Why Lesson Plan

Why Lesson Plan?
It's a time when teachers visualize all the pieces of the puzzle and analyze how they will fit into
an effective learning experience.
Planning lessons ahead means that teachers enter the classroom every day fully prepared to
teach new concepts and lead meaningful discussions, rather than working things out as they
go along.
Having a daily structure in place helps teachers to:
Approach each lesson with confidence: The planning process gives teachers the opportunity
to verify their own knowledge of the concepts being taught and ensures that they have
gathered all the materials they need to teach.
Manage classroom time more effectively: Lesson planning helps teachers break down each
lesson into a defined flow with specific classroom activities, and gives them a schedule they
can stick to.
Aligning learning with standards: While each lesson should have a goal of its own, it also fits
into a much broader landscape of national, state, or school standards that dictate what
students need to learn at each grade level and subject.
Update substitute teachers: Help the substitute lead a class he or she may not be familiar
with. In addition, it gives confidence to the regular teacher knowing that class time is being
used effectively, and that he will not have to repeat the lesson later.
Plan and refine for the future: Daily lesson planning is demanding. It requires a repeated
initial investment of time and effort. Even after the lesson, teachers should gather feedback
and practice self-reflection to identify things they can improve for next time.
Document your own progress: Lesson plans provide a complete and continuous picture of all
the learning that is happening in a classroom, as well as a quick reference of learning that has
happened in the past, making them a perfect resource for teachers to share with
administrators and supervisors.
Keep learning consistent: When lesson structure varies greatly from day to day, keeping up
with learning can become challenging.
What makes a lesson plan effective?
Creating an effective lesson plan is much more than filling out a template. If a lesson is going
to achieve all of the benefits mentioned above, teachers should consider its structure, the
goals they set for themselves and their class, the way they deliver the material, and much
more.
That's why, during the planning process, we recommend incorporating these eight strategies
to make learning more successful.
1. Plan always with students in mind
Putting yourself in your students' shoes helps teachers make each lesson more engaging, and
helps keep the information going.
2. Keep the same overall structure every time
Consistency helps students know what to expect and develop good classroom habits while
making the planning process more efficient (and less time-consuming) for teachers.
3. Set SMART goals for each lesson
But those goals need to be SMART, meaning they're specific, measurable, achievable,
relevant, and time-based.
4. Plan a variety of classroom activities
Whether it's a group activity, a movie, a presentation, a quiz, a freelance reading assignment,
a class discussion, a journal entry, or a hands-on experiment, keeping things fresh and
interactive requires a lesson from bad to excellent.
5. Leave room for discussion
Setting aside time in class to respond feeds into dialogue and gives teachers an additional
opportunity to check understanding.
6. Collect (and listen) feedback
Student feedback and peer guidance are in a better position to respond to your class's needs
in subsequent lessons.
7. Keep a uniform pace
A good plan considers how much time the class needs to spend on each learning activity and
how those activities are distributed.
8. Leave room for flexibility
Even the most carefully planned lessons can go wrong in unforeseen circumstances.
Prioritizing learning goals, concepts, activities, or skills also helps teachers figure out what
they can skip for today and revisit later if they need to make adjustments on the fly.

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Why Lesson Plan

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Why Lesson Plan?

Having a daily structure in place helps teachers to:

What makes a lesson plan effective?

1. Plan always with students in mind

2. Keep the same overall structure every time

3. Set SMART goals for each lesson

4. Plan a variety of classroom activities

6. Collect (and listen) feedback

7. Keep a uniform pace

8. Leave room for flexibility

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