Are you a first year teacher feeling overwhelmed and stressed with lesson planning? Well, worry no more! In this first year teacher blog series, I will guide you through the world of lesson planning and help you take your planning skills to the next level.
This post is all about how to lesson plan like a pro as a first year teacher.
Congratulations! You landed your first teaching job! Being a first year teacher is such an exciting time, but honestly, it can be a little stressful too. If you are anything like me, you want your lesson plans to be perfect so you feel extra prepared for each day. As a teacher myself, I am going to give you my top tips and tricks that I use to plan my lessons.
In this first year teacher series, you are going to learn my exact lesson planning process and how I have learned to streamline the once daunting task.
After reading this post, you will feel well-equipped with the tools and strategies to lesson plan like a seasoned pro.
This post is all about lesson planning as a first year teacher.
Best Lesson Planning Tips for First Year Teachers
Okay, first things first.
1. Decide if you are going to lesson plan digitally or lesson plan on paper.
I have to admit, when I first started as a teacher, I was convinced I HAD to have one of those hefty Erin Condren planners. After doing lots of research, I settled on a Fox planner for a fraction of the price that I found on Amazon.
I lesson plan digitally and on paper. Let me explain…
I use my paper planner to write down all the things but I also use Google Classroom, Google Tasks, and Google Calendar to keep myself and my students organized.
2. Create a space for lesson planning
If you are anything like me, you are easily distracted in your classroom. Over the years, I have learned I CANNOT lesson plan in my classroom. There’s something about being in there that makes me want to reorganize or declutter, aka anything but lesson plan! Many teachers live by the “don’t work outside of contract hours” mantra. However, am not one of them. I like to lesson plan at home in my office. I turn on some instrumental music, put my phone on Do Not Disturb, set a timer, and get to work. Pick a place where you will be successful and not waste time.
3. Gather all the materials you need for lesson planning.
This is huge for me because I get so easily sidetracked. I make sure I have my teacher editions, planners, calendars, pacing guides, pens, etc within reach. I try my best to prevent myself from having to get out of my chair. It takes me a while to get in the groove.
4. Look over what you have going on during the week BEFORE you begin planning.
Review your school calendar, personal calendar, and pacing guides before you begin anything. For instance, you don’t want to plan a really awesome lesson on Tuesday just to find out there is a school event also planned at that time.
I put everything in my Google Calendar. I mean everything. When I get an email about an event, I put it in my Google Calendar along with all the details. I also add my enrichment class schedule to my Google Calendar. Doing this has saved my butt many times.
The district I currently work in does the pacing guide for us. We are expected to follow the pacing guide and the assessment schedule. I add all of the assessments to my Google Calendar.
5. Review the assessments before you plan for the week.
Be familiar with what your students are expected to know and have that drive your instruction. No, I am not saying teach to the test. Know what students will be tested on and how it will be presented on the assessment. This is extremely important!
6. Identify the learning objectives.
What are students expected to know or do after they are taught the lesson? I write this on my “Today’s Focus” board and review it with my class before I begin teaching the lesson.
7. Plan a catchy introduction to the topic you will be teaching.
Okay, you do not have to be super creative to do this, but this step will help you get your students excited about the lesson. Think of it as a sneak peek of the lesson.
I open every lesson with a song or a video. Youtube is a great resource for this. I do not create them myself. I find them on YouTube and save them to a Google Doc and label the doc with the topic I am covering. Doing this will save you time lesson planning next year as well if you are teaching the same grade level.
For example, when I begin a unit on money and coins, I open the lesson with the ABC mouse song “Coins.” This song is catchy, fun, and kid-friendly.
Obviously, be sure to review the ENTIRE video of anything you find online before you show it to your students. You do not want to make the mistake of not previewing the video and having something inappropriate showing up.
8. Don’t reinvent the wheel: Use the resources from the curriculum.
Many teachers like to create their slides for every lesson instead of using the slides provided. They want everything to look “cute.” However, I am not one of them. I utilize the resources provided with the curriculum.
Most of the teacher editions have premade slides. The slides may not have the cutest clipart but in the grand scheme of things, who cares! Focus on the task at hand.
9. Plan activities that require little to no prep.
Your goal is to plan efficiently and be an effective teacher. This can be done without spending hours lesson planning.
I am a huge fan of using technology as a resource to collect data and increase student engagement. Kahoot, 99Math, and IXL are a few of my favorites.
The data reports from these programs are what I use to guide my instruction. I analyze the reports to determine which students have mastered the learning objective and which students may need more practice.
Side note: I also use these reports for my professional learning plan documentation that I have to turn in every school year.
10. Allow students time to engage with each other.
Studies show that students learn best when they are provided with opportunities to collaborate with other students. This is a simple, yet insanely effective teaching strategy.
How does this look in the classroom? My go-to is a good Think, Pair, Share. I provide my students with a prompt or question and tell them to explain their thinking to their partner.
If you are doing most of the talking when you are teaching, change it up! Collaborative learning works wonders with the “talkative” class.
Instead of wasting your time and energy begging your class to be quiet, give them something to talk about!
11. Determine how you will check for student understanding and give feedback.
I will admit. I despise worksheets. They are great for extra practice, but let’s be real, no one has time to look over them! The mountain of papers gets a little overwhelming and may somehow end up in the trash.
I like to use technology to my advantage for this part of the planning process. I can give students a quick check through IXL or another learning platform or create a Google Form.
Technology is a game changer and can take some of the workload off of you. It also gives students immediate feedback, which will improve student performance.
In conclusion, lesson planning doesn’t have to be daunting. By following these tips you can quickly create an organized lesson plan that will set you and your students up for success.
As you embark on this journey as a first year teacher remember to give yourself grace and time to perfect your craft. Analyze your data and reflect on what is working and what may need to be tweaked. Good luck and happy planning!
XOXO,
Anna
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