Preservice Teaching Problems

Lesson Planning Difficulties and Potential Solutions

Nov 15, 2007 Dorit Sasson

Here's a list of do's and don'ts when it comes to lesson planning and how you as a preservice teacher can avoid potential lesson planning problems and disasters.

"Teacher-learning contexts change and teachers' behavior must change accordingly. The basic problem for teachers is, therefore, to acknowledge that there is no one best way to behave, and then to learn to make decisions in such ways that their behaviors are continually appropriate to the dynamic, moment to moment complexity of the classroom" [Parker, Journal of Teacher Education,1984].

Now that you have acquired so much knowledge from methodology and other education courses, your next teacher is experience. Many preservice teachers enter the classroom thinking that their biggest unsurmountable obstacle is classroom management, expressing a constant need for regaining class control. While a great majority of seasoned teachers will tell you that while it's not easy holding thirty five students for forty five minutes, managing a class is really part of good solid teaching skills.

Let's look at some of those basic problems preservice teachers confront in their first few years of teaching. What are some of those components of the magic recipe for that lesson plan?

The 101's of Basic Lesson Planning

1. Opening of a lesson. You set the tone of the lesson.
2. Timing and duration of classroom activities, sequence of subject based and procedural activities.
3. Ending a lesson. The bell is not the obvious conclusion and this is part of being professinal even if the lesson is the worst one you have ever taught.

Possible Solutions to Problematic Issues of How to Teach a Lesson

• For the English, Language Arts, foreign and second language educators, combine a variety of skills with a variety of learning contexts. Example: Combine a group reading activity with an individual writing activity. Avoid having lessons simply based on oral work.
• Always read the class. Be on the lookout for potential discipline problems, and have a quick plan in your mind of possible tactics and solutions. You'll be glad you did. It only takes one student's quick moves to destroy a potentially good lesson.
• Always exploit the activities. Have fewer worksheets and have a plan in mind in terms of what to do with them.
• Avoiding prolonging activities especially with regard to oral activities. They loose their optimal point.
• See to it that the pupils are cognitively challenged.
• Don't try to talk above the students.
• Always keep a sense of humor, calmness and above all, use your intelligence.
• Remember, don't teach too much. Teaching can {and should} be fun.

Over to You as the New Preservice Teacher

Make a list of successes and problems you are encountering in your classes. Do you have any additional ideas on how to improve pedagogical and classroom management issues in your practice teaching?

The copyright of the article Preservice Teaching Problems in New Teacher Support is owned by Dorit Sasson. Permission to republish Preservice Teaching Problems in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

The Do's and Don'ts of Lesson Planning