Trashing the template

A lesson plan is a staple in the daily to-do list of every teacher. A few work on it religiously — meaning, they take the type of students and their learning curve into consideration. Majority get stuck to using the template, which is simply the summary of what’s written in the textbook.

It’s just a page in the pad, most teachers would say. What’s important is how its content gets translated during the actual teaching — point taken.

While it’s true that a boring outline would not necessarily connote a dull day inside the classroom, I believe that how we prepare our lesson plans can speak so much about our passion for teaching.

More than being a requirement, it should serve its purpose, which is to answer the question: What’s in it for the students?

I recently made a choice to trash the template. I thought it’s going to be difficult, but it turned out to be fun. And after each day of improving and improvising, the task became a rewarding effort.

I’m sure a lot of teachers out there have brilliant ideas, but let me share with you THREE THINGS, which made a big difference in my teaching method and the students’ learning experience.

First, the objective should be simple.

Are we into using big and vague phrase like “To improve the students’ level of language use”? Hope not, because that would be impossible to achieve in one day.

We should have a clear-cut target, and if it is just to explain the subject-verb agreement, or give exercises about the proper use of past tense and past participle — then so be it.

An objective is an essential part of the lesson plan, so we write it not for the sake of writing, but to state our mission for the day.

For a public school teacher like me, doing the job for almost 17 years has been quite mechanical and so routinary. But if we treat it like a necessity to our profession, like a soldier cannot join a battle without his gun or a reporter without his news, then the approach should not be “same banana, each day.”

What worked last year may not be as effective this 2009, so it’s important to gauge the skill and capacity of your class and give them what they can only and fully absorb.

Our lesson objectives will speak so much of the outcome we’re looking at, so feasibility is the key word.

Next, the main content should fuel our imagination to leap from the pages of the textbook. The activity should not stop from reading what’s in it.

1. Have a springboard for discussion. But how do we make the students talk?

One way is establishing the connection between the lesson and pop culture, which instantly captures their attention. If the character is similar to anime lead Naruto, then bring him in. If the slant of the story can be likened to an episode of a top-rating TV series, then cite it as an example.

2. Teach and have fun doing it. Inject a cool activity that will effectively communicate your objective. Will a game of charades help them in differentiating the use of past tense and past participle? How about your classroom version of “Pinoy Henyo”? But of course, let’s not go for the overkill. These can be little ingredients to spice up, not eat up, the entire period of study. When considering an activity, it should be fun, experiential, and most of all, effective.

And if one method fails in achieving the desired outcome, do not repeat it. Innovate. Keep on finding means to bring out the best in every class. Keep on thinking out of the box, and let each session be something to look forward to.

Lastly, if we want to enjoy our job, let’s enjoy what we’re doing.

Of course, there will be times when getting started would seem a formidable task. But we have to find the energy and enthusiasm to do it. The passion should never be unfazed by factors affecting the other aspects of our lives.

Yes, what we have is a noble profession, which should be used (not abused) to make education work for all.

Remember too that a lesson planned is useless if it’s not learned.    

ROBERTO M. ALVAREZ teaches at Baluyot National High School, Bautista, Pangasinan.