Excerpt from The Eye On Education Blog
The Poetry of Annette Breaux - The Rewards of Planning
Eye On Education recently published Annette Breaux's newest poetry book, 101 Poems for Teachers. The book is illustrated by L. Susan Brandt. Read below for a poem and strategy about taking responsibility for the successes and failures of your students. This tip was originally featured in an Eye On Education Insights eNewsletter.
The Rewards of Planning
Coaches go into every game with a very specific plan
And surgeons plan their surgeries and proceed with a steady hand
Attorneys defend their clients following much preparation
And players of chess only make a move after much deliberation
Travelers go on vacation with their maps and proper clothing
So why’s it that some teachers speak of lesson plans with loathing?
The fact remains that failing to plan becomes a plan to fail
You’re a ship without an anchor, a hammer without a nail
So plan your lessons every day
Stay on the path so you won’t go astray
Know why you’re teaching the things that you teach
And reap your rewards from the students you reach.
(from 101 Poems for Teachers by Annette Breaux)
How to Have a Great Plan
The very best teachers know that if you want to have a great lesson, you need to plan a great lesson. It is truly that simple. But understand that planning takes time. However, if you teach with a well-planned lesson, then you can really enjoy your teaching. Now, does that mean that you will accomplish everything you intend to accomplish or that your plan will go off without a hitch? Of course not. Teaching is not an exact science, and that is why we need to plan so thoroughly.
The very first thing you will want to do, when you sit down to plan your lesson, is to center the entire plan around your objective—what it is you want the students to accomplish on that day. Let’s say that today you will be teaching your students how to write a friendly letter. (The reason we chose this particular skill is that everyone, regardless of their content area, can relate to using this skill.) So your objective is that the students will be able to write a friendly letter, including all of the five parts—heading, greeting, body, closing, and signature. Now, the first thing you need to plan, of course, is how you will get your students to actually want to write a friendly letter. So you’ll want to begin a discussion of some sort in which you ask them if they ever write letters to their friends. All students, at one time or another, have passed notes in class. Yes, you have their attention. You will, of course, lead the discussion beyond writing notes to their friends as you continue to discuss the friendly letter and its purpose. Then you may want to have a friendly letter already written to the class by you or another teacher or even the principal. Yes, this takes some preparation. It involves either writing the letter yourself or having someone else do it. But it’s not difficult.
Let’s say that you have the principal write a friendly letter to the class. (You may even choose to write the letter for the principal. It really doesn’t matter, as long as you make the principal aware of what you wrote.) It is best to write the letter on chart paper or on an overhead transparency so that it is in an enlarged format, visible to all.
Now read the letter with the class, and then have them analyze each part with your guidance. As they analyze each part, have a student write the name of that part next to it. For instance, where it says, “Dear Class,” the student would label it as the “greeting.” You get the point. Bottom line? With your guidance, they will identify all of the parts of a friendly letter.
Now you’ll want to model the skill for them. (By the way, modeling is one of the most important parts of teaching anything to anyone, yet it is often overlooked.) To model, simply write a letter to a friend of yours, either on the board, on chart paper, or on an overhead transparency. As you write, think aloud for the benefit of the students. You may even choose to allow them to guide you as you write. (Please take note that we have not yet, nor will we, give a definition of a friendly letter. Instead, we’re pulling the information from the students. This is much more meaningful, and thus lasting.) After you’ve finished that, you might then plan to write a friendly letter, maybe in response to the principal, as a class. Either have a student write it on chart paper, or you can write it as they all participate.
Once you’ve actually taught and modeled the skill and then guided students through the skill, they should be ready to try the new skill on their own. So what should their assignment be? You guessed it. They will write their own friendly letters as you walk around and monitor for understanding. You may even choose to have them bring envelopes and stamps so that they can actually mail the letters. And now that that’s done, you will always want to wrap up your lesson with a review to provide closure. The most effective teachers know that you never tell the students what they’ve learned. Instead, you have them tell and/or show you.
That’s it. You’ve written a great plan! If you have a really great plan, your lesson will practically teach itself!
Guiding Question
Think of a lesson that you have taught that you really felt good about. Utilizing Annette Breaux's 8 tips for planning in 101 "Answers" for New Teachers and Their Mentors which tip do you feel made the most impact on this lesson and why?
Excerpt from The Eye On Education Blog
Poetry by Annette Breaux: Make Learning Fun
The following poem and tip were written by Annette Breaux and featured in her book with Eye On Education: 101 "Answers" for New Teachers and Their Mentors: Effective Teaching Tips for Daily Classroom Use, 2nd Ed.
Make Learning Fun
Don't look so serious when you're teaching, please don't!
If you don't have fun, then the students won't,
So take every lesson and teach it with zest
And you'll get from your students their very best!
Children learn as children play, so play with your students every day! While I was conducting a presentation on effective teaching for high school and university teachers, a college professor volunteered the following: “When I walked into the training today and learned of the activities that were going to be conducted, I almost walked out. I thought it was going to be ‘elementary.’ However, after participating in the activities and having fun doing so, I realized that if I could have fun, maybe my students could have fun as opposed to just listening to my daily lectures. And maybe I’d even have fun teaching!”
In response, a high school teacher enthusiastically added, “I do what are considered ‘elementary’ activities with my students every day, and they love it!” When I asked what she meant by ‘elementary’ activities, she explained that she uses lots of cooperative learning, learning games, hands-on activities, group discussion, and very little lecture. “My students love to come to class, because they have fun and they experience so much success.” A very interesting discussion ensued where we discussed the fact that students learn best when they are having fun. “So do adults!” added one of the participants.
Too often I encounter teachers who think that teaching and learning should be “serious business.” Their demeanors are serious, their classrooms are serious places, their students are bored out of their minds, and discipline problems are evident. Not very conducive to inspiring students to achieve! The fact is that we all learn best when the learning environment is interesting, exciting, and inviting. Some teachers are afraid to allow their students to have “fun” in their classrooms for fear of losing control of discipline. This is a mistake, in that “fun” and “chaos” are not synonymous. Chaos is a classroom management problem. If classroom management is well established, there will be no chaos.
The best teachers know that in the most effective learning environments, classroom management is established, students are actively involved in the learning, lessons and activities are both highly structured and of high interest to students, and students are enjoying the learning process. Yes, they are having fun! Remember that taking teaching seriously and treating teaching as strictly serious business are two very different things. So lighten up, add excitement to your lessons, and watch your students’ achievement increase. Your students will enjoy their learning, you will enjoy your teaching, and you will all have fun.
Guiding Question
Think of your classroom instruction. Utilizing Annette Breaux's 17 tips for instruction in 101 "Answers" for New Teachers and Their Mentors which 2 tips do you feel are the most beneficial for you when working with your students and why?
The Poetry of Annette Breaux - The Rewards of Planning
Eye On Education recently published Annette Breaux's newest poetry book, 101 Poems for Teachers. The book is illustrated by L. Susan Brandt. Read below for a poem and strategy about taking responsibility for the successes and failures of your students. This tip was originally featured in an Eye On Education Insights eNewsletter.
The Rewards of Planning
Coaches go into every game with a very specific plan
And surgeons plan their surgeries and proceed with a steady hand
Attorneys defend their clients following much preparation
And players of chess only make a move after much deliberation
Travelers go on vacation with their maps and proper clothing
So why’s it that some teachers speak of lesson plans with loathing?
The fact remains that failing to plan becomes a plan to fail
You’re a ship without an anchor, a hammer without a nail
So plan your lessons every day
Stay on the path so you won’t go astray
Know why you’re teaching the things that you teach
And reap your rewards from the students you reach.
(from 101 Poems for Teachers by Annette Breaux)
How to Have a Great Plan
The very best teachers know that if you want to have a great lesson, you need to plan a great lesson. It is truly that simple. But understand that planning takes time. However, if you teach with a well-planned lesson, then you can really enjoy your teaching. Now, does that mean that you will accomplish everything you intend to accomplish or that your plan will go off without a hitch? Of course not. Teaching is not an exact science, and that is why we need to plan so thoroughly.
The very first thing you will want to do, when you sit down to plan your lesson, is to center the entire plan around your objective—what it is you want the students to accomplish on that day. Let’s say that today you will be teaching your students how to write a friendly letter. (The reason we chose this particular skill is that everyone, regardless of their content area, can relate to using this skill.) So your objective is that the students will be able to write a friendly letter, including all of the five parts—heading, greeting, body, closing, and signature. Now, the first thing you need to plan, of course, is how you will get your students to actually want to write a friendly letter. So you’ll want to begin a discussion of some sort in which you ask them if they ever write letters to their friends. All students, at one time or another, have passed notes in class. Yes, you have their attention. You will, of course, lead the discussion beyond writing notes to their friends as you continue to discuss the friendly letter and its purpose. Then you may want to have a friendly letter already written to the class by you or another teacher or even the principal. Yes, this takes some preparation. It involves either writing the letter yourself or having someone else do it. But it’s not difficult.
Let’s say that you have the principal write a friendly letter to the class. (You may even choose to write the letter for the principal. It really doesn’t matter, as long as you make the principal aware of what you wrote.) It is best to write the letter on chart paper or on an overhead transparency so that it is in an enlarged format, visible to all.
Now read the letter with the class, and then have them analyze each part with your guidance. As they analyze each part, have a student write the name of that part next to it. For instance, where it says, “Dear Class,” the student would label it as the “greeting.” You get the point. Bottom line? With your guidance, they will identify all of the parts of a friendly letter.
Now you’ll want to model the skill for them. (By the way, modeling is one of the most important parts of teaching anything to anyone, yet it is often overlooked.) To model, simply write a letter to a friend of yours, either on the board, on chart paper, or on an overhead transparency. As you write, think aloud for the benefit of the students. You may even choose to allow them to guide you as you write. (Please take note that we have not yet, nor will we, give a definition of a friendly letter. Instead, we’re pulling the information from the students. This is much more meaningful, and thus lasting.) After you’ve finished that, you might then plan to write a friendly letter, maybe in response to the principal, as a class. Either have a student write it on chart paper, or you can write it as they all participate.
Once you’ve actually taught and modeled the skill and then guided students through the skill, they should be ready to try the new skill on their own. So what should their assignment be? You guessed it. They will write their own friendly letters as you walk around and monitor for understanding. You may even choose to have them bring envelopes and stamps so that they can actually mail the letters. And now that that’s done, you will always want to wrap up your lesson with a review to provide closure. The most effective teachers know that you never tell the students what they’ve learned. Instead, you have them tell and/or show you.
That’s it. You’ve written a great plan! If you have a really great plan, your lesson will practically teach itself!
Guiding Question
Think of a lesson that you have taught that you really felt good about. Utilizing Annette Breaux's 8 tips for planning in 101 "Answers" for New Teachers and Their Mentors which tip do you feel made the most impact on this lesson and why?
Excerpt from The Eye On Education Blog
Poetry by Annette Breaux: Make Learning Fun
The following poem and tip were written by Annette Breaux and featured in her book with Eye On Education: 101 "Answers" for New Teachers and Their Mentors: Effective Teaching Tips for Daily Classroom Use, 2nd Ed.
Make Learning Fun
Don't look so serious when you're teaching, please don't!
If you don't have fun, then the students won't,
So take every lesson and teach it with zest
And you'll get from your students their very best!
Children learn as children play, so play with your students every day! While I was conducting a presentation on effective teaching for high school and university teachers, a college professor volunteered the following: “When I walked into the training today and learned of the activities that were going to be conducted, I almost walked out. I thought it was going to be ‘elementary.’ However, after participating in the activities and having fun doing so, I realized that if I could have fun, maybe my students could have fun as opposed to just listening to my daily lectures. And maybe I’d even have fun teaching!”
In response, a high school teacher enthusiastically added, “I do what are considered ‘elementary’ activities with my students every day, and they love it!” When I asked what she meant by ‘elementary’ activities, she explained that she uses lots of cooperative learning, learning games, hands-on activities, group discussion, and very little lecture. “My students love to come to class, because they have fun and they experience so much success.” A very interesting discussion ensued where we discussed the fact that students learn best when they are having fun. “So do adults!” added one of the participants.
Too often I encounter teachers who think that teaching and learning should be “serious business.” Their demeanors are serious, their classrooms are serious places, their students are bored out of their minds, and discipline problems are evident. Not very conducive to inspiring students to achieve! The fact is that we all learn best when the learning environment is interesting, exciting, and inviting. Some teachers are afraid to allow their students to have “fun” in their classrooms for fear of losing control of discipline. This is a mistake, in that “fun” and “chaos” are not synonymous. Chaos is a classroom management problem. If classroom management is well established, there will be no chaos.
The best teachers know that in the most effective learning environments, classroom management is established, students are actively involved in the learning, lessons and activities are both highly structured and of high interest to students, and students are enjoying the learning process. Yes, they are having fun! Remember that taking teaching seriously and treating teaching as strictly serious business are two very different things. So lighten up, add excitement to your lessons, and watch your students’ achievement increase. Your students will enjoy their learning, you will enjoy your teaching, and you will all have fun.
Guiding Question
Think of your classroom instruction. Utilizing Annette Breaux's 17 tips for instruction in 101 "Answers" for New Teachers and Their Mentors which 2 tips do you feel are the most beneficial for you when working with your students and why?