| By asking a mentor, you are likely to learn ideas and | | | | Do you note down your objectives? |
| tips that may be helpful to you in future lesson planning. | | | | Do you actually look at your notes during the lesson? If |
| After a difficult week with a particular class that I am | | | | so - rarely? Occasionally? Frequently? |
| still having trouble with from the beginning of the school | | | | What do you do with your lesson notes after the |
| year, I decided on a plan to help me reevaluate my | | | | lesson? |
| work, mainly my lesson plan. After twelve years of | | | | For those who would like to interview at least two |
| teaching, I still ask my colleagues at work what other | | | | other teachers who are experienced and (as far as |
| ideas or ways they might suggest for teaching a | | | | you can tell) conscientious and competent |
| particular class. Another objective set of eyes can be | | | | professionals, make sure you ask them the same |
| really helpful especially when you are really unsure | | | | questions. Stress that what you want to know is what |
| about what to do with a particular class. | | | | they actually do in daily practice, not what they think |
| Below are seven questions about lesson preparation | | | | they out to do! Note their answers on a separate |
| that I wrote for an action research project back in my | | | | piece of paper. |
| undergraduate days of teaching. I decided to review | | | | Can you make any generalizations, or does lesson |
| them again. It was actually quite refreshing. Start by | | | | preparation seem to be entirely idiosyncratic? |
| answering them yourself, in writing. If you are a trainee | | | | Personal Conclusions |
| with limited experience, then note how you hope to | | | | Think about or discuss the evidence you have |
| prepare lessons yourself, or how you have done so in | | | | gathered from your interviews and your own |
| teaching practice. | | | | observations. Try to assess critically its relevance and |
| How long before a specific lesson do you prepare it? | | | | usefulness for your own practice. |
| Do you write down lesson notes to guide you or do | | | | Finally, revert to the answers you wrote yourself at |
| you rely on a lesson format provided by another | | | | the beginning of this process, and add notes below |
| teacher, the textbook, or a teacher's Guide? | | | | each one, recording ideas you have learned from this |
| If so, are these notes brief (a single page or less) or | | | | inquiry that may be helpful to you in future lesson |
| long (more than one page)? What do they consist of? | | | | planning. |