The SECRET to successfully plan your lessons for the year

It’s back to school time and you’re having to create your plans for the year, or maybe just for the first month, or simply the first week! Here’s the secret to making sure that you don’t run out of time and you actually cover everything you’re supposed to before the end of  the year.

 

The key to successful planning is to start with the end in mind.

 

That’s right. Grab a calendar for the upcoming school year. Sit down and mark the important finale for your class. It could be the day of the AP exam. For me it’s the day the students sit for their IB test in May. For others it might be their state’s end of course exam or maybe just the final exam.

 

Whatever your grand finale is, mark it down clearly and then plan BACKWARDS. Here’s an example:

 

I teach an IB math class. I know that I want to give my students at least 3 full exams for practice before they sit for their actual test. Each practice exam consists of two 1.5 hour sittings. So technically that eats up a total of 6 classes. Since we’re on block scheduling, that means I have to account for at least two weeks BEFORE the actual exam date to give these practice tests in class.

 

But wait! Not only do I need to account for the days that I’m going to have them sit in “test mode” and take those practice exams, I need time to go over the answers! So in my school we’re on block scheduling (we meet every other day) for an hour and a half per class. So if on Monday I give the 2015 Paper 1 examination, then on Wednesday I want to go over the answers with the class and clarify any questions they have. This is a great time for reviewing key concepts, etc.

 

Then on Friday they take the 2015 Paper 2 examination that I’ll go over on Tuesday. So remember those 6 days I mentioned about, well they’ve now turned into 12 days! And on block scheduling, that’s about a month that I will need to leave for reviewing.

 

Ok…did I lose you with all the math?!

 

THE POINT IS by starting with when my students will sit down for the test and by accounting how many practice exams I would like them to take, I now know that instead of finishing my teaching in May right before the exam, I must finish by the end of March let’s say (usually this test is within the first 10 days of May).

 

When planning, let’s not forget that if you do teach these AP/IB students, you’ve basically lost them once AP/IB testing starts anyways because chances are your subject isn’t the only one they’re testing for and so guess what, if they test English on May 1^st but your test is until May 10^th, good luck seeing them around!

 

Some schools even give students time off from school grounds to study and the students come in just for the exam (I wish that happened at my school, but it doesn’t).

 

Then in planning for the year, take into account holidays, teacher planning days, the day before a long break like spring break or winter break (they’re brain dead and won’t do anything for you…unless you disguise it as a game or something fun).

 

Don’t forget the day before PROM or HOMECOMING or some other big event when they will be in no mood to learn anything and you’ll just end up frustrated from even trying to fight with them!

 

I would also recommend taking out from 5 to 10 days for last minute assemblies, pep rallies, field trips, etc. that might take the majority of your students out of class. Sometimes we plan this amazing lesson, and there’s six students at their desks because it’s the senior pep rally or the day before prom!

 

Also remember those important ‘sick’ days YOU’LL be taking, like on your birthday, or your anniversary, or your sister’s wedding day, or that fabulous ski trip you’ll have to miss a day or two of school. Maybe you’re going on a Disney cruise (I love Disney cruises) or you seriously do have medical appointments that have been scheduled in advance and you know you’ll be out.

 

Perhaps you sponsor a club and know in advance you have to attend state competition or a certain workshop that is always given on a particular day. Start plugging those into your calendar right away so that you know an accurate number of teaching days you have left.

 

Don’t get me wrong, days when you’re absent don’t need to be wasted days, but let’s be realistic, you’ll probably end up leaving a review assignment or a partner quiz or some simple activity that will keep them busy and out of your substitute’s hair!

 

Now, with this new number of instructional days you’ve got left, you’re ready to plan your lessons for the actual content that you have to cover.

 

Ok, so let’s RECAP and go through the steps:

1. Grab a calendar for the upcoming school year (Click here for a FREE school calendar you can edit on PowerPoint)
2. Write down D-Day (the exam day, grand finale day)
3. Figure out how much time you’ll need to review (taking practice exams, or simply just reviewing the concepts that will be tested on D-Day)
4. Then count off 5-10 classes depending on how common interruptions are in your school (and this also gives you a cushion in case you or your children get sick and you have to miss work)
5. Then, you can start plugging in the material that has to be covered with the NEW final date in mind (it could be in February even though you’re preparing them for a May exam).

 

So that’s it! This is the easiest way to make sure that you DON’T RUN OUT OF TIME when teaching. Will you have to go through some lessons rather quickly? Yes. Will the students sometimes be responsible for finding additional help through online sites like algebranation or khan academy? Uh, yes! And does that mean that you can wing it? Definitely NOT!

 

Failure to plan is a plan for failure.

 

What’s your strategy for planning out the school year? Share it below!