Lesson Plan

A lesson plan is nothing else but the written transference of knowledge from the teacher to the students. A constant interaction between teachers and students is necessary in the process of education, and it must be a vital ingredient in lesson planning. It is very difficult to decide which theory embraces the highest effective rate, but what we can conclude is, that even though they may differ on the methods, the final product is the same: students should obtain the most knowledge possible from the teacher. If a certain lesson was not efficient, is the teacher’s responsibility to evaluate the lesson plan for probable flaws in the way the information was presented to the students. This is another valuable use for a lesson plan; the teacher can go over it, as many times as desired, before, and after the lesson are taught, and appraise it. A young and not so experienced teacher can go through as many theorists as she/he wishes, but in the end, is that direct contact with the students what will give the needed feedback for the way the lessons are being planned. What a teacher needs to know, or take into consideration when planning a lesson, is first his/her own teaching philosophy, and the type of students to which the lesson is targeted. It is crucial to determine the importance of such a lesson; this would cover the “why” the lesson is relevant to the class. The standards for lesson planning vary from teacher to teacher. It depends not only of the teacher’s own point of view, but also on the environment, school setting, class arrangement, and values of the teacher, school, and students. The involvement of the students in every lesson relies on the lesson plan, meaning, on the teacher’s criteria. The beliefs of a teacher may defer between constructivist, behaviorist, or transpersonal; that said, the viewpoint of a teacher is reflected on the way the lessons are planned. That means is going to be a difference between two teachers with distinct philosophies planning the same lesson. The students’ participation and use of information and materials may fluctuate, but at the conclusion of such lesson, both teachers will ensure the comprehension of a lesson through means of evaluation. The teacher, regardless of the theory chosen to plan a lesson, must include a time for inquiry. As said before, a lesson can be plan with the greatest information and material. However, if it does not reach the students, if the approach of the teacher was developmentally, or culturally inappropriate, then the lesson was not effective. When a teacher is faced with this type of problem, the lesson plan can be used to describe the presentation. When reviewing his/her job, the teacher may combine several theories to create a successful lesson. Many teachers don not restrain himself or herself from inquiring from different theories when planning a lesson. Nowadays, most teachers believe in the incorporation of elements from diverse philosophies in order to reach more students. The way a lesson should be plan is uncertain. We face ourselves with many theories and elements that have proven to work. We need to consider the students, their needs, and their expectations. A good lesson plan is an accomplishment for a teacher. It means the understanding by the students, and a high-quality presentation of information. Any lesson plan shows that a teacher is prepared to teach; the more the students can learn from the way the lesson is plan, the more accurate the lesson plan is.

BIO

My name is Maria Contreras; I'm 26 years old, originally from Colombia. I have been living in Miami for over 6 years now. About 2 and half years ago, I started working with children in a day care center. To be honest, I thought it would be just a temporary thing, I never saw myself surrounded by children, not even think about becoming a teacher. After being there for a while, the children grew up on me. I was also a full time student at MDC. I graduated in AA Business Administration last August. My plan was to go the University for a bachelor's degree; however, financial difficulties had put a temporary stop on that plan. I realized that I really like my job, and the opportunity came at me to become an Early Childhood Teacher, and I took it. If everything goes right, by this time next year, I will get my AS in Early Childhood Education.
The director in the center saw my interest, and this week was my first as a lead teacher for the 3 years-old class. This has been a very exciting journey, and it's just the beginning. I plan in taking more courses on the education field. I really would like to go into the Exceptional Education program later on, but right now, I'm just taking one step at a time. My other classes are Early Childhood curriculum, survey of world literature, and human growth and development.
I have my hands full this semester, but it doesn't matter because I believe in working hard to get where you want to go in life, and that's my major goal.
About my business degree, I have to say it really help me to be where I am. Many of the classes I took for it shorten the time for my education degree, and some classes I don't have to take because the requirements were met with a higher degree (my AA). Maybe later in life I can go get a bachelor in business. I do believe is good to have more than one option on your plate, but right now, I'm focused on the education field.