Be a CHAMPION for

Our Kids!

Hello CCSD Staff!

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. One more time, because it’s that important;

if you FAIL to plan, you PLAN to fail.

One of the most essential pieces to a successful classroom is lesson planning. Many educators are under the as-

sumption that it just takes a few minutes to get a lesson together. A copy or two in the morning, and BOOM!

Done. No. Double No. Your students and administrators can spot the amount of time it took you to prepare five

minutes into the lesson. It is as easy to spot as a green wall in a gray room.

Below are some things to think about when planning your lessons. Be sure to check out the second page (and

email attachments, and email links!) to find some great tools to help you plan and be better organized.

1. You set the atmosphere.

There is a saying that perfectly describes how you should set your classroom atmosphere: “Honey draws more

flies than vinegar.” In other words, you can gain more with sweetness than bitterness. Students are much more

likely to listen if you leave out any bitterness. Just keep in mind that it doesn’t mean you should let students step

all over you either.

2. Be very organized, with EVERY minute.

This is the greatest way to prevent inappropriate behavior. Students will fill in any down time with their own les-

son plans! Never leave down time!

3. Transition from one activity to the next, like a coach would in his daily drills.

You should always be one step ahead of your students during your lesson. Famous American basketball coach

John Wooden used cue cards with all sorts of drills and plays already made up before practice began. All coaches

have playbooks and cue cards—so why not teachers?

4. Have a set list of accomplishments.

Students MUST know what you expect from them to achieve a good grade or do well in your class. Once they

know what they need to do, then get them working on it. Harry Wong, famous educator and author, said that “

Whoever is doing the work, is doing the learning.”

5. Keep your talking to a minimum and the activity to a maximum.

Especially nowadays more than ever, kids have a very short attention span and will stop listening if you talk too

much. Get them involved, and keep the activities interactive.

Superintendent Kirk Biggerstaff, Ed.D.

Friday, August 28, 2015

Gradual Release—Instructional Delivery Method

The goal of guided instruction in the gradual release of

responsibility model is to guide students toward using

different skills, strategies and procedures independently.

The student will assume more responsibility with less sup-

port from the teacher.

It just makes sense! I have included a more detailed model

in the attachments.

There are a TON of online teacher plan-

ning tools as well:

https://planbook.com/

http://planbookedu.com/

Plan Book app on iTunes

Check them out!

Plan good instruction now,

and reap what you’ve sown

for weeks!

Students need to be organized too! How

about adding this to your classroom routine

or student leadership notebook so they can

reflect and plan!

(Hyperlinked picture to free template) Backwards Planning—Begin with the END in mind!

1. Look at standard(s).

2. Make a list of the skills, concepts, and knowledge kids need

to learn.

3. Next, design the final assessment/project where students

will demonstrate understanding to mastery of these skills,

concepts, knowledge.

4. Then, create a set of lessons that lead up to that end.

Once you've done this, reflect on the set of lessons, making sure

all the skills, concepts, and knowledge for student success with

the end assessment are being taught.