Creating Your Teaching Plan: A Guide for Effective Teaching was written to provide you with numerous practical, research-based ideas which you can use in your particular classroom setting. It contains tried and tested strategies to help you be successful, whether you're a new teacher, one returning after an absence, or an experienced teacher looking for new methods. This work text is organized around five critical areas necessary for successful teaching: Starting the Year; Planning; Monitoring and Assessing Learning; Managing the Classroom; Enhancing Reading/Literacy Skills After you have completed the activities in this work text, you will have a written plan for starting your year. This is not a guarantee that the year will be easy or successful, but you will have developed the foundation necessary to enhance student learning.

Creating Your Teaching Plan

A Guide for Effective TeachingBy Arleen P. Mariotti

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2009 Arleen P. Mariotti
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4490-0450-7

Contents

Preface.........................................................................................iChapter 1: Starting Off Right...................................................................1Creating Your Classroom.........................................................................2First Day Procedures............................................................................6Ice Breakers....................................................................................9The First Academic Assignments..................................................................10Other Critical Considerations...................................................................11Chapter 2: Planning for Effective Instruction...................................................15Long-Term Lesson Planning.......................................................................15Weekly and Daily Lesson Planning................................................................18Weekly Lesson...................................................................................23Daily Planning..................................................................................24Structure of a Lesson Plan......................................................................26Introduction....................................................................................26Closing.........................................................................................27Reflection......................................................................................28What are Standards?.............................................................................32Chapter 3: Key Elements of Effective Lessons....................................................35Bellwork/Warmups................................................................................35Spaced reviews..................................................................................37Active Learning.................................................................................37Nonlinguistic Representations...................................................................39Learning Styles.................................................................................41Questioning.....................................................................................42Wait Time.......................................................................................45Responding to Students' Answers.................................................................46Chapter 4: Monitoring Learning and Adjusting Instruction........................................51Monitoring Methods..............................................................................52Questioning.....................................................................................52Circulating During Seatwork.....................................................................53One-on-One Conversations with Students..........................................................54Assigning, Collecting and Correcting Homework...................................................55Reviewing Periodically..........................................................................57Techniques for Adjusting Instruction............................................................58Content.........................................................................................58Method..........................................................................................59Product.........................................................................................59Introducing a Reteaching Lesson.................................................................60Chapter 5: Assessing Learning...................................................................63Types of Assessment.............................................................................64Targets of Assessment...........................................................................64Matching Targets and Types of Assessments.......................................................66Planning Assessments............................................................................70Developing Assessments..........................................................................70Performance Tasks...............................................................................71Rubrics.........................................................................................75Preparation and Administration of Tests.........................................................76Using Test Results..............................................................................77Feedback to Students............................................................................78Confidentiality.................................................................................80Chapter 6: Classroom Management: Focusing on Prevention.........................................83Effective Managers..............................................................................84What type of planning is needed.................................................................84Warmth vs. Control..............................................................................84Components of Classroom Management..............................................................85Content/Curriculum: Preventive and Supportive Strategies........................................86Feelings of Success.............................................................................87Encouraging Effort..............................................................................87Interpersonal Relationships (Climate): Preventive and Supportive Strategies.....................88Safe Environments...............................................................................89Seating Arrangements............................................................................89Recognizing Positive Behaviors..................................................................90Teaching Social Skills..........................................................................91Content and Climate: Corrective Strategies......................................................92Class Meetings..................................................................................92Conferencing with Student and/or Parents........................................................93Chapter 7: Classroom Management: Communicating Expectations.....................................97Expectations for Behavior: Preventative and Supportive Strategies...............................97Rules...........................................................................................97Consequences....................................................................................99Record Keeping..................................................................................100Reward Systems..................................................................................101Procedures......................................................................................102Giving Students Voice...........................................................................104Expectations for Behavior: Corrective Strategies................................................105Possible Causes for Student Misbehavior.........................................................105Handling Misbehavior through Communication......................................................109Assertive Communication.........................................................................109Language of Choice..............................................................................110Stages of Intervention..........................................................................111Chapter 8: Enhancing Students' Reading Comprehension............................................115Connecting to students' prior knowledge.........................................................115Activating Methods..............................................................................116Providing a strong vocabulary program...........................................................118Developing strategies...........................................................................119Reinforcing strategies..........................................................................121Extending strategies............................................................................123Setting aside ample opportunity for actual reading..............................................124Directed Reading Activity.......................................................................125Directed Reading-Thinking Activity..............................................................131Allowing time for student talk..................................................................132Direct instruction of reading/thinking strategies...............................................134References......................................................................................139

Chapter One

Starting Off Right

Remember your first day of school? The night before you probably couldn't sleep thinking about what was to come. You wondered who your teachers would be, which of your friends would be in your class, if you would know anyone, if you would get lost, and a thousand other things. Try to remember how exciting and frightening the first days were as, now, you plan to meet your students.

Perhaps nothing is as important to the school year as what happens in your classroom the first few days and weeks of school. During this time, you will establish three crucial aspects of your classroom: expectations for learning and behavior, a positive learning environment, and your relationship with your students.

Research supports the fact that effective teachers at all levels begin their year with systematic and orderly instruction in rules, procedures and routines. In fact, Buckley and Cooper (1978) found that effectively teachers had developed clearly established routines in the first week of school. Marzano (2003) summarized the research saying the beginning of the year is the "linchpin for effective classroom management." The start of any year and/or grading period is the time for you to establish who you are, what you expect, and how you expect everyone in your classroom will behave and be treated.

Creating your Classroom

Think about places you enjoy visiting-a restaurant, retail store, or business. Do you like going to these places because you're made to feel comfortable or safe? Think about this for a minute ... sometimes a favorite place isn't expensive or fancy, but a place where people smile and recognize you (they don't have to know your name). Everyone is pleasant, the place is clean and "homey," the surroundings are pleasing to the eye and easy on the emotions. If this place is a restaurant, the food is good and plentiful and every time you go, the food is always good and plentiful. The servers attend to you by always checking to see if you need anything. (Do you agree that there's nothing worse than getting your food and then never seeing the server again until it's time for the bill?) We could go on but you get the point. Your favorite places create positive memories for you.

Building on our analogy above, if you want students to come to your class ready and eager to learn, you must provide a climate that invites them to come back everyday. The "food" is your lesson. The service is how you respond to students and monitor their progress. Does your favorite place provide for your special needs by customizing your order? Now think about your students. Does one lesson, served in the same manner, suit all of your students? Of course not! Just like that small business, everything you do sets the tone or climate of your classroom and developing that climate begins on the first day of school. You must set out to create a wonderful memory for every student in your classroom.

Meeting Your Students

In Harry Wong's First Days of School (2001), he says we need to consider students' seven questions for the first day and plan accordingly:

Am I in the right room? What are the rules? Where do I sit? Who is the teacher as a person? How will I be graded? Will the teacher treat me as a human being? What will I learn this year?

Let's consider how these seven questions establish your climate, expectations and student relationships.

Am I in the right room? Where do I sit?

One the first day, welcome students to your classroom by standing at the door, smiling, and checking their registration card or their name against your roster. Have a readable and visible sign outside your door with your name, room number, grade level or subject (or both). Some teachers post their rosters so students can check for their name.

It's important to give each child directions for finding his/her seat. Depending on the age of the students, you might have assigned seating by placing nameplates on the desk or a seating chart posted on the board. Young children may need to be escorted to a seat. Another technique is to give students a card upon entering and they have to find the matching card on a desk. For example, an English teacher might hand students a part of speech card (noun, verb, etc.) and they have to find a desk with a word that matched (pencil, talk). A math teacher can give students an equation card as they enter and they have to find the desk with the answer. An intermediate teacher might cut playing cards in half and students have to find their matching half. Whatever method you choose, it is unwise to allow students to mill about or run around the room. This is your first "test" in developing a procedure for entering the room and creating a positive work environment.

You need to orient students to your classroom. Show them where work is turned in, the location of centers and/or computer stations, where textbooks and resource materials are kept, etc. If they don't have a map of the school, provide one. Make sure they know how to get to key places from your room, like the media center, nearest restroom, and the clinic.

Another key to establishing your work environment is to post an assignment. Tell students to begin work immediately upon finding their seat. This first activity should be presented as bellwork (sometimes called Do Nows) and one that is easy to complete- a word search, a short writing prompt, a coloring sheet, a review handout, an interest inventory or an information sheet. You should also have the day's agenda and assignments written in an easy-to-see location. (This also cuts down on the "What are we going to do today?" questions.) These techniques establish how you expect your students to enter the room and begin class.

Activity

1.1 Design a poster or some type of sign to designate your room, your name and any other pertinent information for the first day of school.

1.2 Create a method for your students to find their seat for the first day of school.

Who is the teacher as a person? How will I be graded? What will I learn this year?

In addition to the administrative tasks of checking the roll, etc., you should plan your "introductory speech." In your brief talk, explain what they will learn in your class. You can give students a glimpse at the planned projects, field trips and special events by presenting a power point of last year's activities or posting student work from a previous year. Are you a new teacher? Don't fret. Just tell them what they will be doing. Secondary teachers might develop a written syllabus that also outlines how students will be graded. One of the most important pieces of information to give students at this time is a materials list. They should know from the onset what materials they will need to be successful in your classroom and a date by which you expect them to have those materials.

If students do not bring pencil and paper on the first day, provide a loaner and tell them you expect them to be prepared in the future. At some point during your first days of school, you should have a class discussion on what the phrase ready for class means and write their ideas on a poster. Some teachers ask students to list the tools necessary in different jobs, i.e., plumber, carpenter, doctor, student, and then discuss how they would regard a person who showed up to do a job without their tools. Finally, ask students how teachers might view students who do not show up with their tools. While this might seem "elementary," you'd be surprised at the number of secondary students who come to school unprepared. Informing students of your expectations on preparedness avoids the "I didn't know" response.

Let's pause for a moment and reflect on our business analogy. If you were a new hire, your boss would tell you what was expected of you, where to put your "things," what to do when you came in to work (sign-in, punch a time clock, etc.), and possibly give you a quick tour of the place. Shouldn't you, the teacher, do the same with your new students?

What are the rules?

During the first few days, people often say it's a "honeymoon" period, that is, students and teachers are really nice to each other. Actually, students are sizing you up. The research supports the use of rules and procedures, their explanation, and even the demonstration of the rules to the students. Your classroom rules should be established, posted and discussed on the first day of school. Here are some examples:

Be on time. Bring your materials to class everyday. Listen to the speaker. Keep your hands and feet to yourself. Avoid negative comments toward others.

Classroom rules and procedures will vary from teacher to teacher and some teachers prefer to have students develop the rules and a classroom contract. Whether you create your own set of rules or invite student input, you should discuss with students what would happen in any work place that did not have rules. For example, ask students, What might happen if there weren't any work rules at a hospital, restaurant, or department store? Students will surprise you and provide a whole list of possible consequences. Experienced teachers all agree-a set of guidelines for creating a pleasant work environment is absolutely necessary.

Post your rules and go over them as part of your classroom "tour." If you plan to have student input into the development of classroom rules, indicate that the posted rules are in effect until the class can establish their own set. If you develop a syllabus, include the rules in it. It's advisable to have students take home the syllabus and have their parents sign it. This can serve as students' first "homework" assignment and shows your students and their parents you value a safe working environment.

Activity

1.2 Develop 3-5 classroom rules and a method to teach the rules during the first days of school.

List of Rules: How to Teach Rule:

Will the teacher treat me as a human being?

Okay, let's return to our favorite business. How do the people treat you when you walk in the door? Do they smile or frown? Do they say Hello or do they act inconvenienced? Do they send you off with a Have a nice day or do they sign and act pleased that you're leaving? Think about these things as we examine some of the steps you might take in creating a positive climate in your classroom.

Greet students. Learn their names. Say Please and Thank you. Smile. Forget the old adage: Don't smile until November. "A smile is the most effective way to create a positive climate, to disarm an angry person, and to convey the message: Do not be afraid of me; I am here to help you." (Wong, pg. 73).

Think now about how the people in your favorite business look. Are they neat and clean or are they untidy? Are their clothes pressed or wrinkled? Do they look professional and appropriate or are they wearing old T-shirts and torn jeans? Students' first impression of you develops before you open your mouth to speak. You should dress to separate yourself from your students. One way to gain respect is to dress appropriately for work. Always come to work in clean, neat and ironed clothes. It says to students that you care enough about yourself to look good and it says you care about your students to look good for them.

Your first words are equally important. Once students have found their seats and have begun the bellwork, you need to stand in front of the class and welcome them. Do not sit or stand behind your desk. Desks and podiums are a barrier between them and you. Begin your introductory speech by introducing yourself: Good morning. I'm Mrs. Smith. I am your teacher for this year. I want to thank you for coming into the room quietly and finding your seat so quickly. I would like to tell you some of the things we will be learning about in this class. Is this is your first year of teaching? Well ... don't tell them! Tell them where you went to college and some of the jobs you've had. Tell them how thrilled you are that they are in your class. What about personal stuff, like married, single, or kids? Leave that information at home. In the first weeks of school, your goal is to establish yourself as a competent, credible, and knowledgeable teacher.

You should also communicate in your opening speech, positive expectations. An expectation is what you believe will or will not happen (Wong, 2001). Research confirms that students' level of learning is related to their teacher's expectations. One of the easiest ways to communicate positive expectations is in your verbal exchanges with students. Here are some phrases to try out:

In my classroom everyone can achieve who tries. If you participate and try you will learn. Each one of you can do the work in this class.

Activity

1.4 Write your opening speech to your students.

The first days of a school year can be tough for everyone. For some children, their first day in your classroom will occur in October or January or even April. These late-entry students will have the same concerns as those who arrived in August and you'll need a plan to orient them to your classroom.

First Day Procedures

Your students should be introduced to a few procedures during the first day of school. This is an important aspect of classroom management. A procedure is the way something is done. The first procedure to teach your students is how to enter the room and begin work. If you stand at the door and greet them as they enter, you send an important message. By the end of your first day, you also should have taught the procedure for exiting the room. Never allow students to leave your room because a bell rang. Remember, you dismiss the class, not the bell. To accomplish this, stop whatever you are doing five minutes before the end of class. Review with the students how you will dismiss them and what behavior is expected. It might go like this: Class, thank you for your attention. It's been a busy first day. In a few minutes, you will be leaving to go to _______. I will call you by row (table, etc) to leave. I expect you to gather all your materials and belongings now and, when called, you will calmly walk out through the exit door. By controlling this procedure the very first day and every day afterward, you have established the tone of your classroom as an orderly work environment. It's also a good idea to have your procedures written on chart paper or on the board for the first week of school.

What if students do not follow the procedure? Do not ignore it. Talk quietly to the student(s) and communicate that you expect students in your classroom to act in a certain manner. Remember to praise the students when they do follow your procedures.

There are many procedures that include a bell, such as fire drills, bomb threats, tornado drills, etc. You do not need to teach these on the first day, however, your behavior would be the same. You control the students' exit, not the bell.

Getting Their Attention-The Quiet Signal

Another procedure to teach students on the first day of school is how you will get their attention. If someone isn't paying attention they will not learn what you want them to learn. For this reason, on day one you should establish how you will ask students to stop and listen. You could ring a small bell, play a chime, or blow a whistle. Some teachers clap their hands three times and others use a hand signal. Whatever you choose, you will need to teach this signal to students and practice it during the first day of school.

A very easy way to practice the quiet signal is to teach it with an activity. For example, introduce your signal. Then instruct students to tell their partner their name and how they spent their summer. In the middle of this sharing, use your quiet signal. Thank students who responded appropriately. Then continue the sharing activity (or any activity you've devised for this purpose.) Use the quiet signal again when you wish to stop the activity. Another way to introduce your quiet signal is to engage students in some content-related activity and use the signal when you want them to stop. There are many ways to teach the signal. The important thing is to introduce it on day one and practice it every day thereafter.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Creating Your Teaching Planby Arleen P. Mariotti Copyright © 2009 by Arleen P. Mariotti. Excerpted by permission.
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