TheApple

1. I've used many different formats - from very detailed to very general. For beginning teachers, I imagine a very detailed format would be best; it would make them feel more prepared, and confident. But they'll probably discover (I certainly did) that no lesson plan survives the first 10 minutes of class. And after you've been teaching a while, most of your lesson plan is already in your head.
2. Most places that I've taught have had me teaching "by the book." In other words, the book pretty much IS the syllabus, and there has been a certain amount of material I've been expected to cover. How I cover it, what I emphasize, has usually been left up to me.
3. It helps a lot if you know how each individual student learns best. Some are more auditory, others more visual and a few are even kinesthetically orientated (hands-on.) But you don't always have that luxury, especially at the beginning of a school year. It would also be very helpful to know which of the "multiple intelligences" each of your
students favors.
4. As I mentioned before, the text is where I start, but often (especially if it's not such a good text) I use it simply as a "jumping-off" point. The steps depend on the individual lesson.
5. I think the best way to motivate students is to be very enthusiastic yourself. Have fun and it can be catching.
6. That depends on the lesson itself - it's really almost impossible to give specific answers to some of these question because they're just too general.
7. Pacing can be tough for beginners. That's why they should probably make more detailed lesson plans with time segments. But more experienced teachers develop a sort of "inner clock" and know (almost to the minute) how much time each section will take (of course, there is always "the unexpected".)
8. Well, you have them use it (whatever it is that has been taught.) They probably haven't "learned" it anyway just from your teaching. To "own" it, they have to practice it.
9. I think about what seemed to work and what didn't seem to - and WHY!
10. By pointing me in the right direction (it's hoped) by showing me what works and what needs to be changed.

Hope at least some of this helps.

1. What format do you use for writing lesson plans?

Aim
Do Now
Motivation
Development
Review
HW

2. How do you decide what you will teach?

The State of NY decided what I would teach, I decided how I would teach it.

3. What do you need to know about your students’ learning styles before designing a lesson plan?

I think that this is overrated. You have to assume that students learn differently and plan accordingly.

4. How do you go about planning a lesson? Where do you start? What are the steps?

As a Social Studies teacher, I always started with the basic facts that I wanted to cover and then find the most interesting way to present them.

5. How do you motivate the students to become engaged?

In Social Studies, telling stories usually works best.

6. How do you decide which activities to do during the lesson?

Although some lessons lend themselves to particular methods, I also wanted to vary things to maintain interest.

7. How do you plan the pacing of the lesson and know how long it is going to take?

Only God knows the answer. Sometimes, the teacher must force things along.

8. How do you know if your students learned what you wanted them to learn?

Two methods: (1) Tests (yuck) (2) You see it in the eyes. It's just something you can tell.

9. How do you reflect about the lesson afterwards?

You move on...to the next period or day. Reflection is for professors, teachers move on to survive.

10. How would your reflection assist you in your future planning?

Things that work well are repeated. Things that don't work well are altered. If they still don't work, try something else.