Planning is an area of the standards that I especially enjoy because it allows me to use my own creativity--one of the main reasons I chose to enter the field of teaching. And yet, as I have learned, creativity in planning must have order and an end in mind.

I often feel that I have too many "ideas and materials" swimming around in my creative mind that converting them into "teachable lessons" is where the challenge comes into play. I can have the coolest idea for a lab or activity, but making it fit into the bigger picture of the goals of the class may not always be possible. I have also learned that it is imperative to let my students know what my plans are for a class or a unit. In the first few weeks of my student teaching, I handed out a mini-syllabus of the next unit to my students, which sketched out the activities we would be doing and the assessments that would be given. I think this simple step helped students gain a general idea of what to expect for the next few weeks, and later in the term students even mentioned to me that they were grateful for my organization.

Making connections between lessons is also imperative throughout a unit, and not just at the end of unit. For students to clearly understand that everything they are learning relates to other pieces of prior knowledge is a constant challenge in planning. By using constant, carefully-crafted and varied forms of assessment it is often possible to gauge whether students are making these connections. One tool I found very useful for assisting students in making these important connections was the "concept map," a tool that allows students to actively connect terms and concepts they have already learned. Concept maps were especially useful in my general-level human body class...and the students really enjoyed using this new form of learning.

The use of written plans in "Planning," especially using the template assigned, was a very time consuming process throughout my student teaching. However, working through the various aspects needed to make a lesson complete forces me to address areas of teaching that are essential. For example, making sure my objectives fit the standards adressed in my lesson has been an area that I can see marked improvement in my planning skills. Filling out the template makes me align my many ideas with an actual goal that fits the standards, helping give me greater substance and depth to my lessons.

In my planning I try to step back and look at the week and/or unit and plan how I can vary my teaching practices each day. Planning must also account for keeping students interested in the topics as well as making the connections. If I can step back and plan slightly different activities for each day, I feel like I have succeeded in adding variety to my instruction, be it by incorporating technology (a video or virtual lab, for example), a class demonstration and interactive drawing, or a lab activity.

In the end, planning is what consumes the majority of my time as a new teacher, and to learn to do it most effectively is an area of continual growth, learning, and creativity.