August 13, 2009

What will I do to develop effective lessons organized into a cohesive unit?

Posted in Standard 1 - Instructional Planning, Standard 3 - Curriculum, Standard 4 - Pedagogy tagged , , , , at 7:41 pm by riehlhk

(Chapter 10, The Art & Science of Teaching, Marzano)

According to Marzano, units should be organized to provide a cohesive framework. (p. 175) I really see this with the units of study for reading that the district provided the teachers with last year. I also notice this with the phonics lessons and math curriculum. I have been working on tying in themes related to science and social studies as well. I really want the cohesion to cross between subjects as well as within. On page 176, he writes that teachers make real-time decisions every two minutes. I have to say it seems more frequent than that. Sometimes I have difficulty focusing. This is why Action Step 1, identify the focus of a unit of instruction is so important. Something for me to try when I feel scattered is to remind myself of the focus. I should have a small whiteboard by my desk designated for the focus of lessons that day. Finally, as Marzano says flexibility is essential when teaching whether dealing with academics or behavior. Along with this is Action Step 4, plan for actions that must be taken on the spot. This could include engagement, procedures, but also knowing when a lesson is not challenging enough or too challenging.