Benchmark Statement:
2.1.3 Have knowledge and understanding of planning coherent and progressive teaching programmes
3.1.1 Plan coherent, progressive and stimulating teaching programmes which match learners’ needs and abilities
Rationale:
As this is the first placement that will involve me planning lessons I think that it is important to focus on planning as I have no experience of this. I hope to develop my lesson planning skills through this placement. Reflecting on my planning ability in this PDP will enable me to identify my strengths and weaknesses and track my progress. Planning is an important part of all teachers’ work and it is essential that I am able to plan engaging lessons that match the needs and abilities of the children that I am teaching.
Expected Features:
Know how to plan for effective teaching and learning across different contexts and experiences.
Know and understand how to justify what is taught within curricular areas in relation to the curriculum and the relevance to the needs of all learners.
Plan appropriately for effective teaching and in order to meet the needs of all learners, including learning in literacy, numeracy, health and wellbeing and skills for learning, life and work.
Action Plan:
Prior to placement I will read over the information provided by lecturers about planning and do further reading in the two books that were recommended (Effective Teaching in Schools – Kyriacou and Learning to Teach in the Primary School – Arthur and Cremin).
Week 1
In order to teach effectively and engage the class it is important that I plan my lessons in a way that will suit the learners. As I will be teaching groups this week I will focus on engaging the children in these small groups and adapting the learning to suit them.
I will read chapter 4 in ‘Effective Teaching in Schools’ (Kyriacou, 2009) Setting up the Learning Experience.
I will also get to know the children in my class and reflect on the way that they learn at the moment. By observing the class teacher I will be able to get an idea of the pace that individuals in the class learn at.
Week 2
As I hope to have the opportunity to teach cross curricular lessons, this will be my focus this week. Lessons that involve more than one area of the curriculum can be a way to engage learners as it often enables them to connect more with the learning. I will read chapter 4.2 of Learning to Teach in the Primary School (Arthur and Cremin, 2006). I will also observe the class teacher and reflect on ways that she uses cross curricular planning to engage the learners.
Week 3
I will be planning and teaching full class lessons this week and I must be able to differentiate to suit the abilities and needs of all learners in the class. I will discuss ways to do this with my class teacher and also read chapter 6.2 of Learning to Teach in the Primary School (Arthur and Cremin, 2006).
Week 4
As a teacher, it is important that I can provide learners with stimulating and engaging learning experiences. This week I will focus on different ways to engage the class in their learning, for example interactive activities and different styles of learning. As well as discussing this with my class teacher I will read chapter 6 in Effective Teaching in Schools (Kyriacou, 2009) as this is focused on Key Classroom Teaching Qualities and tasks.
