| With 20-60 minutes to demonstrate your teaching | | | | question like this yourself as an adult. Teaching |
| skills the pressure is on! There are many factors | | | | should not be about letting a child work out the |
| which cannot be controlled but many more that | | | | hidden agenda of your lesson, but an insight into |
| can. See your lesson plan as an MOT, if all the | | | | relevant new knowledge and understanding. If it is |
| parts are there you cannot fail! | | | | not relevant, why is it on the curriculum? |
| Tip one | | | | The accelerated learning cycle is a great template |
| Is that you should be a facilitator not dictator - | | | | for an outstanding lesson and I would advise |
| allow the pupils to work, the onus should be on | | | | individuals to develop their understanding of this |
| the pupils involvement in their learning process not | | | | and embed it within their everyday teaching |
| a demonstration of military drill. The quality of the | | | | practice. The cycle enables teachers to carefully |
| your planning will soon be evident from the way | | | | plan an outstanding lesson in a clear and well |
| the pupils interact with each other and engage in | | | | constructed way. |
| the task. The observer should be able to feel the | | | | Here are 8 points for that great lesson! |
| energy from the pupils, who are hungry to | | | | 1. Consider the environment and ensure a positive |
| demonstrate their new understanding and | | | | learning climate (this can be a fun activity) |
| challenge themselves to overcome difficulties with | | | | 2. Connect the learning which is about to take |
| the support of their peers and your guidance. | | | | place with the students' experiences, in previous |
| Allow the pupils to make mistakes. It does not | | | | lessons and/or in the outside world. This could be |
| reflect poorly on your teaching, and it is a | | | | incorporated into a brief starter activity. |
| personal challenge that as individuals pupils must | | | | 3. Ensure that the students have the "Big Picture". |
| accept. | | | | e.g. let them know how this lesson fits into the |
| Tip two | | | | overall topic of study. |
| Always ask yourself what is the purpose of this | | | | 4. Make the expected outcomes of this lesson |
| task? Why are you asking the pupils to take part | | | | very clear. e.g. "By the end of this lesson you |
| in this activity? Many times I have put so much | | | | will...." (be positive, creating an expectation of |
| 'thought' into an activity but in actual fact was not | | | | success). |
| beneficial to developing knowledge, understanding | | | | 5. Introduce new information, this does not mean |
| or skill. Why on earth did I think it was a good | | | | by dictating it or overload on PowerPoint notes |
| idea? In reality it appeared more as repetition or a | | | | but create an activity that allows the pupils to |
| time-filler. How is this activity linked into the | | | | discover new information. (remember to cater for |
| objectives set for the lesson? How does it add to | | | | the students' various learning styles) |
| the bigger picture? What skills are the pupils | | | | 6. The main student activity should be designed, |
| developing through this activity? You must ask | | | | whenever possible, to allow students to utilise |
| yourself these questions because the individual | | | | their multiple intelligences (see Intelligences) |
| observing your lesson most certainly will be! | | | | 7. Give the students an opportunity to |
| Tip three | | | | demonstrate what they have learned |
| Reflect on your own experiences either as a pupil | | | | 8. Allow time for review of the lesson (try a |
| back in school, a trainee, an observer, or as a | | | | co-operative learning structure!) |
| practising teacher, and ask yourself what does a | | | | Each stage should be included but the duration |
| good classroom look like? Pupils engaged in | | | | spent on each stage could vary depending on the |
| relevant meaningful tasks, excited by learning, | | | | time you have for your observation. |
| building self esteem, feeling challenged, sense of | | | | Tip four |
| inclusion and achievement, and willing to take risks. | | | | Try it out! If you are already teaching try out the |
| Many teachers feel threatened by pupils asking, | | | | lesson with your own pupils. This will make your |
| why are we doing this? Some may take this as | | | | timings more realistic although not altogether |
| an attack on their well planned and thought out | | | | perfect. Evaluate the lesson and make any |
| lesson. However surely as educators we are | | | | necessary changes ready for the big lesson |
| preparing children to develop an inquiring mind, so | | | | observation. Good luck! |
| why shouldn't they ask this? You would ask a | | | | |