Planning is essential to any important endeavor. Without a plan, one can easily flounder in the day-to-day activities of life. Margaret Thatcher is quoted as saying, “Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan.” In our ever-evolving world of education, we simply must be as organized and well-planned as possible.
Additionally, with all of the accountability microscopes around us, we must be on top of everything that falls under our responsibility. So, how do teachers view the subject of submitting lesson plans? Also, how then do administrators view lesson planning and submitting same as well?
From the Teacher’s Perspective
Let’s examine the pros and cons of lesson planning from the teacher’s perspective.
Pros
Submitting lesson plans forces me to prepare to the best of my ability. Planning also allows me to dig deeper in my subject and look at new and innovative ways to enrich my students in my subject area. Further submitting lesson plans allows for open dialog with the administrator and peer teachers which hopefully will give the teacher insights from the outside in.
Also, as in the scientific method, the teacher’s plans can often open up new questions to be discussed in the classroom. Lesson plans also afford the teacher to plan for differentiated instruction in their classroom. Off the cuff, “cookie cutter” lessons can often leave some students not fully understanding the material presented. Good lesson planning can help the teacher to insert objectives in different ways to deepen the learning experience for all students.
Cons
Probably the biggest con to submitting lesson plans is the hassle of having to do them at all. Also, there is the pressure of having them submitted by the weekly deadline. No teacher enjoys getting that dreaded note stating that your lesson plans have not been received. Additionally, just like progress in the classroom, lesson plans often have to be altered due to being ahead or behind due to a myriad of circumstances.
Having a couple of days off from school due to weather conditions can be nice. But, unsuspected days off can wreak havoc on even the best of lesson plans. Add in a high number of attendance issues due to student illness, and best-laid plans can become a jumbled nightmare.
Overall, the pros definitely outweigh the cons on the subject of submitting lesson plans. However, circumstances can sometimes make this task more of a burden to the teacher than a benefit. But, at the end of the day, good lesson planning is good for all stakeholders.
Through the Administrator’s Lens
Submitted teacher lesson plans allow the administrator to see what is being taught in his classrooms and how. The administrator can check lesson plans against curriculum guides to ensure his teachers are staying on path in covering competencies. Submitted lesson plans are extremely beneficial for administrators to monitor new and inexperienced teachers. These plans allow the administrator to see potential pitfalls and head them off before they become problematic.
The administrator needs to identify planning issues early so that he can counsel the teacher before a major problem arises. The main problem with this is making time during an already busy schedule to adequately check lesson plans. It is easy for an administrator to just check to see plans are submitted to “check off a box”, but without proper evaluation of lesson plans, they are wasted time for the administrator and maybe even the teacher. Problems caught early in the campaign can be addressed in a positive way. No teacher wants to be called in relating to curriculum and told they are not planning well. But no teacher wants to be called in way down the road when the damage has already been done.
Also, no administrator wants a teacher to say, “Why are you just now telling me this”? If this becomes the conversation, you risk losing your teachers’ trust and confidence to lead. At this point the teacher will be submitting plans to make the administrator happy as opposed to submitting with a view of what is best for her students. This scenario is not positive for anyone, especially the students you are all pledged to serve.
Lesson planning done correctly can and is a valuable asset. The teachers and administrators must make curriculum planning a high priority. Well-written lesson plans, supported by the administrator, can be a valuable tool for the teacher. Affirmation from the administrator about their lesson planning can be a great confidence booster. If teachers and administrators work together in this all-important area of education, the students we are charged to teach have a better chance to master in their subject areas.
Let’s take Margaret Thatcher’s quote to heart and strive to implement it: “Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan.”
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