4.4 Designing Coherent Instruction in the area of Lesson and
Unit Structure {1}
“The lesson or unit has a clearly
defined structure around which activities are
organized. Progression of activities
is even, with reasonable time allocations.” SPU
Program Standards. Over the course of this summer, the standard 4.4 has been the foundation for three out of the four of my classes. Its purpose is to
push the importance of building a lesson with activities that clearly represent
student learning. Lesson design should
promote the building of lasting encoding from the lesson and scaffolding so
that student learning will be organized. The lesson is cohesive from one idea to
the next and is timeliness so teachers
are teaching for learning versus teaching
to check off a list of accomplished standards.
{2} Module 5 in our course had a
chapter reading and reflection on Understanding
by Design, Chapter 10. Implications for Teaching. {2}https://canvas.spu.edu/courses/7601/files/209108?module_item_id=89833
Page 159 begins by saying “Good teaching is dependent upon
good design…” My reasoning for citing this page goes back to my idea and the
focus for our 4.4 program standard that quality and lasting learning occurs when a solid plan is in place. {3} The
reading goes on to talk about feeling confident in our abilities to design
lessons with the intent to uncover deeper thinking. Working on the mid-quarter
lesson plans helped me do just that. In the first stage, we were asked to build lessons
that reflected standard but as we continued to edit and review I found there
was more to be done. By the third revision, I was able to find greater clarity with my design. I am confident in preparing for
this upcoming school year by establishing strong evidence of student language, purpose-driven activities, differentiation and standards-driven learning targets. {4} Entering
into this course, I had prior knowledge
of teaching and planning but was still a novice when it came to truly being transparent about the delivery of information
and its ability to provide the greatest amount of student learning. Now that I
have taken the time to revise and reflect on my work at various stages, I was
able to start the process of bridging the gaps within
my interpretation of a solid lesson plan. {5} Dance and fitness are excellent avenues to see student learning
presented at such a personal level. Areas of creativity open up doors to student thinking that may not occur in other
traditional subjects. Vocabulary, movement patterns and awareness of the world
around them and how it can be reflected through movement start to come out automatically
and that’s when I know students are invested and learning is happening. My favorite
moments as a teacher are when my students want to show me a move in the middle
of the hall during transitions or staff commenting on students practicing choreography
or technique during other classes. Of course, I want my students to be
respectful of school and other classroom rules and etiquettes, but it is also a
clear sign of their growing love for dance and fitness. {6} Though the quarter
is over, I am moving on to be the lead teacher next year focusing on dance and
fitness. My plan is to use the lesson plan outline from our mid-quarter lesson
plan assignment as a guide for future planning. With the framework and guidelines used to produce my
most accomplished work, I should be able
to structure my classes efficiently. Guiding my ideas on questions and comments
based on feedback received from other drafts should also help alleviate any
concerns. In our last module discussion, we were asked to list individuals we
could go to for help and advice. My new school’s Arts Department has strong leaders that I look forward to observing
and learning from this year.
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