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Friday, July 1, 2011

Lesson #1: Agenda

Happy Canada Day!

It has been a while since I've written, but I have a decent excuse: I started my program!  My current courses are Adolescent Psychology, Foundation of Education, and Modern American History from a Global Context.  All are interesting, but with the term only lasting five weeks, it is a lot of work in a short amount of time.  So, I've been reading nearly 750 pages a week and have plenty of writing to do as well.  In fact, as soon as I finish this post I'll be going back to reading "Taking Haiti" by Mary Renda.

This is not why I am writing today, though.  I am excited to say that for the first time, I will be using this blog for its original intended purpose!!!  I have made a mistake and learned a lesson.  Huzzah.

This past week I was asked to facilitate part of my Foundations of Education course in cooperation with a couple of my classmates.  We took it very seriously and created a thorough lesson plan that addressed several key aspects from the readings.  We provided a variety of different activities to address the class as a whole, in small groups an individually.  We implemented various methods of teaching to convey messages to different types of learners.  I don't want to hurt my arm patting myself on the back, but I think we did a pretty darn good job for a first attempt.

So, where was my mistake, you say?  Right at the beginning.  At the start of the class we dove right into our first activity.  From there we continued straight through without a hitch.  The problem?  We never gave the students an idea of the plan that we had worked out so carefully.  We did not give a schedule for the day or any sense of our expectation for the flow of the conversation.  Essentially, we gave the students all of the meat, but no skeleton to hang it on.

Henceforth, I will remember to put together a simple slide or write an agenda on the board at the beginning of class.  It should not be so detailed that there is no room for adjustment to flow, but it is beneficial to at the very least demonstrate to the students that you do have a plan.