Mapping Instruction
Whether teachers choose to write down their plan or simply carry them in their heads is often a matter of both experience and personal preference. However, it is recommended that beginning teachers make at least a few notes, if not a complete plan, before beginning instruction.
Teaching a class can often be like finding a way through a city, Like travelers, teachers use maps to plan where they would like to go (goals) and how they would like to get there (activities). Teachers' maps also help them decide precisely when they've arrived at their intended destination (evaluation). If you journeyed through a city many times before, you're familiar with the major routes and acceptable alternatives to accommodate unforseen circumstances that may divert you from the planned primary route. Experienced teachers, like experienced travelers, will often make a mental map of their journey, picturing primary routes and acceptable alternatives. If you're familiar with the city, you/d better have a written map to guide your progress. Novice teachers, similar to inexperienced travelers, benefit greatly from a written map and often lose their way if they simply rely on a mental map.
The type of maps teachers need largely depends on the length and breadth of the instructional journey. for one-time lessons, a single lesson plan is sufficient. Tennis, golf, and ski instructors may see a student once or twice. When the instruction is focused on a longer period, however, it's important to sequence the information and skills to be learned: an instructional unit plan is in order. Instructional camps, certification programs, seasonal activities, and recreational programs are examples of instructional units. For programs lasting a year or longer, such as typical public school physical education program, a curriculum guide or long-range plan is recommended.
LESSON PLANS
Lesson plans offer a flexible guide for conducting a class. The plan may include one or more of the following: goals, lecture notes or key points, practice activities, equipment list, and evaluation criteria. The lesson plan ensures that thought has been given to the lesson and that the activities are organized in a purposeful, sequential pattern to maximize student success, interest, and learning. Exactly what and how much goes into the plan depends on the needs of the individual instructor,
A plan is not a script in which every detail must be precisely executed with nothing added on modified once the lesson begins. Rather, the plan serves as a reference and guide for the instructor's multi-faceted decision making during the lesson. Because there are so many decisions to be made in a lesson, ranging from equipment selection to student performance evaluation, a lesson plan helps teachers by guiding them to make many key decisions before the lesson even begins. And just like any map, if a teacher or coach encounters unanticipated obstacles or conditions, a good lesson plan contains a few alternative routes or activities.
UNIT PLANS
When instruction is carried out over several lessons with a unifying theme, a unit plan is recommended. A unit plan represents the comprehensive planning of a sequence of lessons. Skills and knowledge can be scheduled in a progresive fashion to achieve a maximum cumulative effect from the instruction. This type of planning gives teachers an overview of what will be taught and when. From the unit plan, the teacher can then draft plans for each lesson. Unit planning also aids in administration because equipment acquisition, student evaluations, and facility scheduling can all be accommodated.
Like lesson plans, the contents of a unit plan are tailored to the particular needs of the teacher. In most cases, the unit plan contains a combination of the following: general goals for the unit, specific goals for each lesson, sequential listing of skills and concepts to be taught, facilities and equipment needed, and evaluation criteria and procedures.
LONG-RANGE PLANS
Instructional programs that run a year or longer require long-range planning. Long-range plans allow program goals to be directly translated into a progressive, comprehensive, and workable instructional program. The needs, abilities, and interests of the learners; the strengths of the instructors; and environmental conditions such as equipment, facilities, and even weather can all be accommodated in long-range planning. Planning over an extended period ensures that instructional activities are progressively presented; this lets students or athletes build from one success to the next as they assemble a body or knowledge and gain useable skills. Variety in activities, information, and experiences can also be planned long term to keep student interest high. Like unit and lesson plans, long-range plans serve as instructional guides. They provide a thumbnail sketch of the program, making change readily visible and possible.
Considerable variation can be found in the format of long-range plans owing to the different needs of instructors and institutions. Long-range planning should, however, include the following: a statement of the program's purpose and goals, a list of key skills and knowledge to be learned, a timeline as to what will be taught and when, a list of necessary equipment and facilities, and an outline of evaluation procedures.
Taken from Teaching Sport and Physical Activity (Paul G. Shempp)
