, clarify

Elaborate: apply or extend concepts, alternative explanations, get evidence

Evaluate: observe, assess, test, apply, self-assessment

To put this planning guide onto your own paper, set your page margins to the minimum your printer will print, and put it onto "landscape" layout.   It should fit onto your word document fairly neatly.   BUT if you have to play with it to make it fit, it will help you understand it better and it certainly will allow you to modify it so that if fits the requirement of your school system and your learning style!!

 

 

 

PLANNING GUIDE

 

Chapter/Topic __________________________  H – homework                  inTRApersonal            Linguistic        Musical        Spatial

                                                                               C - classwork                   interpersonal           Bodily-Kinesthetic    Logical/Mathematical

 

OBJECTIVES	ACTIVITIES	DAY	CODE	INTELLIGENCES